, 1879-02-14
PUTNAM'S RIDE,
Fropdhcd Centennial Celebration of Gnn.
futhAm'. 1:aeapc fran tic lsrittstl-.IIis.
turicAi "Reminiscences,


turicai "Reminiscences.
Corrtspondencs Nf,o york Ht~a,d.
9HEESWlCti. COnI., Feb, 6.-fong heforo this
beautiful little town wins illutto famous by the
presence OF William II. Tweed md tie Americus
Club It had nnmc In history as the scene Ut
Gei'. p,tnan's daring ga!lop or plungcs down
tllc Horse-Ncck gorco to escape from n purity OF
Hcss'aus wllp were pursuing lin. Students Ut
our Revolutionary history need not be told that
Putnarsi'a rdc occurred On Feb. 70, t77, though
II lsay b. News to others. Occurring 100 years
ago, II now comes forward as centennial event.
n,sl the good people Of Greenwich propusu to
celebrate II In loyal and patrtottr lasllio,l. The
projected arrangements nre in good hanls, tho
Committee embracing some Of the most infucn-
t!al men Of the place. The programme has
not oecu completed, but II will tayu somo III
tcrc5tinG features. At sunrise sn!uto Of 100
guns will bc fired, Tic bells being rung at tile
sumo time. During tile forenoon a procession
will be formed nj the place whcru the British
were tfsat discovered. md the march will, be
takcn lip to Putnatn's Ilitl. II distance OF nearly
milc. President HAYES, Gems. Sherman, lian-
cock, md Terry: Gov. Hubbard, Gov. Andrew
and staff; President Porter, Ut Yale; md tile
1eey. Or. Leonard Bacon have been Invited to
rldo tn tho procession, wllct, wtll ombraco mill
tary md civic organizations. Bcaisics Tic rxcr-
clscs at Pntnam's Hill thcro will bu speeches,
poema, etc., at tho Congregational Church, fol-
lowed by COLLATION. at the Le,nox House. The
anniversary would be tho 2ttli, but Tint beluy
Asf, Wednesday, the Committee voted to celc-
hEate Feb. ., Wnsnngtot's birthday, thus ,,t,-
t'ctnE two historic events, mud giving n better
opportunity ior attendance. The entire Con-
aud the day be marked by patriotfc feryor.
Visitors to GrecnWich ara Invariably shown
tile old building known as putnam's hcatl-
quarters, situated On tso oil! Boston turnpike,
about threc.auartMers M of Mlo froIs tho present
lied nlsl added 70 until It has bccn,nc almost u
new crcnttou. 1t fs II tilu Of small stone rough
" ,nortnrcd together. story nuu Il half htgh,
having two entrances, o'ln ot which Is shaded
by d latticcd porch. 4 modern chtMnsy OF fresll
rctl brtct! somewhat shocks the antiquarian, but
wuB tO doubt necessary. The windows arc very
Email, md to reudcr It hab!tnb!p each conaus
twelve ditnfnuiiyd but hcariit-lrnnc.l paics Ut
glass There is but one roo,l in eael, story, tic
one on tlie gro,t'Ml floor beIug about twelve feet
ny ten, Tho addition to II, Which forms by fur
thc greater part Ut the urcsent structure. Ii like
Il mo'icru lolge. The tront aud sitles arc
enlnFlsti e,l in tho Old New EnEland tason but
accortlin9 to lpeal tradition, putnnm started
hurrielly to rit!p to Stamford. Nut ,nany rols
distant lay The cliff which sIlarcd, with ad1accnt
pasturage lands, the na.no Of Horse Neck
avenue" Oh which Tweed lived, Is foltnr IN
pagc ISL nf ''Darbour's Historical Colleclions.n
Tiers has been great cl'angr III the ht!l s!nce
Putlanl's tlaT. The turnpike haa bCctI straight
e,lcd, mud in doing this II WIS ucrussary to cut
directly through the stortc.l ledge. Bcow tic
lcdgo the valley Inns bcrt llll up at least thirty
feet in the sine of t!se roadway. The old ruaf-
the top ot the Ledge to tho OLD rna1 l,eiow must
bc considerably over 101 feet, mud uli this slant
Is wttlfn Two Or three rods. Ihe stone dues not
cropu4t TO the surlace and did not all ths dis
tnise, but llie wAy was ragged With bushes a1.1
undcrgrowsh, which made tllc way duuhly Attll-
eaIt nnl pgrtlous. Un op part of tie rllf stood
the old Eplscopalian Church, which is re1,-
resented In all pictures nf the exploit,
nld 1t WIS 10 tlis church thnt tic stone
staps. Hight Of seventy, led. The church
las long since cru'nblcd away or WINS destroyed,
but tho chllrlyara contatus gruycstoncy tattIls
Dack to 1Il0, ntMl nllrs;s thu site OF Tie etllcc
10 hnre ridden from the brow of MI almost ub-
rl,pt preelpicu down thcsc stups ia apparently
impossible. though such was tile feat performed
by Putnam. Ihv Dcst authorities ag1eo llat
PutnaH rude down obiiNue!y mud rams out near
ille loot al to steps, a1;d then took tic turn-
pike to Stamford, t!ic "Tories" meanwhile fir
passing through llis hat. The Rev. Mark Mead.
who died nut illary years ago, Wis told by Cen
Ebcnezer Aiead--ille Inter 81 whom stool on
his porch NEAR tho Nrek ~ that memorable
nam roc, not down tho steps, hut through thu
glen, md, riding over tic Crounl, pointed out
with Ills whip tie localities.
Ash matter OF lutcrcst append Gen. Put
I1'iI's own story OF Ills achievement, given in
his report to headquarters. II Is al tullows:
'.CAMr At lsEpptNu, Marrli =, l770.-A de-
tncfinlcnt Ut slu enrny Ut K1n.,.hrltjye con.
gsting VI tho Seventeenth, furLy-to,lrth, n,,l
tifty-sevGnth British kegiuacnts,-sno Ut Hes
their lines los llorsu Neck on lu ovuniug Of lilo
Eth ult., with thu intention NJ cngsgiuy t.,o
troops 1T lhat place and tlcstroyn.; tic suit
wosaa. s Ga!,taln i!a thirty nc, wera srnt
svnyers trs cur a4Sa"esa !a ss @ Y Rrss Sssk w
valiec. they retired kuia1u 1'laIn undiscovered
IN tar u Rye Muck. where, II growtg night, Tho
u'irn!y nuscryctt md attariietl Them. loy de-
ienauu themselves Is wei! as nossible, as4 snle
where theY toalt advantage Ot eul,lnmlltlI,,i;
ptore III grulintl n,l Il,au su,,Iu little stand,
hns ile superior tarca of sts elso,ny obliged
them to retire 70 lyru,n bridge Q'carlng lilo
HAT means ha4 MI opmrtlis,sy Of reachin:,
Horse Meek III safrty, As WIS there l,lysrif
70 sec The situation Of tho Guards, hasi tho
troops FORMED on u hill BY tic ,nratius-lpuss
They catnu Oh brIskly, A,ll soDt DISCOVERED
tlAt Ills design WIS tu turn Our lalt1i and nos
Bcss themselves Of tlcille In aur rear. wileh
wo1tl1 .Gectullsv prevent our retruutt A there
directions 10 give me Information ul tilclr
approach tl1at VIC might retire In
se,son. In tho mcautiiMo q cnu,1n
advanced by the tnun road, where tic remainder
Of thu tEoops, amounting Duly to about sixty,
wera posted. Wo discharged solnu old tlol.l.
pieces which were there tuw t!tlcs, n,nl rave
,lictn small ire tf muhketry, but without any
considerable effect. Tllu ssluerIor force Of tic
elo!hy suon Obliged Our s,lIall hctarhnlcnt to
abandon tho place. | therefore lItcrte,l. Tho
troops to retiro and form Oh q hill u 1ittIo dis
tance fr0,l llorsa Mock, willis proyucuud to
Stanford {low called atalnior<l} to collect
body Ut militia md faw Continental ttoups
which wcro lt,er0, With wllicll returned lnmo-
dtately, AMI found tint tic enemy, utter pu,.-
during the Inhabitants OF lhe lrii,elml mart Ut
thctr effects anl destroying u few sait-works, q
si!lnll ssuoD aud sture, wcro OIL liic!r return,
Tie olilccr commanding the Continental truups
at Horse Neck misunderstood my orsicrs, anil
went ,Huel, further than ntgtaet, so ttat lle
gould not come up with tllen, su any advantage.
however. ordered tile few troops tint cum
from Staitorl to pursue them, thinking that
lheS nllght hayu an opportunity IT, pick up
sosne Ht:agscta. III this was lot mistaken,
" your Excellcuey will SEQ by tl!u tncl,sut ltsi
Ut prlsoners. | cannot toll to what particular
regiments they belongal Ono ana,uatl1n a,ll
on1 baggage wagon Wurc taken.h