The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-15

a neioiudsr whSsh IL Hero Printed TO Close
the Controversy.

~ StuhENNNttys
To THE EDITOR OF TIE suN-Sir: In Mr.. J.
@. fuckers very courteous letter in THE Sun OF
to-day. In reply to my letter Of June 20. asking
II Putnam was a traitor" he entirely ignores
my quoted remarks Of Gen. Dearborn that Put
nam should have been shot for cowardice in not
bringing up his reserves at Bunker Hill" Now,
Gen. Dearborn was an officer OF acknowledge
high merit, respected by Washington and his
compatriots alike. and, therefore, this remark
Of his should have some standing in court.
But, as Dearborn accuses Putnam Of cow.
ardice ut that battle. and / took particular pains
In my article to exonerate him from that charge,
the question still is-all sentimental considera-
tions to the contrary, such as the "Old Put" OF
our boyhood-what caused Putnam's seemingly
pusillanimous action at Bunker Hit And also
why did he neglect to send troops TO Clinton in
tho latters terrible strait at Fort Montgomery
nfter being so repeatedly urged to do so Nor
should 1t DO forgotten that even before
Putnam's death, as we'll as after, PAM
phlets wero written to show that he
was in traitorous correspondence with the
enemy .TrS One Of these pamphlets, entitled
Of osf Putnam { 1ls4s ss's %"s written dRSa by yn aol. FEoilo a.1s
{ sa finfiSS SSt either Hi hSsl q I 1gu or q AB% rltiss of HeS GER
Mr.. fuckers statement, moreover. that Hum
proposition to Putnam would seem. in a measure,
to corroborate Mr.. Dawson's opinion. The biog.
sSee clFcr \ bn 1s true Il would shS' b that md pstn ss1i. spSEnSS
P psodappsa. If Nor Ppt sSouis lit Litter e. 70 a e aisic SGpla ms b.
Gage papers ia the archives Of the War De
partment, England.
so as'iJR Judge &s' JGnss and fn co1. taSE Cnsrssso Is w seas
Tories. and therefore, that their statements
n marx th nH. "a feii r to soe Why the the s tateme mtse Of fn men rsi
OF reputable standing. even II Tories. should not
f be reesiv ,;dG as truthful tn aatdnn Because g, 2 n,s Jones nons was at,
king. and because Col. Montressor was a
sss,riSn 6sHe de soa deddr % isl Ssih1ssFd t asaa t 1E.h
therefore. thor statements should not at least
not, Confess sSnts ' see. Surely iSH nj. Tucker Kern must. IN. IN
his own personal experience. recall many Of his
cohseited. and yet whose word he Would take
without cavill
The fact is that this question of the Tories in
vestigated. Many of them were. as in the case
Of the above gentlemen. men Of the high.
example. It 'is held that the right Of revoiuti tSl
this dlctnm. had a right .to. rebel; and the
United States Government had also a per-
down deSsl 't Ike psbsllio oleh' Our To e GoSeTnme 1S 9 aid
SO; but had the South been successful tho
w verdict ris 1f the s world n o %ep Rsv6 SsEs SsSn ,has ! thy
tho co!onists succeeded, and we all, and very
properly, too, cannot speak sufficiently highly Of
their sacrifices and their patriotism. But, had
they failed, Washington, Hancock, Adams, and
all those glorious men would have been handed
down to posterity as arch rebels and traitors.
Again. Mr.. Tucker mentions the fact, as show.
ing the improbability that Putnam could have
been bought for 81 a day, that his salary as
Major-General was $166 per month. Still when
It is remembered that owing to the deprecated
Continental currency 800 in that money was
often given for a breakfast, this fact ought not
to have much weight.
One more word. Mr.. Tucker states that I did
not mention, besides Putnam. Seth Pomeroy, one
Of the heroes Of the old French war, among
those Generals or whom Montressor says that
been, bought" The reason I did not do this
was because n number Of Pomeroy's immediate
descendants are stu QS9T living. and l did not
wish to wound their feelings. Putnam, on the
contrary, has neither lineal nor lateral descend
ants living. although a few families OF that
name claim. but without any foundation, such
descent. ! am afraid Pomeroy's descendants
will not thank our friend Tucker for bringing
him into such prominent notice.
MT. VERNON. July IL. WILLIAM L. STONE.