The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-05-21

ing to a gang of bloodthirsty despera-
does. With a small force on hostile ter
ritory it was unsafe either to retain or
, dismiss the prisoners. Duly impressed
with the claims of self-preservation,
the captors decided that the crimes Of
the prisoners entitled them to halters,
and the pressing demands of the case
justified no delay FIalters were accord
ingly made from the bark of hickory
saplings by Knowlton's orders, from
which the culprits We're soon dangling
His genteness and humanity are il
lustrated by the following incident:
One day as Daniel was riding by the
Presbyterian church at Ashford he no.
ticed a large crowd congregated about
the whipping-post planted in the vicin-
ity, according to the harsh custom of
the day. Upon inquiry he learned that
culprit was to be f1ogged for non-at-
tendance at church and non-payment of
dues, When the sentence was read, OBJ
serving that the usual clause requiring
the stripes to be applied to the bare
back was omitted, KnoWlton jumped
from his horse and threw his own coat
over the shoulders of the culprit, thus
mitigating the force of the blows.
at is related that the night before the
Putnam company marched to the relief
of Boston, Old Put, as he was called,
was noticed to leave his house, and 81
lently walking over to a field adjacent,
there look toward Ashford, standing
some little time shading his eyes with
his hand, with stern expression on his
face. Being followed by neighbor and
asked for whom he was looking, the old
general calculated, Cad POUNDS, had
only Daniel Knowlton to take with me,
ia lick hell ITSELF
when Colonel Thomas Knowlton led
the Ashford company to American
headquarters, after the battle of Lex
ington, this same General Putnam
asked the colonel where his brother
Daniel was Being informed that he
had gone in another direction, the gene
raj remarked I am sorry that you did
not bring him with you; he alone is
worth half company Such is his
courage and lack of fear | could order
him into the mouth of a loaded cannon
and he would go
'"The horrible indignities and insults
which he was forced to bear, while con-
fined on the British prison ship Jersey.
after his capture at Fort Washington,
were never forgotten by Daniel Knowl-
ton. Every persecution that devilish
ingenuity could suggest, every refine
ment of cruelty was practiced on MIN
by his English guards. The very name
Of Britain fired his anger ever after.
Long years after the war. having re-
tired to his home at Ashford he was ac-
Cd - Oft divine OF q
Congregational church at Westford.
One Sabbath day, when the minister
gave out a hymn, having for it's refrain
Give Britain praise, Lieutenant
Knowlton Immediately rose up in his
seat and requested that this hymn
should be omitted and some other sung
in it's stead: but the minister paying no
attention to his request and the choir
beginning to sing, the old soldier
marched deliberately out Of church, de-
claring that he could not worship with
a congregation that gave Britain praise
for anything and he never entered that
church again.
LAS ! read the simple inscription on
his gravestone in the Westford Hill
cemetery-'A Patriot of the Revolution
I turned to one of his Oldest descend
ants and inquired why a more fitting
tribute to bis deeds had not been erect
ed over the grave of the hero. (Go
down in Windham county now and you
will find many who have been and still
are. asking this question: He gave me
an answer characteristic of the Knowl- |
tons: The best nowledginent of a |
mans services to his race is rendered !
when his countrymen demand with sur |
prise why his deeds are not more pub
licly appreciated New York Mail |
and Express.