New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-17
PCTNAM'S HILL.
4 MOMENT UNVEILED AT THE SCENE
OF HIS FAMOUS RIDE AT HORSE
NECK. NOW GREENWICH


4 F. which unveiled monument on the brow
Of tn E.- down which the Revolutionary hero
escaped. The occasion was sisnalized by the
presence ~ representatives. of the Army, the
State government and the National D 4. r.
Amlng those who took part in the exercises
were Count DE- Lafayette. grandson Of
Genera Lafayette. who made an address. and
Putnam 1rialey. 4 Riverside. Conn q descend
ant o. General Putnam, who unveiled the mouu-
mer-
Ever detail u Putnam-s ride cannot OF
coU-s= be- accurately described. The general i'm
press is that he rode down a steep flight of
stone 81 Is- and illustrators have made free use
Of Their imagination IN depicting the occurrence
from this point of view. General Putnam. after
The manner Of heroes. says nothing of the incl
den in his official report of the British raid
upon Greenwich; 1t has remained for others 10
give currency to il.
Genera Putnam was at the time in command Of
The American forces in Connecticut with head
quarters al Redding, near Daubury. The territory
between Greenwich and NeW-Yorlz was debat-
abe ground and occasionally Putnam came 10
G-eeuHi ch ia order to inspect the post and keep
watch CA The movements Of the enemy. At this
tine February. 1179 several regiments Of Brit
Eh soldiers were camped al hingsbridge. On
the evening Of February - a detachment under
GCveru.- Trvon estimated at from fourteen
hundred &. fifteen hundred men, set out from
Ki1gsLrl-Ee on one Of those marauding expe-
dI-iCn5 f.- which Governor Tryon was noted
Putnam CHANGED to be at Greenwich, toward
which place Tryor was advancing II is said
that on tl-s particular evening Putnam attended
bal taking woman from Cos Cob with him
On his horse The British column was discovered
Al New -EocheLle by q recommending party Of
thirty patriots from Greenwich. These retired
defendL-- themselves as best they could, taking
up The bridge over the Byram River. at Port
Chester. behind them.
Il Tas about 9 o'clock on the morning Of
FEBRUARY p when the British troops reached
GIeenHt--. u Horseneck, Is the place was
called then Putnam ordered such troops as
were II The village, & mere handful 10 form on
he Bos-aa Post Road. on the enineuce near the
meeting house. about half mile from the
famous a-- Two old field pieces were fred once
OF twice AZ the approaching enemy. and then
FolnaIl gave the order 10 retire and form on a
II short distance from Horseneck while he
proceed .. Stanford and collected a body p
E-llla al- q t=a Continental troops which were
there
II MS report The General generously says that
ne officer understood his orders The troops
retired SIX l.=s 100 far TO be OF further ser
wee Putnam SCI out along the Post Road for
o'~l--JE- ls- niles distant. He was discovered
:; D+-@Hees corps. which was il the van Of
irons forces and was pursued. At the brow
VI l-s hi-- near -l= old Episcopal Chapel ne
0---- struck down through the brush bullets
EL-St---- Hasc him. one Of which tradition saws
I-775- -----sl the drlr1 Of his hat Regaining
--=- ~ ~---| the precipiCe he took his way
--------.-. where he secured reinfOTcemeuts |
-1---.= % me afternoon, he harassed the re- |
t---S enemy successfully. Tryon's men had
-7-7 and schooner, destroyed stores |