Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-05-09
"OLD PUT"
Source of the Nickname Of General Is
rael Putnam.


rael Putnam.
There never was a brayer or more
patiiotic soldier than old Israel Put
nam, and no officer was more beloved
than "Old Put" as his soldiers famil-
iarly called him. He was the idol OF
the common solder, for. he typified the
undaunted spirit of the young republic.
The mention. of his name brings at
once to mind three picturesque incl
dents in his life-the battle with the
she wolf in the cave at Pomfret, Conn.,
the leaving of his plow in his furroW
to respond to the cry from Lexington
and his wild horseback ride down the
rocky stairs Or cliffs, to escape capture
by the British. These Incidents, not
more remarkable in way than others
in his life illustrate strongly the char
acter of the man. r..a, a..
Putnam, from the day he first en-
listed to serve in the Indian wars 20
the close of the Revolution, was al
ways on call, ready to give the best he
had, or all he had if necessary. He
has always occupied a warm spot In
the hearts of the American people.
One of the best tributes to "Old Put
comes from the graceful pen of Wash
ington. Irving, who says:
"a yeoman warrior. fresh :frs m the
plow, in the garb of labor, a patriot
brave and generous,l but rough, and
ready, who thought not Of himself in
time of danger, but was ready to serve
in any way, and to sacrifice official
\ rank and glorifcation to the good
of, the cause" . :. !,
When Putnam enlisted for service
against the. French. and Indians he
had no military experience whatever
but he proved a good student and at
the. end OF. the first campaign he re-
turned home a captain y. ;me.
The news OF the battle of Lexington
spread with remarkable swiftness.
Putnam learned of: it the following
day. With his son he had gone to a
field near the Tavern. on Brooklyn
Green. to p!ow. An; excited messenger
rode into the place with a dispatch
from the town clerk at Worchester.
Putnam,s response was characteristic.
He left his plow in the furrow, never
waiting even to change his clothes,
mounted. his horse and started to
spread the alarming pews. He, rallied
a number of. the farmers about him
and that night, without stopping to
rest, dressed as he was in his check
farmers frock, he started on a night
ride to Cambridge. Within a week
after the. battle of Lexington, Putnam
was in charge of the disorganized
troops al Cambridge. ~ I....
Then came the eyentful Bunker Hill,
with Putnam's homely order: Don't
fire until you see the whites of their
eyes" Bunker Hill, proved that "old
Put" and his colonials could hold their
own against British veterans. He
taught Americans 3 lesson that spelled
Liberty" ~, ,..,.....,, .5.......
But it was nearly three years later
that the episode occurred by which
'old Put" is best remembered. He
was. in command of the forces in Con-
necticut in the spring of 1779. On the
26th of February NE was at<Gree9-
wich. Tradition has it that he was
shaving in the morning when an Amer
lean officer rode up and informed him
of the approach of Gen. Tryon with a
large force of British and(Tories. He
hastily drew up his little body Of Con-
tinentals. Resistance by such small
force was futile. and after the first
volley Putnam ordered his men to seek
safety, and he started on a gallop to-
wards Stamford for achievements
A quarter of mile east Of the Con-
gregational church is a precipitous and
rocky hill, now known as Puts Hili."
In it were cut steps, twenty-four in
number. The British were confident
that they had captured "o!d Put" when
they saw him dashing toward the
steps. But, with reckless daring, he
galloped his horse down the steep in
cline, while the astonished dragons
reined up at the head of the steps,
looking at one another with bewilder-
ment. Putnam returned that day with
reinforcements in time to capture
number of them as prisoners.