PUTNAM COUNTY. 483 



without changing his clothes, he repaired to Cambridge, riding 

 in one day one hundred miles. He was immediately made a 

 Brigadier General in the provincial army, returned to Connec- 

 ticut, levied a i^egiment, and repaired again to the camp. In 

 the memorable battle of Bunker's Hill he displayed consum- 

 mate bravery. Washington had the greatest confidence in his 

 courage and skill, and trusted him with the command of the 

 city of New- York, at the time when it was thought that the 

 whole force of the enemy would attempt to take possession of 

 it. The fidelity with which he executed this important com- 

 mand was acknowledged by Washington in general orders. 

 In August, 1776, he was stationed at Brooklyn, Long Island. 

 In the following October or November he was sent to Phila- 

 delphia, to fortify that city. In January, 1777, he was ordered 

 to take post at Princeton, where he remained until spring. At 

 this place the following incident occurred: Captain McPher- 

 son, of the British army, had been severely wounded ; and be- 

 lieving that his end was approaching, expressed a wish that 

 General Putnam would permit a friend in the British army at 

 Brunswick to come and assist him in making his will. This re- 

 quest created much embarrassment in the mind of Putnam. 

 He desired to be humane, but was unwiUing that the weak- 

 ness of his post should be seen by a British officer, for at this 

 time he had but fifty men under his command. He therefore 

 adopted an expedient to gratify the wishes of the British offi- 

 cer, and at the same time prevent any discoveries as to the 

 weakness of his post. A flag was despatched with McPher- 

 son's request, but under an injunction that his friend should be 

 brought in the night. In the evening, lights were placed in all 

 the College buildings, and in every apartment of the vacant 

 houses throughout the town. During the whole night, the fif- 

 ty men, sometimes all together, and sometimes in small detach- 

 ments, were marched from various quarters by the house in 

 which McPherson lay. The officer on his return reported, that 

 General Putnam could not have a force of less than 4 or 5,000 

 men. On one occasion, a tory by the name of Palmer was 

 detected in the camp. The enemy demanded him, threaten- 

 ing vengeance if he were not given up ; upon which General 

 Putnam wrote the following reply : " Sir, Nathan Palmer, a 



