Israel Putnam
" Israel Putnam commenced his eventful life at Salem, Massachusetts on the 7th of January 1718. He was a man of iron constitution and herculean powers. He served mother Britain faithfully in the French war and had many hair breadth escapes. He was taken prisoner and nearly burned to death by the savages. He was rescued by a French officer. His great feat with a wolf is familiar to every school boy. His manner of capturing an armed vessel when under General Amherst was as novel as it was simple and successful. With four others he proceeded under her stern in the night and drove several wedges between the rudder and hull which placed her at the mercy of the wind,she drifted on shore and was easily captured the next morning.When the war cry from Lexington reached his ears he left his plough in the furrow mounted his horse, rode 100 miles in a single day to reach the scene of action and was soon created a Major General and carried more original thunder than any other man in the Army. His voice could be heard above the roar of battle. He was in the sanguinary affair at Bunker's Hill and had charge of erecting the temporary fortifications. He was at the battle of Long island, and superintended the fortifications at Philadelphia and in all his duties manifested an energy and skill that placed him high in the estimation of every patriot. In the spring of 1777, he was placed in command of the troops at the High Lands. A refugee Lieutenant was detected in his camp as a spy. Governor Tryon wrote him to at once liberate the officer or he would give him particular thunder. Old Put replied thus laconically."
"Sir Nathan Palmer, a Lieutenant in your king's service, was taken in my camp as a spy, and he was tried as a spy, he was condemned as a spy and he shall be hanged as a spy.
"P. S. Afternoon. He is hanged.
"Israel Putnam."
General Putnam was the founder of West Point. Whilst superintending the fortifications at that place he was disabled from further duty by an attack of paralysis. This did not impair his mental powers or disturb the equanimity and cheerfulness of his mind or prevent him from being a pleasant, amusing and interesting companion. He lived at Brookline Connecticut in the enjoyment of the gratitude of a nation of freemen until the 29th of May 1790 when his soul left its tenement of clay and returned to its Creator. He was truly an honest man. On the 16th of June 1776 he spurned a princely bribe that was tendered to him by Sir William Howe.