deranged by General Putnam.... Not the least attention has been
paid to my order, in your name, for a detachment of one thousand
men from the troops hitherto stationed at that post. Everything is
sacrificed to the whim of taking New York.... By Governor Clinton's
advice, I have sent an order, in the most emphatical terms, to
General Putnam, immediately to despatch all the Continental troops
under him to your assistance, and to detain the militia instead of
them."

This order "in the most emphatical terms" finally moved the general to
compliance; but it quite naturally excited his just resentment, and he
sent it to the Commander-in-Chief, with his comments. It would have been
a serious matter--detaching such a large body of troops on a mere verbal
order from a hot-headed stripling; yet Washington in effect reprimanded
the honest veteran by writing:

I can not but say, there has been more delay in the march of the
troops than I think necessary; and I could wish that in future my
orders may be immediately complied with, without arguing upon the
propriety of them. If any accident ensues from obeying them, the
fault will be upon me, not upon you.

Death, defeat, a reprimand--all within one short month--might have
affected a stouter heart than Old Put's. But was there ever a stouter
one?

CHAPTER XVII

LAST YEARS IN THE SERVICE

Care sat lightly on Israel Putnam, who never went about looking for
trouble, nor gave it more than a scant welcome as a guest. Possessed of
sturdy common sense, an unblemished character, and a conscience "void of
offence," Old Put did not long harbor the hasty words of Hamilton, nor
dwell upon the tacit reprimand of his chief. He still sat astride his
"hobby-horse," as Hamilton had contemptuously termed his desire for
descending upon New York, and as soon as the latter had departed with
the reenforcements for Washington, he resolved to take a look at the
city, anyway. Taking some of his men down the east bank of the Hudson,
he himself reconnoitered to a point within three miles of the enemy's
outpost, and went to New Rochelle with the intention of invading Long
Island. The British got wind of his intent, and hastily left their
forts, having no relish for a brush with their dreaded enemy.

Although accused to Washington of being very lenient to Tories and other
disaffected persons, Putnam knew how to be severe on occasion, a