hat he had not persecuted the people Livingston disliked, and
had shown generosity to the foe when in distress. Yet he felt compelled
to add: "For my own part, I respect his bravery and former services, and
sincerely lament that his patriotism will not suffer him to take that
repose, to which his advanced age and past services justly entitle him."

But Congress did not, fortunately, share the views of these
white-fingered, thin-skinned gentlemen, to whom a man's personal
appearance was vastly more than his distinguished services. They held,
with the doughty hero of many battles himself, that, as a soldier's duty
in war was to fight, it mattered not so much how he fought, nor in what
garb, so long as he won the victories. As to lack of capacity, and being
responsible for the loss of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, the court of
inquiry, which sat in the spring of 1778, entirely vindicated him,
holding that they fell, "not from any fault, misconduct, or negligence
of the commanding officers, but solely through the want of an adequate
force under their command to maintain and defend them."

Who was responsible for the lack of that "adequate force" none knew
better than the Commander-in-Chief, who had withdrawn Old Put's veterans
on six different occasions and compelled him to clothe the skeleton
ranks with raw militia, so that it ill became him to write (in his
letter to Livingston): "Proper measures are taking to carry on the
inquiry into the loss of Fort Montgomery, agreeable to the direction of
Congress, and it is more than probable, from what I have heard, that the
issue of that inquiry will afford just grounds for the removal of
General Putnam."

But the "issue of that inquiry" was in favor of Putnam, who demanded not
only a court of inquiry, but a trial by court-martial, "so that my
character might stand in a clearer light in the world." For, as he
justly observed in a letter to Congress, "to be posted here as a publick
spectator for every ill-minded person to make remarks upon, I think is
very poor encouragement for any persons to venture their lives and
fortunes in the service."

General Putnam received notice of this court of inquiry and of his
suspension from command pending its proceedings, as he was returning
from Connecticut, in March; but the month of July had arrived, the
battle of Monmouth fought, and General Lee's court-martial had been
ordered, before he was reinstated. Then Washington rather grudgingly