gave him command of the right wing of the grand army, at White Plains,
near or on Chatterton Hill, where he had vainly tried to reenforce
McDougall, in the fierce fight that took place there not quite two years
before. The three armies were then collectively of "greater strength
than any force that had been brought together during the war,"
consisting, says Major Humphreys, of sixty regular regiments of foot,
four battalions of artillery, four regiments of horse, and several corps
of State troops. "But, as the enemy kept close within their lines on
York Island, nothing could be attempted."

Putnam was afterward sent across the Hudson, where, notwithstanding the
prejudices alleged against him in that region, where he had formerly
commanded, he was retained until the army was ordered into winter
quarters. These quarters were finally located in his own State, and were
admirably chosen for the purpose at that time, which was to hold the
troops together until the spring campaign should open. "The site for the
winter cantonment became an important question," writes Charles B. Todd,
a talented son of Connecticut, and an authority on her history, "and was
long and anxiously debated. Many of the general officers were for
staying where they were in the Highlands. Putnam pronounced in favor of
some central location in western Connecticut, where they could protect
both the Sound and the Hudson, and especially Danbury, which was a
supply station, and which had been taken and burned by the enemy the
year previous. General Heath's brigade had been on guard in Danbury
during this summer of 1778, and while visiting him Putnam had no doubt
discovered the three sheltered valleys formed by the Saugatuck and its
tributaries which lie along the border line of what was then Danbury
(now Bethel) and Redding. These valleys, open to the south, are warm,
sunny, well watered, and in that day were well wooded, and so defended
by dominating hills and crags, that a handful could hold them against an
army. They were but three days' march from the Highlands."

Putnam himself superintended the laying out of the three camps, one for
each valley, where, in log huts similar to those erected at Valley Forge
the winter previous, the soldiers were quartered. Here the Army of the
North, consisting of two brigades of Continental troops, two of
Connecticut, one brigade from New Hampshire, with artillery and
cavalry, wore away the long and weary winter of 1778-'7