s adjacent to Fort Edward, to cut timber for strengthening the
fortification, General Lyman sent along a company of regulars to protect
them against possible attacks by Indians. This was a prudent measure;
but the commander had not counted upon the wary nature of the foe. He
should have sent out the Rangers, who knew the Indians and their ways
and would have provided protection, without a doubt. But there chanced
to be a Ranger on duty as a sentinel, and early one morning, before the
sun was up, his attention was attracted to a flight of wonderful birds
silently winging their way across the sky. Suddenly, one of those
"birds" came with great force against the limb of a tree right over his
head, where it stuck, and then the sentry saw that those winged
messengers were Indian arrows! He lost no time in giving the alarm and
the working party began retreating toward the fort. They were promptly
attacked by a large body of Indians, who had hoped to kill the sentry
without any noise, when the workmen would have been cut off, without a
doubt.

The regulars bravely stood their ground and poured a destructive fire
into the savage ranks; but the foe was persistent and soon obtained the
upper hand. It happened that, as usual, brave Putnam was not far distant
from the sound of battle, which he no sooner heard than he hastened in
its direction. As he and his men were posted on an island, he and they
waded through the water to dry land, and in pressing to the scene of
conflict passed near the fort, on the parapet of which stood General
Lyman, who, imagining the attack came from the main body of the enemy,
had called in his outposts and closed the gates. As Major Putnam and his
men dashed past on the double-quick, intent only upon rescuing their
friends from the savages, the General ordered them to return, believing
that they were needlessly exposing their lives in a vain attempt against
an overwhelming force.

For the first time in his military career (but not the last) Putnam
refused to obey the orders of his superior officer. Indignant at the
mere thought of abandoning his companions-at-arms at such a juncture, he
muttered something under his breath (which he afterward said was an
apology; but those who knew "Old Put" best thought otherwise) and pushed
on, without turning to right or left. And his obstinacy saved the day,
for, uniting with the regulars, the Rangers "rushed" the savages from
their position and chased them through t