RECOLLECTIONS OF GENERAL PUTNAM.

presented themselves to his choice. So instanta

to fire many balls on the batteau before it could be got under way. No sooner had our batteau-men escaped, by favour of the rapidity of the current, beyond the reach of musket-shot, than death seemed only to have been avoided in one form, to be encountered in another, not less terrible. Prominent rocks, latent shelves, absorbing eddies, and abrupt descents, for a quarter of a mile, afforded scarcely the smallest chance of escaping without a miracle. Putnam, trusting himself to a good Providence, whose kindness he had often experienced, rather than to men, whose tenderest mercies are cruelty, was now seen to place himself sedately at the helm, and afford an astonishing spectacle of serenity: his companions, with a mixture of terrour, admiration, and wonder, saw him incessantly changing the course, to avoid the jaws of ruin, that seemed expanded to swallow the whirling boat. Twice he turned it fairly round to shun the rifts of rocks. Amidst these eddies, in which there was the greatest danger of its foundering, at one moment the sides were exposed to the fury of the waves; then the stern, and next the bow, glanced obliquely onward, with inconceivable

"In the winter of 1757, when Col. Haviland was neously was the latter adopted, that one man who commandant of fort Edward, the barracks adjoining | had rambled a little from the party, was, of necessito the northwest bastion took fire. They extended ty, left, and fell a miserable victim to savage barbarwithin twelve feet of the magazine, which contained ity. The Indians arrived on the shore soon enough three hundred barrels of powder. On its first discovery, the fire raged with great violence. The commandant endeavoured, in vain, by discharging some pieces of heavy artillery against the supporters of this flight of barracks, to level them with the ground. Putnam arrived from the island where he was stationed, at the moment when the blaze approached that end which was contiguous to the magazine. Instantly, a vigorous attempt was made to extinguish the conflagration. A way was opened by a postern-gate to the river, and the soldiers were employed in bringing water; which he, having mounted on a ladder to the eaves of the building, received and threw upon the flame. It continued, notwithstanding their utmost efforts, to gain upon them. He stood, enveloped in smoke, so near the sheet of fire, that a pair of thick blanket-mittens were burnt entirely from his hands-he was supplied with another pair dipped in water. Col. Haviland, fearing that he would perish in the flames, called to him to come down. But he entreated that he might be suffered to remain, since destruction must inevitably ensue if their exertions should be remitted. The gallant commandant, not less astonished than charm-velocity. With not less amazement the savages beed at the boldness of his conduct, forbade any more held him sometimes mounting the billows, then effects to be carried out of the fort, animated the plunging abruptly down, at other times skilfully veermen to redoubled diligence, and exclaimed, "If we ing from the rocks, and shooting through the only must be blown up, we will all go together." At narrow passage; until, at last, they viewed the boat last, when the barracks were seen to be tumbling, safely gliding on the smooth surface of the stream Putnam descended, placed himself at the interval, below. At this sight, it is asserted, that these rude and continued from an incessant rotation of replen-sons of nature were affected with the same kind of ished buckets to pour water upon the magazine. superstitious veneration, which the Europeans in the The outside planks were already consumed by the dark ages entertained for some of their most valproximity of the fire, and as only one thickness of orous champions. They deemed the man invulnertimber intervened, the trepidation now became gen-able, whom their balls (on his pushing from shore) eral and extreme. Putnam, still undaunted, covered with a cloud of cinders, and scorched with the intensity of the heat, maintained his position until the fire subsided, and the danger was wholly over. He had contended for one hour and a half with that terrible element. His legs, his thighs, his arms, and his face were blistered; and when he pulled off his second pair of mittens, the skin from his hands and fingers followed them. It was a month before he recovered. The commandant, to whom his merits had before endeared him, could not stifle the emotions of gratitude, due to the man who had been so instrumental in preserving the magazine, the fort, and the garrison."

would not touch, and whom they had seen steering in safety down the rapids that had never before been passed. They conceived it would be an affront against the Great Spirit, to attempt to kill this favoured mortal with powder and ball, if they should ever see and know him again'

"In the battle of Princeton, Capt. M'Pherson, of the 17th British regiment, a very worthy Scotchman, was desperately wounded in the lungs and left with the dead. Upon General Putnam's arrival there, he found him languishing in extreme distress, without a surgeon, without a single accommodation, and without a friend to solace the sinking spirit in the gloomy hour of death. He visited and immediately caused every possible comfort to be admin

"A few adventures, in which the public interests were little concerned, but which, from their peculiar-istered to him. Capt. McPherson, who contrary to ity, appear worthy of being preserved, happened before the conclusion of the year. As one day, Major Putnam chanced to lie, with a batteau and five men, on the eastern shore of the Hudson, near the rapids, contiguous to which fort Miller stood; his men on the opposite bank had given him to understand, that a large body of savages was in his rear, and would be upon him in a moment. To stay and be sacrificed-to attempt crossing and be shot-or to go down to the falls, with an almost absolute certainty of being drowned, were the sole alternatives that

all appearances recovered, after having demonstrated
to Gen. Putnam the dignified sense of obligations
which a generous mind wishes not to conceal, one
day in familiar conversation demanded-' Pray, sir,
what countryman are you? An American,' an-
swered the latter. Not a Yankee!' said the other
A full-blooded one,' replied the general. By G-d
I am sorry for that,' rejoined M'Pherson, ‘I did not
think there could be so much goodness and generos-
ity in an American, or, indeed, in anybody but a
Scotchman.'”

DANIEL MORGAN.

From the "Custis Recollections and Private Memoirs of the American outposts.
Life and Character of Washington."

The outposts of the two armies were very near to each other, when the American commander, desirous of obtaining particular information respecting the positions of his adversary, summoned the famed leader of the riflemen, Colonel Daniel Morgan, to headquarters.

country. Here Morgan halted to give his men a little rest, before taking up his line of march for the Scarcely had they thrown themselves on the grass, when they perceived, issuing from the enemy's advanced pickets, a body of horse, commanded by an officer, and proceeding along the road that led directly by the spot where the riflemen had halted. No spot could be better chosen for an ambuscade, for there were rocks and ravines, and also scrubby oaks, that grew thickly on the eminence by which the road, we have just mentioned, passed, at not exceeding a hundred yards.

"Down, boys, down," cried Morgan, as the horse approached, nor did the clansmen of the Black Rhoderick, disappear more promptly amid their native heather, than did Morgan's woodsmen in the present instance, each to his tree or rock. “Lie close there, my lads, till we see what these fellows are about."

It was night, and the chief was alone. After his usual polite, yet reserved and dignified salutation, Washington remarked, "I have sent for you, Colonel Morgan, to intrust to your courage and sagacity, a reconnoitre of the enemy's lines, with a view to your ascertaining correctly the position of their newİy-constructed redoubts, also of the encampments of the British troops that have lately arrived, and those of their Hessian auxiliaries. Select, sir, an officer, a non-commissioned officer, and about twenty picked men, and, under cover of the night, proceed, but with Meantime, the horsemen had gained the height, all possible caution, get as near as you can, and and the officer, dropping the rein on his charger's learn all you can, and by day dawn retire and make neck, with a spyglass, reconnoitred the American your report to headquarters. But mark me, Colo- lines. The troopers closed up their files, and were nel Morgan, mark me well, on no account whatever either cherishing the noble animals they rode, adare you to bring on any skirmishing with the ene-justing their equipments, or gazing upon the surmy; if discovered, make a speedy retreat; let no- rounding scenery, now fast brightening in the beams thing induce you to fire a single shot; I repeat, sir, of a rising sun.

that no force of circumstances will excuse the dis- Morgan looked at Long, and Long upon his supecharge of single rifle on your part, and for the ex-riour, while the riflemen, with panting chests and treme preciseness of these orders, permit me to say sparkling eyes, were only awaiting the signal from that I have my reasons." Filling two glasses of wine, their officers "to let the ruin fly.” the general continued-"And now, Colonel Morgan, we will drink a good night, and success to your enterprise." Morgan quaffed the wine, smacked his lips, and assuring his excellency that his orders should be punctually obeyed, left the tent of the

commander-in-chief.

Charmed at being chosen as the executive officer of a daring enterprise, the leader of the woodsmen repaired to his quarters, and calling for Gabriel Long, his favourite captain, ordered him to detach a sergeant and twenty prime fellows, who being mustered, and ordered to lay on their arms, ready at a moment's warning, Morgan and Long stretched their manly forms before the watchfire, to await the going down of the moon, the signal for departure.

A little after midnight, and while the rays of the setting moon still faintly glimmered in the western horizon, "Up, Sergeant," cried Long; "stir up your men," and twenty athletick figures were upon their feet in a moment. Indian file, march, and away all sprung, with the quick, yet light and stealthy step of the woodsmen. They reached the enemy's lines, crawled up so close to the pickets of the Hessians as to inhale the odour of their pipes, discovered, by the newly turned-up earth, the positions of the redoubts, and by the numerous tents that dotted the field for " many a rood around," and shone dimly amid the night haze, the encampments of the British and German reinforcements, and, in short, performed their perilous duty without the slightest discovery; and pleased, prepared to retire, just as chanticleer, from a neighbouring farmhouse, was "bidding salu

tation to the morn.'

The adventurous party reached a small eminence, at some distance from the British camp, and commanding an extensive prospect over the adjoining

At length, the martial ardour of Morgan overcame his prudence and sense of military subordination Forgetful of consequences, reckless of every thing but his enemy, now within his grasp, he waved his hand, and loud and sharp rang the report of the rifles amid the surrounding echoes. A pointblank distance, the certain and deadly aim of the Hunting Shirts of the revolutionary army, is too well known to history, to need remark at this time of day. In the instance we have to record, the effects of the fire of the riflemen were tremendous. Of the horsemen, some had fallen to rise no morc, while their liberated chargers rushed wildly over the adjoining plains, others wounded, but entangled with their stirrups, were dragged by the furious animals expiringly along, while the very few who were unscathed, spurred hard to regain the shelter of the British lines.

While the smoke yet canopied the scene of slaughter, and the picturesque forms of the woodsmen appeared among the foliage, as they were reloading their pieces, the colcssal figure of Morgan stood apart. He seemed the very genius of war, as gloomily he contemplated the havock his order had made. He spoke not, he moved not, but looked as one absorbed in an intensity of thought. The martial shout, with which he was wont to cheer his comrades in the hour of combat, was hushed, the shell* from

ing with the light troops of the enemy, or annoying his flanks; * Morgan's riflemen were generally in the advance, skirmishthe regiment was thus much divided into detachments, and dispersed over a very wide field of action. Morgan was in the hab it of using a conch-shell frequently during the heat of the battle, with which he would blow a loud and warlike blast. This, he said, was to inform his boys that he was still alive, and that from many parts of the field was beholding their prowess; and like the celebrated sea-warriour of another hemisphere's last signal, was expecting that "every man would do his duty."

chief, till arousing all his energies to the effort, he uncovered and replied: "Your excellency's orders were perfectly well understood, and agreeably to the same, I proceeded with a select party to reconnoitre the enemy's lines by night. We succeeded, even beyond our expectations, and I was returning to headquarters to make my report, when, having halted a few minutes to rest the men, we discovered a party of horse coming out from the enemy's lines. They came up immediately to the spot where we lay concealed in the brushwood. There they halted, and gathered up together like a flock of partridges, affording me so tempting an opportunity of annoying my enemy, that, may it please your excellency, flesh and blood could not refrain."

which he had blown full many a note of battle and | eration for his presence. Morgan quailed for a moof triumph on the fields of Saratoga, hung idly by his ment, before the stern, yet just displeasure of his side; no order was given to spoil the slain, the arms and equipments for which there was always a bounty from Congress, the shirts for which there was so much need in that, the sorest period of our country's privation, all, all were abandoned, as with an abstracted air, and a voice struggling for utterance, Morgan suddenly turning to his captain, exclaimed "Long, to the camp, march." The favourite captain obeyed, the riflemen with trailed arms fell into file, and Long and his party soon disappeared, but not before the hardy fellows had exchanged opinions on the strange termination of the late affair. And they agreed nem con, that their colonel was tricked, (conjured,) or assuredly, after such a fire as they had just given the enemy, such an emptying of saddles, and such a squandering of the troopers, he would On this rough, yet frank, bold, and manly explananot have ordered his poor rifle boys from the field, tion, a smile was observed to pass over the countewithout so much as a few shirts or pair of stock-nances of several of the general's suite. The chief ings being divided among them. "Yes," said a remained unmoved; when, waving his hand, he contall, lean, and swarthy looking fellow, an Indian tinued: "Colonel Morgan, you will retire to your quarhunter from the frontier, as he carefully placed his ters, there to await further orders." Morgan bowed, moccasined feet in the foot prints of his file leader, and the military cortege rode on to the inspection of "Yes, my lads, it stands to reason, our colonel is the outposts. tricked."

Arrived at his quarters, Morgan threw himself upMorgan followed slowly on the trail of his men. on his hard couch, and gave himself up to reflections The full force of his military guilt had rushed upon upon the events which had so lately and so rapidly his mind, even before the reports of his rifles had succeeded each other. He was aware that he had ceased to echo in the neighbouring forests. He be- sinned past all hopes of forgiveness. Within twentycame more and more convinced of the enormity of four hours he had fallen from the command of a rehis offence, as with dull and measured strides, hegiment, and being an especial favourite with the pursued his solitary way, and thus he soliloquized: general, to be, what-a disgraced and broken soldier. "Well, Daniel Morgan, you have done for yourself. | Condemned to retire from scenes of glory, the dar Broke, sir, broke to a certainty. You may go home, sir, to the plough; your sword will be of no further use to you. Broke, sir, nothing can save you; and there is an end of Colonel Morgan. Fool, fool-by a single act of madness, thus to destroy the earnings of so many toils, and many a hard-fought battle. You are broke, sir, and there is an end of Colonel Morgan."

To disturb this revery, there suddenly appeared, at full speed, the aiddecamp, the Mercury of the field, who, reining up, accosted the colonel with, "I am ordered, Colonel Morgan, to ascertain, whether the firing just now heard, proceeded from your detachment.""It did, sir,” replied Morgan, sourly. "Then, Colonel," continued the aid, "I am further ordered to require your immediate attendance upon his excellency, who is approaching." Morgan bowed, and the aid, wheeling his charger, galloped back to rejoin his chief.

ling passions of his heart-for ever to abandon the "fair fields of fighting men," and in obscurity, to drag out the remnant of a wretched existence, neglected and forgotten. And then his rank, so hardly, so nobly won, with all his "blushing honours," acquired in the march across the frozen wilderness of the Kennebeck, the storming of the Lower town, and the gallant and glorious combats of Saratoga.

The hours dragged gloomily away, night came, but with it, no rest for the troubled spirit of poor Morgan. The drums and fifes merrily sounded the soldier's dawn, and the sun arose, giving promise of a good day." And to many within the circuit of that widely-extended camp, did its genial beams give hope, and joy and gladness, while it cheered not with a single ray, the despairing leader of the woodsmen.

About ten o'clock, the orderly on duty reported an arrival of an officer of the staff from headquarThe gleams of the morning sun upon the sabres of ters, and Lieutenant-col. Hamilton, the favourite aid the horse guard, announced the arrival of the dread- of the commander-in-chief, entered the markee. ed commander-that being, who inspired with a de-" Be seated," said Morgan; "I know your errand, so gree of awe, every one who approached him. With be short, my dear fellow, and put me out of my misa stern, yet dignified composure, Washington ad-ery at once. I know that I am arrested; 'tis a matter dressed the military culprit: "Can it be possible, of course. Well, there is my sword; but surely, his Colonel Morgan, that my aiddecamp has informed excellency honours me, indeed, in these last moments me aright? Can it be possible, after the orders of my military existence, when he sends for my you received last evening, that the firing we have heard, proceeded from your detachment? Surely, sir, my orders were so explicit as not to be easily misunderstood." Morgan was brave, but it has been often, and justly too, observed, that that man never Hamilton, about whose strikingly-intelligent counwas born of a woman, who could approach the great tenance, there always lurked a playful smile, now Washington, and not feel a degree of awe and ven-observed: "Colonel Morgan, his excellency has or

sword by his favourite aid, and my most esteemed friend. Ah, my dear Hamilton, if you knew what I have suffered since the cursed horse came out to tempt me to ruin."