He was
deeply grieved over the change in the commander's attitude toward him,
as well as puzzled to account for it, knowing full well that he had done
nothing to incur his displeasure, now so plainly manifested, not alone
to General Putnam but to others.
The change was probably due to their radical differences of temperament,
habits of life and education. While Washington the soldier recognized
the sterling qualities of Old Put, the veteran fighter, yet Washington
the aristocratic planter shrank from contact with Putnam the blunt, and
at times perhaps uncouth-appearing, farmer. Writing about that time, a
surgeon in the American army said: "This is my first interview with this
celebrated hero, Putnam. In his person he is corpulent and clumsy, but
carries a bold, undaunted front. He exhibits little of the refinements
of a well-educated gentleman, but much of the character of the veteran
soldier."
This was not the style of soldier that the Commander-in-Chief liked to
have about him, and he allowed his personal prejudices to pervert his
judgment.
"What shall I do with Putnam?" he breaks out in a letter to Gouverneur
Morris.
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