" 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
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.
Pages:
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197