e emergency, always
ready to mount and away at a moment's notice, rode all the way to
Boston, driving that flock of sheep before him! When arrived there he
was not received as the farmer, the tavern-keeper, the drover, but as
the famous military man, hero of many battles, an American of renown. He
was the guest of Dr. Joseph Warren, the patriot who was killed at Bunker
Hill; but people of all classes and conditions united to do honor to
"the celebrated Colonel Putnam," one of the "greatest military
characters of the age," and "so well known throughout North America that
no words are necessary to inform the public any further concerning him
than that his generosity led him to Boston, to cherish his oppressed
brethren and support them by every means in his power." The newspapers
alluded to him as "the old hero, Putnam"; and yet he was only
fifty-four at the time, at the period of life in which a man should be
able to do his best work. "He looks fresh and hearty," wrote one of his
friends to another, "and on an emergency would be as likely to do good
business as ever."

And why not? Putnam himself might have asked this question, for he had
by no means reached his "grand climacteric," and was still ready,
willing--and able, as well--to fight the enemies of his country. He was
zealous in behalf of his fellow patriots, but during this visit to
Boston he found almost as many friends on the British side as on the
Colonial, including Governor Gage, with whom he had fought their common
enemies, the Indians. When one of them banteringly asked them whether he
was going to stand by the flag or the country he answered seriously, but
with perfect good nature: "I shall always be found on the side of my
country!"

"Now, Putnam," another asked him, "don't you seriously believe that a
well appointed British army of say five thousand veterans could march
through the whole continent of America?"

"No doubt," he promptly replied, "if they behaved civilly, and paid well
for what they wanted; but," he added, after a moment's pause, "if they
should attempt it in a hostile manner (though the men of America were
out of the question) the women would knock them all on the head with
their ladles and broomsticks!"

CHAPTER XI

ON THE SIDE OF HIS COUNTRY

Ready and willing was Putnam--of that there is no doubt. Too willing,
some of his enemies declared, when in September, 1774, news coming from
Boston that American blood had been shed,