whom Putnam had arrested, and had brought to his commander
to be disciplined. It was a long while before Washington could recover
his countenance sufficiently to proceed with the business.

At last, after months of waiting, the arrival of General Knox with
fifty-five cannon and a quantity of ammunition, which, with magnificent
daring, he had collected and brought from the forts on the frontier, put
the Provincials in possession of the means they needed for compelling
the British to retire. Following a council of war, Dorchester Heights
were occupied on the 4th of March, the attention of the enemy being
first diverted from the real object by a two-days' cannon-fire upon the
other side of the city, and after a futile attempt by General Howe to
assault the works erected by the Americans, on the 17th the British
hastily took to their ships.

Had this intended assault by the British taken place, Washington was
ready to make a direct attack upon Boston with the troops in two
divisions, under the command of General Putnam. At the last council of
war, it is narrated, when General Washington had requested Putnam to
give more attention to the matter in hand, he replied: "Oh, my dear
General, plan the battle to suit yourself, and I will fight it!"

CHAPTER XIV

IN COMMAND AT NEW YORK

The British had been forced out of Boston; they had embarked aboard
their fleet; but for more than a week they lingered in the outer harbor,
as if uncertain whither to go. While Washington was in doubt as to their
next movement, he shrewdly guessed that the city of New York, being so
advantageously situated, especially commanding communication with Canada
by the valley of the Hudson River, would be their ultimate, if not
immediate objective. He had already despatched thither General Lee, who
was planning defenses for the harbor; but as he desired Lee to command
in the South, he looked around for another man to take his place. Troops
were on the way, also, under Generals Heath and Sullivan, to be followed
by many more, and there was every indication that soon a large army
would be concentrated in and around New York.

Who to trust with this important command was a serious question for the
Commander-in-Chief, but he finally pitched upon Putnam, in whom he
seemed to have confidence, though with some misgivings which
foreshadowed the accuracy of his final estimate of the man. In a letter
treating of a similar situation, two months previous