ly, Washington had
written to Congress: "General Putnam is a most valuable man and a fine
executive officer; but I do not know how he would conduct in a separate
department."

But he resolved to entrust him with the command, and on the 29th of
March, only twelve days after the British had left, gave him his orders,
which concluded with this expression of confidence: "Your long service
and experience will, better than my particular directions at this
distance, point out to you the works most proper to be raised; and your
perseverance, activity, and zeal will lead you, without my recommending
it, to exert every nerve to disappoint the enemy's designs."

With his customary expedition, General Putnam lost no time in getting to
New York, arriving there on the 4th of April, whither he was followed by
Washington nine days later. The Commander-in-Chief found, when he
arrived, little to criticize and much to commend in what Putnam had
done, for he had already stopped the Tories from furnishing supplies to
the British fleet, had commenced to fortify Governor's Island and Red
Hook, increased the efficiency of the works on Brooklyn Heights,
barricaded the streets of New York with mahogany logs from the West
Indies, and organized a "navy" of schooners and whale-boats, to cruise
in the North and East rivers.

As Washington was absent much of the time in consultation with Congress
at Philadelphia, Putnam was practically in supreme command; yet his
arduous and important duties did not prevent him from attending a dinner
on the first anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. In a letter
written by an American officer describing this event, it is more than
intimated that he was ever ready to accommodate when called upon for a
song or a speech on such an occasion, for he says: "Our good General
Putnam got sick and went to his quarters before dinner was over, and we
missed him a marvel, as there is not a chap in the camp who can lead him
in the 'Maggie Lauder's song.'"

When in New York, Putnam's headquarters were on Bowling Green, where he
later had with him members of his family, including his wife, who had
also visited him at Cambridge, and had dispensed a generous hospitality
at the Inman mansion; while Mrs. Washington (with whom both Putnam and
his wife were in high favor) was at the Craigie house. His son Israel
was a member of his military family, which also included Major Humphreys
(who afterward wrote his biography) and Major