he forest so long as daylight
lasted. Their victory was complete, and when they returned to the fort
the gates were no longer closed against them, nor was a reprimand
forthcoming from the General, the disobedience of whose orders made
Major Putnam more popular than ever.

That Major Putnam's bravery was of the sort requiring no artificial
stimulus, and proceeded solely from the promptings of a nature
superlative in every sense, was shown in the winter of 1757, when the
barracks at Fort Edward were consumed by a fire which threatened and
almost reached the powder magazine. Seeing the blaze from his aerie on
the island, Putnam attacked the fire as he always attacked the enemy,
with impetuosity. He at once took the forefront of danger, nearest to
the powder magazine, and, mounted on a ladder, threw upon the raging
flames the buckets of water which the soldiers brought him from the
river. Enshrouded in smoke, and so near the sheets of flame that a pair
of thick mittens was burned from his hands, Putnam heroically toiled to
subdue the fire, which was rapidly eating its way toward the magazine,
containing three hundred barrels of powder.

His commander at first begged him to descend, but as he was obstinate,
he provided him with another pair of mittens which had been dipped in
water, and, charmed at his pertinacity and bravery, exclaimed, "Well,
if we must be blown up we will all go together!" He then gave orders to
the men to redouble their efforts.

The sequel was that Putnam, though at times enveloped in smoke and
cinders, maintained his position, even when there was but a charred
strip of timber between him and the powder, finally extinguishing the
fire and saving the fort. One hour and a-half he had fought the flames.
"His legs, arms and face were blistered, and when he pulled off his
second pair of mittens, the skin from his hands and fingers followed
them." He was a month in hospital, recovering from his terrible burns;
but before the winter was over he was off scouting with his beloved
Rangers in the vicinity of Ticonderoga.

CHAPTER VII

STRATEGY AND WOODCRAFT

The year 1758 was the most eventful in Putnam's life hitherto,
notwithstanding the numerous adventures in which he had already been
engaged, and which were enough to satisfy the craving of the most
ambitious individual. The great event of that year, in which he took
part, was the attack made by General Abercrombie on Fort Ticonderoga;
and the m