omed to be regarded as elderly, despite his jolly
countenance and ever-cheerful disposition.

His kind and affectionate nature was displayed at its best on the
journey home, which was long and wearisome, when he took charge of a
lady, Mrs. Howe, whose husband had been killed and scalped three years
previously. She had been in captivity ever since, and had endured untold
outrages from her captors. Her seven children were dispersed, but five
of them were recovered, and accompanied her back to her home in New
Hampshire. Colonel Schuyler had rescued her from captivity, and Major
Putnam constituted himself her protector during the long and toilsome
journey, leading her little ones, assisting the sorrowful mother over
the rough places, and sharing his meals with the unfortunate family.

What a welcome the hero received on his home-coming, from his loving,
constant wife and children! They had heard of his vicissitudes, had
almost given him up for dead; but at last he was with them again, and
the dismal past was buried. The joy of the family at meeting again was
clouded by sorrow, however, for death had entered the family circle
since the father and husband's departure. Israel, the eldest son, was
there, and the daughters; but the second son was absent, never to
return.

On an old tombstone in the graveyard at Brooklyn, Connecticut, is this
inscription:

"In Memory of Mr. Daniel Putnam, son of Col^o. Israel Putnam & Mrs.
Hannah his wife, who died Aug. 8th, 1758, Aged 17 Years."

Also of David Putnam, Son of y^e above Col^o. Israel & Mrs. Hannah
Putnam, who died Nov. 21, 1761, aged 1 month."

The first death, of Daniel, his pet and pride, occurred, it is said, on
the very day (August 8, 1758), at the close of which Major Putnam was in
direst peril, tied to a tree in the forest, environed by fire and within
a circle of whooping, yelling savages. The demise of David, whom he
never saw, took place while the father was away on the Amherst
expedition, or just before his return from that campaign. Sturdy Israel,
the first-born son, had taken charge of the farm while his father was
off on his various campaigns--or at least had done his best to do so,
and the family had not wanted for provisions during the enforced
absences of the head of the family. As he was now a robust young man of
nearly twenty, and possessed all the home-loving traits of his father,
Israel was considered perfectly competent to carry on th