Connecticut Historical Collections

Putnam had discharged his h\-ice several limes, but at length it missed lire while its muzzle was presented to the breast of a savage. Tlie warrior with his lifted hatchet and a tremendous war whoop, compelled him to surrender, and then bound him to a tree. In the course of the action the parties chunged their position, so as to bring this tree directly between them. • The balls il^tw by him incessantly: many struck the tree, and some passed through his clothes. The enemy now gained posse.ssion of the ground, but being afterwards driven from the field, they carried their prisoner with them. At night he was stripped, and a fire was kindled to roast him alive; but a French ollicer saved him. The next day lie arrived at Ticonderoga, and thence he was carried to Montreal. About the year 175'J he was exchanged through the ingenu- ity of his fellow prisoner. Colonel Schuyler. When peace took place he returned to his farm. He was plowing in his field in 1773, when heard the news of the battle of Lexington, lie immediately unyoked his team, left his plow un the spot, and without changing his clothes set olf kir Cambridge. lie soon went back to Connecti- cut, levied a regiment, and repaired again to the camp. In a liiile lime he was pro- moted to the ranif of major geneial. In the battle of Bunker's hill he exhibilcd his usual intrepidity. He directed ihe men lo reserve their fire, till the enemy was very near, reminded them of their skill, and told them to lake good aim. They did so, and the execution was terrible. Alier the retreat he made a siand at Winter hill, and drove back the enemy under cover of their shi[)s. When the ai my was organized by General Washington at Cambridge, Putnam was appointed to command the reserve. In August, 177tj, he was stationed at Bmoklyn, on Long Island. After the defeat of our army on the27ih of that month, he went tu New York, and was very serviceable in the city and neighborhood. In October or November, he was sent to Philadelphia, to fortify that city. In January, 1777, he was directed to lake.post at Princeton, where he continued until spring. At this place a sick prisoner, a captain, requested that a friend in the British army at Brunswick might be sent for to assist him in making his will. Putnam was perplexed. He had but fil'ty men under his command, and he did not wish to have his weakness known ; yet he was unwilling to deny the request. He howeversenta llagof truce, and directed the ollicer to be brought in the night. In the evening, lights were placed in all the college windows, and in every apartment of the vacant houses throughout the town. The ollicer on his return reported that Gen. Put- nam's army could not consist of less than four or five thousand men. In the.^pling, he was appointed to the command of a separate army in the highlands of New York. One Palmer, a lieutenant in the tory new levies, was delected in the camp: Governor Try- on reclaimerl him as a British olfieer, threatening vengeance if he was not restored. Gen. Putnam wrote the following piihy reply : ' riir, Nathan Palmer, a lieutenant in your king's service, was taken in my camp as a spy; he was tried as a spy; he was condemned as a spy ; and he shall be hanged as a spy. P. S. Afternoon. He is hang- ed.' At the loss of Fort Monlgumery, the commaniler in chief determined to build another fortification, and he directed Putnam to fix upon the spnt. To him belongs the praise of having cho,>en West Point. The campaign of 1779, which was prin- cipally spent in sirengihening iliewoik.N at this place, nni>hed the military career of Putnam. A paralytic all'eclion impaired the aeiiviiy of his body, and he passed the remainder of his days in retirement, retaining his relish tor enjoyment, his love of pleasantry, his strength of memory, and all the faculties of his mind." AS II FORD. '• The settlement of the lands granted by the royal charter, was an object constantly kept in view by the Ic^islattire, and which they were anxiously enya^^ed to elTect. They selected convenient tracts of lands, and laid them out in townships, and gave all proper encouragemenis to adventurers who were willing to encounter the hardships and dangers of new settlements. As there was a good tract of land lying west of Pom- fret, and north of IMansfield, arljoining Crystal Pond, they in 170G, granted a township, six. (?) miles scjuare, by the name of Ashibrd. The settlement of the town, however, did not commence till 1710, when two families moved on to the lands. In about four years, the inhabitants were so increased, that upon their petition, in 1714, the Assembly vest- 53 ' 418 A S H F O 11 I) . edj^^em with the privileges of a distinct town. Their first iniiiister was the^Rev. James Hale, ordained Nov. -iCuh, 1718." Asldbrd is bounded n. by Union and Woodstock, e. by Ponifiet, w. by Willington, and s. by Hampton, Clia|)rm and Mansfield. The south part of tl)e town is about 9 miles lon;^, and the west part about 8 in width. The surface of the land is hilly and stony, the soil being hard and gravelly, yet considerably fertile, and well adapted to grazing. There are three societies in the town, /\sliford, VVesiford and Easiford ; 8 houses for public worship, 3 for Congregaiionalists, 4 for Baptists, and 1 for Methodists. Agriculture is the principal business of the inhabit- ants. There are 3 woolen factories and 1 cotton factory in the town. i!:b(ju(hut'itti II luu vj Ab/ijoid, [itnluil pait ) The above is a southwestern view of the Congregational churcl), Academy, and the two public houses, in the central part of Ashford. This place is 31 miles from Hartford, 39 from Providence, and G5 from Boston. The ancient Congregational church stood nearly on the spot where the church seen in the engraving is situated. The Ibllowing tradition has been handed down from father to son in Ashford : it is said to have taken place on this spot, and is illustrative of the matmers and customs of ancient times: — " A concourse of people were assembled on the hill in front of the meeting bouse, to witness the |)unishment of a man who had been con- victed of neglecting to go to meeting on the Sabbath for a period of three months. According to the existing law for such delinquency, the culprit was to be publicly whipped at the post. Just as the whip was about to be applied, a stranger on horseback appeared, rode up to the crowd of spectators, and enquired for what pur|)ose they were assem- bled. Being informed of the state of the case, the strange gentleman rose upright in his stirrups, and with emphasis addressed the astonished multitude as follows: " You men of Ashford, serve God as if the D...I A S H F O RD. 419 Do you think you can 7rhip the grace of God into men? Clirist will have none but voluiucers." The people stared, while the speaker, [Jiohahly not caring to he arraigned for comempt of court, put spurs to his horse, and was soon out ol sight ; nor was he ever more seen or heard of by the good people of Ashford." The following, which is descriptive of the scenery, &ic., of Ashford, is furnished by a native of the })Iace : — " The travelLT, on arriving at Ashford, is greeted by no imposing spectacle. From the distant liill, as he approaches, he sees no ancient lowers, nor, as he enters the cen- ter of the old town, does he meet with walled environs and a grated entry. Even in Spartan days, or in feudal limes, the virtue and the hospitality which characterize such inhabitants, would have di'«pen>ed wiih walls and bulwarks. The simple vievv of a meeting Iioum', an academy, two taverns, a cluster of neat dwellings, ai,d suironnd- ing scenery not (lariicularly attractive, leaves no enduring impression upon the mind . of the indilTerent sojourner, wtio, alter a night's repose, or a well prepared meal, len- ders a sincere farewell to his obliging hosi, and resumes his seat in the post coach. But he who would enjoy the native attractions of the place, must be at leisure, and not wholly disinterested. Some strong lie, lilce that ol consanguinity, should be thrown around him. Inline, he must be a good pedestiian. If he have ihese preiequisites, he may leave the turnpike and traverse a northern ^ection of the township, where he shall find a region worthy to have been the nursery of the eagle spirit ol a Knowlton. He shall stroll complacently among the pines which embower (he locky upland, and his eye shall dilate upon ihe landscape, as viewed from the topmost shelf of the storm- beaten crag. He shall turn from thi> species of scenery, to another not less enchant- ing. He shall leave the mountain for the plain, and make his way through the thickly vooded valley, where also wanders ihe murmuring iivulet, which is destined, ere its waters reach the sea, to bear a navy upon its hostim. Among these solitudes, he may perchance identify the 'banks and braes' among which, while a stripling, he angled for dace and trout. And here, where the shade of the overspreading beech falls upon the stream, if a corresponding shade of melancholy fall upon liis heart, as memory re- curs to his early friends and associates, that .^hadc shall be but momentary. For when he shall arrive at the skirt ol the wood, he may hear ihe careless whistle of the indus- trious farmer, and be cheered by the smile and lueriy song oi' his more than Roman daughters." ''