Identifier: israelputnamoldp00zimm (find matches)
Title: Israel Putnam ("Old Put"); a story for young people
Year: 1916 (1910s)
Authors: Zimm, Louise Hasbrouck, 1883-
Subjects: Putnam, Israel, 1718-1790
Publisher: New York (etc.) C. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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ice of which he strongly disap-proved. It seems that once, without intending it,Putnam had offended a brother officer, who chal-lenged him to a duel. Putnam did not refuse. At the appointed time, the officer went to the duel-ing ground, with a sword and pistols. As soon ashe entered the field, Putnam, who was standing atthe opposite end, about thirty rods away, leveledhis musket and fired in his direction. The astonished officer ran towards him. Putnamdeliberately reloaded his gun. Stop! cried the other. What are you doing?Is this the conduct of an American officer, and aman of honor? What am I doing? Putnam replied. A prettyquestion to put to a man whom you intended tomurder! Im going to kill you; and if you dontbeat a retreat in less time than it would take oldHeath to hang a Tory, youre a gone dog! Ashe said this, Putnam lifted his gun, all ready tofire. The ofificer turned and fled! The other story was about an English officer, aprisoner on parole, who took offense at some re- 256
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Putnams Duel with the British Officer A SUNNY OLD AGE marks of General Putnams about the British. Hechallenged him. Putnam accepted the challenge, oncondition that he should select the weapons. Thenext morning, they met. The Englishman foundPutnam sitting by the side of what seemed to be abarrel of gunpowder, smoking a pipe. There wasan opening in the top of the barrel, and a matchhad been put in the opening. Putnam asked the Englishman to sit down on theother side of the cask; then he set fire to the matchwith his pipe, remarked that there was an equalchance for each of them when the gunpowder shouldexplode, and calmly went on smoking his pipe. The Englishman watched the match for a mo-ment, as the flame crept towards the powder. Whenit was a few inches away, he decided to go—and hewent very quickly. Ah, cried Old Put, you are just as bravea man as I took you to be. This is nothing but abarrel of onions, with a few grains of powder onthe head, to try you by. But you dont like thesm

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