He attended a council of war held by the Americans, returned to Connecticut, raised a regiment, and went back to Cambridge in time to take part in the Battle of Bunker Hill. There on Prospect Hill he unfurled the new Banner of Connecticut, which, as a cannon fired a salute, was seen to rise and unroll itself to the wind. When Washington, appointed by Congress to be Commander-in-Chief, arrived at Cambridge, and saw the redoubts that had been cast up by Putnam and his men, he said to Putnam:-- “You seem, General, to have the faculty of infusing your own spirit into all the workmen you employ.” Washington had brought with him a commission from Congress, making Israel Putnam a Major-General. HE MADE WASHINGTON LAUGH General Putnam once had the honour of making Washington laugh heartily. It was during the Siege of Boston. There was a traitor in camp. No one knew who he was. A strange woman--a spy--had delivered a letter, intended for him, to the wrong person. It was laid before Washington. It was in cipher. Washington ordered the woman to be arrested, but she was gone. Not long after, as Washington was standing in the upper window at Headquarters, he saw the oddest sight. It was stout “Old Put” himself, in all his regimentals, mounted on his horse, proudly cantering up to Headquarters. Behind him, seated on his saddle-bow and hanging on like grim death, was a very fat woman. “Old Put” had captured the spy. Washington burst into a hearty laugh. He hurried to the top of the stairs, just as “Old Put” escorted the fat woman into the hall. Washington, as gravely as he could, called down, in his severest tones, that unless she confessed _everything_, a halter was waiting for her. She confessed immediately, and the traitor in camp was found. A GENEROUS FOE Israel Putnam was brave, bluff, and honest, and he was also compassionate. During the French and Indian War, the enemy’s wounded lay dying and neglected on one of the battle-fields. After the fierce fighting was over, Putnam himself hurried out onto the field, to tend the poor fellows. He gathered them together into one place. He gave them what food and drink he could get. He furnished each with a blanket. Under one badly wounded French sergeant, he placed three blankets, and laid him in a comfortable position against a tree. Gratefully, the suffering man squeezed his hand, while Putnam said reassuringly:-- “Ah! depend upon it, my brave soldier, you shall be brought to the camp as soon as possible, and the same care shall be taken of you as if you were my brother.” At the Battle of Princeton a Scotch Captain of the British Army was desperately wounded in the lungs and left for dead. Putnam found him in great pain, with no surgeon, and without any friend to cheer him. He had him supplied with every comfort and the best of care. One day, when Putnam was visiting him, the Scotchman said:-- “Pray, sir, what countryman are you?” “An American,” answered Putnam.