pedestal tell the story: "Defeat would have opened the road to Albany
and the French.... Confidence inspired by the victory was of inestimable
value to the American Army in the War of the Revolution."

It should be borne in mind that Israel Putnam was present at this
battle, and rendered important service.




CHAPTER IV

A PARTIZAN FIGHTER


The shore of the beautiful lake was strewn with the slain, its waters
crimsoned by their blood, the French having lost nearly half their
regular force, and the English more than two hundred men. Several days
succeeding to the battle were passed in gathering the wounded and
burying the dead, in which dismal duty Putnam was engaged, with the rest
of the uninjured survivors.

As our hero kept no diary of his doings, we know only in a general way
that he was in the thickest of the fight, that he went out with the
devoted band under Colonel Williams, and was foremost at the finish
under General Lyman. It has been stated by some of Putnam's biographers
that he held the rank of captain in this, his first, battle; but a
careful search of the colonial records makes it appear that he was
merely a private. With his accustomed eagerness to be foremost in a good
cause, he had hurried to the front without thought of rank or wages; and