Israel Putnam | |
|---|---|
 Major General Israel Putnam | |
| Nickname(s) | "Old Put" |
| Born | January 7, 1718 Danvers, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America |
| Died | May 29, 1790 (aged 72) Brooklyn, Connecticut |
| Buried | Israel Putnam Monument, Brooklyn, Connecticut 41°47′11″N 71°56′59″W / 41.78639°N 71.94972°W |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain United States of America |
| Service | British Army (Connecticut Militia) Continental Army |
| Years of service | 1755–176?, 1775-1779 |
| Rank | Major (G.B.) Major general (U.S.) |
| Battles / wars | French and Indian War Pontiac's War American Revolutionary War |
| Spouse(s) |
Hannah Pope
(m. 1739; died 1765)Deborah Lothrop (m. 1767) |
| Signature |  |
Israel Putnam (January 7, 1718 – May 29, 1790), popularly known as "Old Put", was an American military officer and landowner who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). He also served as an officer with Rogers' Rangers during the French and Indian War (1754–1763), when he was captured by Mohawk warriors. He was saved from the ritual burning given to enemies by the intervention of French officer Molang, with whom the Mohawks were allied. Putnam's courage and fighting spirit became known far beyond his home of Connecticut's borders through the circulation of folk legends in the American colonies and states celebrating his exploits.