The Life of Israel Putnam by William Cutter, 1859

Cutter, William. The Life of Israel Putnam, Major-General in the Army of the American Revolution, Compiled from the Best Authorities. New York: Derby & Jackson, 1859. Later printing. Octavo. Illustrated with engraved frontispiece and plates. Rebound in 1/4 brown leather and cloth boards, with raised bands, gilt titles, and gilt tooling. New archival cloth slipcase. 

Presented is an 1859 printing of The Life of Israel Putnam, Major-General in the Army of the American Revolution by William Cuttler. First published in 1847, this is an interesting and well researched biography of the Revolutionary General who gave the famous order of “don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” It was published in New York by Derby & Jackson in 1859. The book is illustrated with engraved frontispiece and plates. It is presented rebound in 1/4 brown leather and cloth boards, with raised bands, gilt titles, and gilt tooling. 

Cuttler’s The Life of Israel Putnam offers a thorough picture of the famous soldier, farmer, and statesman. Cutter drew heavily on a very detailed pre-existing biography Life of Israel Putnam by David Humphreys, published in 1833. Cuttler also conducted his own interviews, research, and read letters and reports in library archives, to create as full of a biographical picture as possible. 

Born in Massachusetts in 1718, Putnam moved to Connecticut in 1740 and became a farmer. He served in the French and Indian War, during which he was captured and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1766, Putnam was elected to the Connecticut General Assembly around the time of the Stamp Act crisis, serving two terms in the assembly as a representative for Pomfret, Connecticut. He was a vocal opponent of British taxation policies and became a prominent member of the Connecticut Sons of Liberty. 

At the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775, he was appointed a Major General in the Continental Army. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775, where he organized and commanded the colonial defense at Breed’s Hill. He later suffered several big losses at the Battle of Long Island and the defense of Forts Montgomery and Clinton, which were ultimately abandoned to British forces. A paralytic stroke ended his active service in December 1779.  He passed away in May of 1790 in Connecticut. 

CONDITION: 

Octavo. Rebound in 1/4 brown leather and cloth boards, with raised bands, gilt titles, and gilt tooling. Illustrated with engraved frontispiece and plates. Paper is healthy, with only light toning and scattered foxing. Ex-library, with blue pencilled collection number on the title page. New archival cloth slipcase. 

Book Dimensions: 7 1/2" H x 5 3/8" W x 1 7/8" D. Slipcase Dimensions: 8" H x 5 5/8" W x 1 7/8" D.

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.