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.