Editing Israel Putnam (section)

==Early military service==
Putnam was one of the first men in Connecticut in 1755 to sign up to serve as a private in the militia in the [[French and Indian War]] at age 37. Over the course of the war, he was promoted to second lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel.{{sfn|Nelson|2011|p=99-100}}{{sfn|Hubbard|2017|p=21}}{{sfn|Livingston|1901|p=17-20, 30, 44}}{{sfn|Humphreys|1855|p=22, 39, 107, 121}} He served with [[Robert Rogers (British Army officer)|Robert Rogers]], who gained fame as the commander of [[Rogers' Rangers]], and the two of them had various exploits together, in one of which Putnam saved Rogers' life.{{sfn|Hubbard|2017|p=23, 24}} Putnam's reputation for courage was made famous by his participation in the war. It was said that "Rogers always sent, but Putnam led his men to action."{{sfn|Hubbard|2017|p=37, 38}}{{sfn|Livingston|1901|p=89}}

In 1757, the Rangers were stationed on an island off [[Fort Edward (village), New York|Fort Edward]]. The following February, Putnam and his Rangers were still on [[Rogers Island (New York)|Roger's Island]] when fire broke out in the row of barracks nearest the magazine. The danger of an explosion was imminent, but Putnam took a position on the roof and poured bucket after bucket of water upon the flames, only descending when the buildings fell only a few feet from the magazine. In spite of his severe wounds, he continued to fight the fire, dashing water upon the magazine until the fire was under control. He was laid up for a month due to burns and exposure.<ref name=Bragg/>

[[File: Rescue of Israel Putnam.jpg|thumb|right|230px|Rescue of Major Israel Putnam near Glens Falls, 1758]]
Putnam was captured on August 8, 1758, by [[Kahnawake]] Indians from a mission settlement south of Montreal during a military campaign near Crown Point in [[Province of New York|New York]]. He was saved from being ritually burned alive by a rainstorm and the last-minute intervention of a French officer.<ref name="Francis Parkman">[[#Parkman|Parkman, 1922]], pp. 458–461</ref>

In 1759, Putnam led a regiment into The Valley of Death in [[Battle of Ticonderoga (1759)|the attack]] on [[Fort Ticonderoga|Fort Carillon]] and he was with the British army that marched on [[Montreal]] in 1760. In 1762, he survived a shipwreck during the [[Siege of Havana|British expedition against Cuba]] that led to the capture of [[Havana]]. Putnam is believed to have brought back Cuban tobacco seeds to [[New England]], which he planted in the [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]] area. This reportedly resulted in the development of the renowned [[Connecticut shade tobacco|Connecticut Wrapper]]. In 1763, during [[Pontiac's Rebellion]], Putnam was sent with reinforcements to relieve [[Pontiac (Ottawa leader)|Chief Pontiac]]'s [[siege of Fort Detroit]].{{sfn|Hubbard|2017|p=48-49}}

After the war, he returned to his homestead, a remnant of which exists today as [[Putnam Farm]] in Brooklyn, Connecticut. Putnam publicly professed his Christian faith following the [[Seven Years' War]] in 1765 and joined the [[Congregational church|Congregational Church]] in his town.<ref>[[#Tarbox|Tarbox, 1876]], p. 66</ref> He was among those who objected to British tax action policies. Around the time of the [[Stamp Act 1765|Stamp Act]] crisis in 1766, he was elected to the [[Connecticut General Assembly]] and was one of the founders of the state's chapter of the [[Sons of Liberty]]. In the fall of 1765, he threatened Governor [[Thomas Fitch (governor)|Thomas Fitch]] over this issue. He said that Fitch's house "will be leveled with the dust in five minutes" if Fitch did not turn over the stamp tax paper to the Sons of Liberty.<ref>[[#Humphreys|Humphreys, 1804]], p. 285</ref>