Description: Born April 9, 1738, in Sutton, Massachusetts, Putnam fought for the British in the French and Indian War, later lobbying for land grants to veterans west of the Appalachian Mountains. Putnam served in the Continental Army during the Revolution, fighting in the battle of Saratoga and rising to the rank of brigadier general. Throughout the conflict, Putnam served as an advocate for junior officers and enlisted men. America's first government, created by the Articles of Confederation, had limited powers and faced tremendous difficulty meeting its expenses. This included paying the men in its army. The Confederation Congress promised to give these men land grants in the Ohio Country, but the Congress was slow to act. In 1783, Putnam helped draft the Newburgh Petition. In this document, many of the officers in the Continental Army demanded payment immediately in land grants or they would even contemplate replacing their government. General George Washington was able to prevent an uprising. Putnam established the first Ohio Company settlement on the banks of the Ohio River. Known originally as Adelphia, the community soon became known as Marietta. To protect the settlement from Native American attacks, the settlers built a fortification known as the Campus Martius. After the Treaty of Greeneville was signed in 1795, the threat to Marietta was limited; settlers founded Ohio University there in 1808. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B08F18_002_1
Subjects: Marietta (Ohio)--Buildings, structures, etc. ; Military camps ; Revolutionary War
Places: Marietta (Ohio) ; Washington County (Ohio)