It was not long after this scene that Putnam took the leading part in another memorable affair, in which his promptitude, energy, and decision have become historical.  The barracks within the fort took fire.  Twelve feet from them stood the magazine, containing three hundred barrels of powder.  The fort and its defenders were in imminent danger of being blown to atoms.  Putnam, who still occupied his island outpost, saw the smoke and flames rising, and hastened with all speed to the fort.  When he reached there the barracks appeared to be doomed, and the flames were rapidly approaching the magazine.  As for the garrison, it was almost in a state of panic, and next to nothing was being done to avert the danger.

A glance was sufficient for the prompt and energetic mind of the daring ranger.  In a minute’s time he had organized a line of soldiers, leading through a postern-gate to the river, and each one bearing a bucket.  The energetic major mounted a ladder, received the water as it came, and poured it into the flaming building.  The heat was intense, the smoke suffocating; so near were the flames that a pair of thick mittens were quickly burned from his hands.  Calling for another pair, he dipped them into the water and continued his work.

“Come down!” cried Colonel Haviland.  “It is too dangerous there.  We must try other means.”

“There are no means but to fight the enemy inch by inch,” replied Putnam.  “A moment’s yielding on our part may prove fatal.”

His cool trepidity gave new courage to the colonel, who exclaimed, as he urged the others to renewed exertions,—­

“If we must be blown up, we will all go together.”

Despite Putnam’s heroic efforts, the flames spread.  Soon the whole barracks were enveloped, and lurid tongues of fire began to shoot out alarmingly towards the magazine.  Putnam now descended, took his station between the two buildings, and continued his active service, his energy and audacity giving new life and activity to officers and men.  The outside planks of the magazine caught.  They were consumed.  Only a thin timber partition remained between the flames and fifteen tons of powder.  This, too, was charred and smoking.  Destruction seemed inevitable.  The consternation was extreme.

But there, in the scorching heat of the flames, covered with falling cinders, threatened with instant death, stood the undaunted Putnam, still pouring water on the smoking timbers, still calling to the men to keep steadily to their work.  And thus he continued till the rafters of the barracks fell in, the heat decreased, and the safety of the magazine was insured.

For an hour and a half he had fought the flames.  His hands, face, almost his whole body, were scorched and blistered.  When he pulled off his second pair of mittens the skin came with them.  Several weeks passed before he recovered from the effects of his hard battle with fire.  But he had the reward of success, and the earnest thanks and kind attentions of officers and men alike, who felt that to him alone they owed the safety of the fort, and the escape of many, if not all, of the garrison from destruction.