Career Nathanael Greene

1 career

1.1 militia
1.2 american war of independence

1.2.1 boston
1.2.2 new york
1.2.3 philadelphia
1.2.4 rhode island
1.2.5 command in south
1.2.6 strategic retreat
1.2.7 race dan river
1.2.8 battle of guilford court house

career
militia

in august 1774, greene helped organize local militia chartered kentish guards october. participation in group challenged because had pronounced limp. @ time, began acquire many expensive volumes on military tactics , began teach himself art of war. in december 1774, on committee appointed assembly revise militia laws. zeal in fighting british , organizing militia led expulsion pacifistic quakers.

american war of independence
boston

on may 8, 1775, promoted private major general of rhode island army of observation formed in response siege of boston. appointed brigadier of continental army continental congress on june 22, 1775. george washington assigned greene command of city of boston after evacuated british in march 1776.

new york

on august 9, 1776, promoted 1 of 4 new major generals , put in command of continental army troops on long island; chose place fortifications, , supervised construction of redoubts , entrenchments (the site of current day fort greene park) east of brooklyn heights. severe illness prevented him taking part in battle of long island. greene rhode island freemason , bore masonic jewel, gift of masonic brother marquis de lafayette, on person throughout whole of revolution.

greene prominent among advised retreat new york city. advocated burning of city british might not use it. justified asserting majority of property owned loyalists. while washington agreed this, proposal rejected congress. placed in command of fort constitution (later renamed fort lee) on new jersey side of hudson river. on october 25, 1776, succeeded general israel putnam in command of fort washington, across river fort constitution. received orders washington defend fort washington last extremity, , on october 11, 1776, congress passed resolution same effect; later washington wrote him use own discretion. greene ordered colonel magaw, in immediate command, defend place until should hear him again, , reinforced meet general howe s attack. nevertheless, blame losses of forts washington , constitution put upon greene, apparently without losing confidence of washington, himself assumed responsibility.

at battle of trenton, greene commanded 1 of 2 american columns. after victory there, urged washington push on princeton, overruled council of war.

philadelphia

at battle of brandywine, greene commanded reserve. @ germantown, greene s command failed arrive in time, having greater distance march right wing under sullivan – failure greene himself thought cost him washington s trust. when arrived @ length, greene , troops distinguished themselves.

painting charles willson peale

at urgent request of washington on march 2, 1778, @ valley forge, accepted office of quartermaster general. conduct in difficult office, of washington heartily approved, said possible under circumstances of fluctuating uncertain force. however, had become quartermaster general on understanding should retain right command troops in field. thus, find him @ head of right wing @ monmouth on june 28, 1778.

rhode island

in august, greene , lafayette commanded land forces sent rhode island co-operate french admiral d estaing, in expedition (the battle of rhode island) proved unsuccessful. in june 1780, greene in command @ battle of springfield. in august, resigned office of quartermaster general after long , bitter struggle congress on interference in army administration treasury board , commissions appointed congress. greene had vehemently argued congress on how supply continental army. congress in favor of having individual states provide equipment, had proven ineffective since federal government held little no power on states. month before washington appointed him commander of west point, fell greene preside on court condemned major john andré death on september 29, 1780. greene spent winter of 1780-81 @ house of john tillinghast, important newport merchant.

command in south

the congress had been unfortunate in selection of commanders in south. had chosen robert howe, , had lost savannah. had chosen benjamin lincoln, , had lost charleston. british attacked horatio gates army in battle of camden, south carolina on august 16, 1780, broke , ran in wild confusion. defeat ended american southern army cohesive fighting force. left way clear cornwallis pursue goals of gathering southern loyalists , taking war virginia. planned use captured southern ports move men , materiel interior of north , south carolina.

when gates successor chosen, congress decided entrust choice general washington. on october 5, resolved commander-in-chief , hereby directed appoint officer command southern army, in room of major general gates. washington delayed not @ in making selection. on day after received copy of resolution, wrote nathanael greene @ west point, wish appoint you. congress approved appointment, gave greene command on troops delaware georgia extraordinarily full powers, subject control of commander-in-chief , making him second-in-command of entire continental army. greene took command @ hillsborough, north carolina, on december 3, 1780. brig. gen. isaac huger of south carolina continentals appointed second in command. 1 of dependable leaders in state.

the strategic retreat

the american army weak , badly equipped , opposed superior force under cornwallis. greene decided divide own troops, forcing division of british, well, , creating possibility of strategic interplay of forces. campaign changed, starting success @ battle of kings mountain in 1780 under colonel william campbell (he later appointed brigadier general in 1781). entire british force captured or killed. new strategy led general daniel morgan s victory of cowpens on january 17, 1781, nine-tenths of entire british force killed or captured. many of same forces @ kings mountain came cowpens.

with on 800 prisoners, morgan began strategic retreat, moving north towards salisbury district joined greene @ cowan s ford on catawba river force of patriot militia fought small engagement against cornwallis s forces. greene wrote huger direct troop movement guilford courthouse. arriving on february 9 @ guilford, greene summoned field officers council of war , put forward question of whether army should give battle. voted time being, army should continue retreating gather more forces, , defer engagement cornwallis. on tenth wrote patrick henry requesting troops, if possible call forth fifteen hundred volunteers & march them assistance, british army exposed critical , dangerous situation.

in probability find me on north side of dan river. must repeat it, present moment big important consequences, & requires greatest & spirited exertions.

the race dan river

the council of war letter (this copy made contemporaneously original) greene sent of proceedings samuel huntington, president of congress. written @ guilford court house on february 9. 1781. scan of photograph national archives.

greene @ same time formed special light corps commanded col. otho williams cover main army’s retreat. in letter george washington on february 9, described light army had formed under williams composed of: cavalry of 1st , 3rd regiments , legion amounting 240, detachment of 280 infantry under lieut. col. howard, infantry of lieut. col. lee s legion , 60 virginia riflemen making in whole 700 men ordered militia harass enemy in advance, check progress , if possible give opportunity retire without general action. saying called council, unanimously advised avoid action, , retire beyond roanoke immediately. copy of proceedings have honor inclose. reunited army numbered 2 thousand , thirty-six men, including fourteen hundred , twenty-six regulars. col. edward carrington joined command, report boats had been secured, , secreted along dan river in virginia, collected on few hours warning. british army @ salem, twenty-five miles guilford. on tenth of february.

by fourteenth, greene s army had outrun british , crossed dan river @ irvine s ferry in halifax county, virginia boats being delivered boyd s ferry in halifax , dix s ferry in pittsylvania county, virginia. cornwallis got news in course of evening. river high cross without boats, , every boat on farther shore. greene had won race.

american retreat, extended across breadth of north carolina, considered 1 of masterful military achievements of time. dennis m. conrad, project director , editor, papers of general nathanael greene.

in letter general john butler, greene writes have expectation of collecting force sufficient in county enable me act offensively , in turn race lord cornwallis has done me.

battle of guilford court house


monument general nathanael greene, guilford courthouse national military park

after week s encampment @ halifax court house, greene had sufficient promises , reports of on way recross river. greene , main army re-crossed dan river north carolina on 22nd, pursued cornwallis , gave battle on march 15, 1781, @ battle of guilford court house in north carolina, on ground had chosen. greene s army engaged cornwallis s army. @ height of battle, continentals started turn british flank, cornwallis ordered artillery fire grapeshot thick of battle, killing many of own men greene s. greene ordered army execute tactical retreat , left field cornwallis, inflicted great loss of men british. 3 days after battle, army battered , exhausted, cornwallis withdrew toward wilmington, north carolina. greene s generalship , judgment again conspicuously illustrated in next few weeks, in allowed cornwallis march north virginia , himself turned swiftly reconquest of inner country of south carolina. achieved end of june, in spite of reverse sustained @ francis rawdon s hands @ hobkirk s hill (2 miles north of camden) on april 25. may 22 – june 19, 1781, greene led siege of ninety-six, ended unsuccessfully. these actions helped force british coast.

greene gave forces 6 weeks rest on high hills of santee river, , on september 8, 2,600 men, engaged british under lieutenant colonel alexander stewart @ eutaw springs. americans fell in battle immortalized american author philip freneau in 1781 poem memory of brave americans. battle, although tactically draw, weakened british withdrew charleston, greene pinned them down during remaining months of war.

greene s southern campaign showed remarkable strategic features. excelled in dividing, eluding, , tiring opponent long marches, , in actual conflict forcing british pay heavily temporary advantage, price not afford. however, defeated in every pitched battle fought against british during time southern commander. assisted able subordinates, including polish engineer tadeusz kościuszko, brilliant cavalry officers henry ( light-horse harry ) lee , william washington, , partisan leaders thomas sumter, andrew pickens, elijah clarke, , francis marion. in end, greene , forces liberated southern states british control. when treaty of paris ended war, british forces controlled couple of southern coastal cities, greene controlled rest.