NATHANAEL GREENE AND OTHER HEROES IN THE SOUTH
We have given a rapid glance at the part which Washington took in the
Revolution. He, as commander-in-chief, stands first. But he would have
been quick to say that much of the credit for the success in that uneven
struggle was due to the able generals who carried out his plans. Standing
next to Washington himself as a military leader was Nathanael Greene.
[Illustration: Nathanael Greene.]
As you remember, the first fighting of the Revolution was in New England
near Boston. Failing there, the British tried hard to get control of the
Hudson River and the Middle States, as we have just seen. Again they were
baffled by Washington.
One course remained, and that was to gain control of the southern States.
Beginning in Georgia, they captured Savannah. Two years later in May
(1780), they captured General Lincoln and all his force at Charleston, and
in the following August badly defeated General Gates, at Camden, South
Carolina, where with a new army he was now commanding in General Lincoln's
place.
The outlook for the patriot cause was discouraging. One thing was certain.
A skilful general must take charge of the American forces in the south, or
the British would soon have everything in their own hands. Washington had
great faith in General Greene, and did not hesitate to appoint him for
this hard task. Let us see what led the commander-in-chief to choose this
New England man for duty in a post so far away.
Nathanael Greene was born in Warwick, Rhode Island, in 1742. His father,
who on week-days was a blacksmith and miller, on Sundays was a Quaker
preacher. Nathanael was trained to work at the forge and in the mill and
in the fields as well. He was robust and active and, like young George
Washington, a leader in outdoor sports. But with all his other activities
he was also, like young Samuel Adams, a good student of books.
We like to think of these colonial boys going to school and playing at
games just as boys do now, quite unaware of the great things waiting for
them to do in the world. Had they known of their future, they could have
prepared in no better way than by taking their faithful part in the work
and honest sport of each day as it came.
Greene, being ten years younger than Washington, was about thirty-two
years old when the Boston Tea Party and those other exciting events of
that time occurred.
[Illustration: The War in the South.]
Although news did not travel so rapidly then as now, Greene was soon aware
that war was likely to break out at any time, and he took an active part
in preparing for it. He helped to organize a company of soldiers who
should be ready to fight for the American cause, and made the trip from
Rhode Island to Boston to get a musket for himself. In Boston he watched
with much interest the British regulars taking their drill, and brought
back with him not only a musket, hidden under some straw in his wagon, but
also a runaway British soldier, who was to drill his company.
When news of the battle of Bunker Hill passed swiftly over the country,
proving that the war had actually begun, Rhode Island raised three
regiments of troops and placed Greene at their head as general. He marched
at once to Boston, and when Washington arrived to take command of the
American troops, it was General Greene who had the honor of welcoming him
in the name of the army.
GENERAL GREENE IN THE SOUTH
At this time Greene was a man of stalwart appearance, six feet tall,
strong and vigorous in body, and with a frank, intelligent face. At once
he won the friendship and confidence of Washington, who always trusted him
with positions calling for courage, ability, and skill. It was not long
before he was Washington's right-hand man. So you can easily see why
Washington chose him in 1780 as commander of the American army in the
south.
When General Greene reached the Carolinas, it was December, and he found
the army in a pitiable condition. There was but a single blanket for the
use of every three soldiers, and there was not food enough in camp to last
three days. The soldiers had lost heart because of defeat, they were angry
because they had not been paid, and many were sick because they had not
enough to eat. They camped in rude huts made of fence rails, corn-stalks,
and brushwood.
A weak man would have said: "What can I do with an army like this? The
task is impossible. To remain here is to fail, so I will resign."
But General Greene said nothing of the kind. He set to work with a will,
for he believed that the right was on his side. By wise planning, skilful
handling of the army, and hard labor, he managed, with the forces at hand,
to ward off the enemy, get food supplies, and put new spirit into his men.
[Illustration: The Meeting of Greene and Gates upon Greene's Assuming
Command.]
Soon he won the confidence and love of both officers and soldiers. A story
is told that shows us the sympathy he had for his men and their faith in
him. On one occasion Greene said to a barefoot sentinel: "How you must
suffer from cold!" Not knowing that he spoke to his general, the soldier
replied: "I do not complain. I know I should have what I need if our
general could get supplies."
DANIEL MORGAN, THE GREAT RIFLEMAN
It was indeed fortunate for General Greene that in this time of need his
men were so loyal to him. Among them was one who later became noted for
his brilliant, daring exploits. This was Daniel Morgan, the great
rifleman. You will be interested to hear of some of his thrilling
experiences.
When about nineteen years old, Morgan began his military career as a
teamster in Braddock's army, and at the time of Braddock's defeat he did
good service by bringing wounded men off the battle-field. It was about
this time that he became known to Washington, who liked and trusted him.
The young man was so dependable and brave that he was steadily promoted.
When he was twenty-three, he had an exciting adventure which brought him
the only wound he ever received. It was during the Last French War. With
two other men, he was sent to carry a message to the commanding officer at
Winchester. They had still about a mile to ride when a party of French and
Indians who were hiding in the woods near the roadside fired upon them.
Morgan's comrade fell dead instantly. He himself was so severely wounded
in the neck by a musket-ball that he came near fainting and believed he
was going to die. But he managed to cling to his horse's neck and spurred
him along the forest trail.
One Indian, hoping to get Morgan's scalp, ran for a time beside the horse.
But when he saw that the animal was outstripping him, he gave up the
chase, hurling his tomahawk with an angry yell at the fleeing man. Morgan
was soon safe in the hands of friends.
[Illustration: Daniel Morgan.]
During the Revolution his services were, in more than one critical
situation, of great value to the American cause. In the campaign which
ended with Burgoyne's defeat, for instance, his riflemen fought like
heroes. General Burgoyne, after his surrender, exclaimed to Morgan: "Sir,
you command the finest regiment in the world."
Indeed, it was regarded at that time as the best regiment in the American
army, and this was largely due to Morgan's skill in handling his men. He
made them feel as if they were one family. He was always thoughtful for
their health and comfort, and he appealed to their pride but never to
their fear.
He was a very tall and strong man, with handsome features and a remarkable
power to endure. His manner was quiet and refined, and his noble bearing
indicated a high sense of honor. He was liked by his companions because he
was always good-natured and ready for the most daring adventure.
General Greene made good use of this true patriot, and not long after
taking command of the army he sent Morgan with nine hundred picked men to
the westward to threaten the British outposts. General Cornwallis, in
command of the British army in the south, ordered Colonel Tarleton to lead
a body of soldiers against Morgan.
Early in the morning of January 17, 1781, after a hard night march,
Tarleton, overconfident of success, attacked Morgan at Cowpens, in the
northern part of South Carolina. The Americans stood up bravely against
the attack and won a brilliant victory. The British lost almost their
entire force, including six hundred prisoners.
Cornwallis was bitterly disappointed, for his plan, undertaken in such
confidence, had ended in a crushing defeat. However, gathering his forces
together, he set out to march rapidly across country in pursuit of Morgan,
hoping to overwhelm him and recapture the six hundred British prisoners
before he could join Greene's army.
But Morgan was too wary to be caught napping, and, suspecting that this
would be Cornwallis's game, he retreated rapidly in a northeasterly
direction toward that part of the army under Greene.
Meantime Greene had heard the glorious news of the American victory at
Cowpens, and he too realized that there was great danger of Morgan's
falling into the hands of Cornwallis. To prevent this, and at the same
time draw Cornwallis far away from his supplies at Wilmington, he decided
to go to Morgan's relief.
Sending his army by an easier, roundabout route, he himself with a small
guard rode swiftly a distance of one hundred and fifty miles across the
rough country and joined Morgan on the last day of January.
Morgan was cleverly retreating with Cornwallis in hot pursuit. For ten
days the race for life continued, with the chances in favor of Cornwallis,
for his army was larger, besides being trained and disciplined.
This was a famous retreat. It covered a distance of two hundred miles
through the Carolinas, across three rivers whose waters, swollen by recent
rains, rose rapidly after the Americans had crossed, and checked the
British in their pursuit. When the last river, the Dan, was forded, the
chase was so close that the rear of the retreating army had a skirmish
with the van of the pursuers. Yet Greene was so alert and skilful that he
escaped every danger and saved his army.
In this trying campaign valuable aid was given by "partisans" in the
south. These were private companies, not part of the regular army. Such
companies had been formed in the south by both sides, and that is why they
were called "partisans."
MARION, THE "SWAMP FOX"
Perhaps the most noted partisan leader was Francis Marion, of South
Carolina. He was born in Georgetown, South Carolina, in 1732, and was
therefore the same age as Washington. Although as a child he was very
frail, he became strong as he grew older. As a man he was short and slight
of frame, but strong and hardy in constitution.
[Illustration: Francis Marion.]
When the British began to swarm into South Carolina, Marion raised and
drilled a company of neighbors and friends, known as "Marion's Brigade."
These men were without uniforms or tents, and they served without pay.
They did not look much like soldiers on parade, but were among the bravest
and best fighters of the Revolution. Their swords were beaten out of old
mill-saws at the country forge, and their bullets were made largely from
pewter mugs and other pewter utensils. Their rations were very scant and
simple. Marion, their leader, as a rule, ate hominy and potatoes and drank
water flavored with a little vinegar.
The story is told that one day a British officer came to the camp with a
flag of truce. After the officers had talked, Marion, with his usual
delicate courtesy, invited the visitor to dinner. We can imagine the
Englishman's surprise when, on a log which made the camp table, there was
served a dinner consisting only of roasted sweet potatoes passed on pieces
of bark! The officer was still more amazed to learn that even potatoes
were something of a luxury.
Marion's brigade of farmers and hunters seldom numbered more than seventy,
and often less than twenty. But with this very small force he annoyed the
British beyond measure by rescuing prisoners, and by capturing
supply-trains and outposts.
[Illustration: Marion Surprising a British Wagon-Train.]
One day a scout brought in the report that a party of ninety British with
two hundred prisoners were on the march for Charleston. Waiting for the
darkness to conceal his movements, Marion with thirty men sallied out,
swooped down upon the British camp, capturing the entire force and
rescuing all the American prisoners.
It was the custom of Marion's men, when hard pressed by a superior force,
to scatter, each man looking out for himself. Often they would dash
headlong into a dense, dark swamp, to meet again at some place agreed
upon. Even while they were still in hiding, they would sometimes dart out
just as suddenly as they had vanished, and surprise another squad of
British which might be near at hand. "Swamp Fox" was the name the British
gave to Marion.
With the aid of such partisan bands, and with skilful handling of his
army, Greene was more than a match for Cornwallis. He was not strong
enough just yet for a pitched battle, but he kept Cornwallis chasing
without losing his own army. That was about all he could hope to do for a
while.
But when he received recruits from Virginia, he thought it wise to strike
a blow, even though he could not win a victory. Turning, therefore, upon
his enemy, he fought a battle at Guilford Court House, North Carolina
(March, 1781).
He was defeated, but came off as well as he expected, and so crippled the
British army that Cornwallis had to retreat. He went to the coast to get
supplies for his half-starved men. Like the battle of Bunker Hill, it was
a dearly bought victory for the British.
Cornwallis now saw clearly that he could not hope longer for success in
the south, and having taken on fresh supplies, he marched northward to try
his luck at Yorktown, Virginia.
Washington, with an army of French and American troops, was at the time in
camp on the Hudson River, waiting for the coming of the French fleet to
New York. That city was still in the hands of the British. As soon as this
fleet should arrive, Washington expected to attack the British army in New
York by land, while the fleet attacked it by sea.
But the French fleet was well on its way to the Chesapeake instead of to
New York as expected. When this information came to Washington, he worked
out a bold and brilliant scheme. It was to march his army as quickly and
as secretly as possible to Yorktown, a distance of four hundred miles,
there join the American army under Lafayette, and, combining with the
French fleet on its arrival, capture the British under Cornwallis.
This daring scheme succeeded so well that Cornwallis surrendered his
entire army of eight thousand men on October 19, 1781. This important
event, which practically ended the war, we shall speak of again.
The surrender at Yorktown ended the fighting, although the treaty of peace
was not signed until 1783. By that treaty the Americans won their
independence from England. The country which they could now call their own
extended from Canada to Florida, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the
Mississippi River.
After the treaty of peace was signed, and the army disbanded, General
Greene went home. In 1785 he moved with his family to a plantation which
the State of Georgia had given him. Here he lived in quiet and happiness,
but only a short time, for he died of sunstroke at the age of forty-four.
His comrade Anthony Wayne, voiced the feeling of his countrymen when he
said: "I have seen a great and good man die."
SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
1. Tell what you can about General Greene's early life.
2. What was the condition of his army when he took command in the South?
How did he prove his strength at that time?
3. What kind of man was Daniel Morgan, and what do you think of him?
4. Tell all you can about Marion, the "Swamp Fox," and his ways of making
trouble for the British.
5. When did the Revolution begin? When did it end? What did the Americans
win by the treaty? What was the extent of our country at that time?