The Legacy of Nathanael Greene

American Revolution
Written By Tom Hand

What Nathanael Greene accomplished in his two years in command of the southern Continental Army was nothing short of miraculous, especially considering his starting point. The army Greene inherited was in a shambles after the opening phases of the war and many saw little hope for the cause. His tactics were so effective that within six months of Greene taking command, Lord Charles Cornwallis moved his shrinking British army into Virginia and closer to his date with destiny at Yorktown.

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, explores the legacy of Nathanael Greene and why it still matters today.

Images courtesy of Yale University Art Gallery, College of Education - University of South Florida, The New York Public Library, National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Brown University Library, Architect of the Capitol, Wikipedia.

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The Legacy of Nathanael Greene
The Legacy of Nathanael Greene

Nathanael Greene was truly the savior of the south, and significantly responsible for winning the American Revolution. His contemporaries recognized this fact, and awards, accolades, and even land grants were given to Greene.

Closing Scenes in the Southern Theater of the Revolutionary War
Closing Scenes in the Southern Theater of the Revolutionary War

By the late summer of 1781, the American Revolution in the south was drawing to a close. Hoping to inflict more damage to the British, Major General Nathanael Greene, the commander of the southern Continental Army, planned a strike at the one remaining British army in South Carolina.

The Siege of Ninety Six
The Siege of Ninety Six

In the spring of 1781, American forces under General Nathanael Greene rolled up the British garrisons in the interior of the Carolinas one by one. The last British holdout was the fortified town of Ninety Six, in the foothills of western South Carolina. Greene arrived on the scene with 1,000 men and commenced the siege of Ninety Six on May 22.

Nathanael Greene Retakes the Carolinas
Nathanael Greene Retakes the Carolinas

When General Nathanael Greene crossed the Dan River and escaped to Virginia on February 14, 1781, Lord Charles Cornwallis’s British army controlled all of North Carolina, and most of South Carolina and Georgia. Within the short span of seven weeks, all that would change.

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse
The Battle of Guilford Courthouse

Following the successful conclusion of the Race to the Dan, General Nathanael Greene and his southern army was safe for the moment from the British troops under Lord Charles Cornwallis just across the river. Due to a lack of supplies in the area, Cornwallis retreated to Hillsboro, about sixty miles southeast, to get refitted. By late February, Greene had received reinforcements, recrossed the Dan, and had the American army back in North Carolina.

The Race to the Dan
The Race to the Dan

The Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781, was a great victory for Daniel Morgan and his army of Continentals and militiamen. They had virtually annihilated Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton’s famed British Legion, but Morgan’s contingent was in a dangerous position, with a larger British force under Lord Charles Cornwallis only twenty-five miles away. The race was now on to get to a place of safety.

Nathanael Greene Takes Command of Southern Continental Army
Nathanael Greene Takes Command of Southern Continental Army

Despite the disastrous defeat at King’s Mountain on October 7, 1780 and several victories by Patriot partisans, Lord Charles Cornwallis and the British army still controlled most of South Carolina and Georgia at end of 1780. The new year would see a reverse of fortunes for the American cause as two gifted commanders, Major General Nathanael Greene and Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, took the helm of the southern Continental Army.

Nathanael Greene Joins the Cause
Nathanael Greene Joins the Cause

Nathanael Greene was one of the greatest American generals to emerge from the American Revolution. Without any formal military training or any experience, Greene developed into a leader feared and respected by his British counterparts.

The Early Life of Nathanael Greene
The Early Life of Nathanael Greene

This Continental Army General’s family arrived in America in the mid-1600s and soon became prominent and prosperous in their region. As a youth, he had little formal education but managed to find time to study great military leaders of the past. During our War for Independence, he lost most of the battles he fought but managed to hold his thread-bare regiments together.

Tom Hand
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Closing Scenes in the Southern Theater of the Revolutionary War