New-York tribune., 1871-08-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
IL, rrNrRAI. GREENE.

,r,o rresent volume, which completes 'he HIpuiV
..,t contribution to American biography by Wiiich
,le au.hor has earned fattering t1oute nom MS
.".;oa1 stpdents. and enhanced his reputation as a
,bolar of brilliant powers OF execution as wen "'
= LA ott.i,mcnts continues the narrative from
a. oocossion of General Greene 10 the command oil
ar co,bcrr army in I7S0 TO his retirement from the
,;,- soroico on the declaration of peace, ana DIS
5,atb in the Summer Of 17S6. The strong ieatu'es
~ General Greencs character are brought ou' WIN
,,,oat distiuctness in his conduct OF the CnoNha
camnaicns His decision of purpose and energy oi
.o,ion are conspicuous amid the difficulties when
st that time impeded the prosecution OF tle war
After the surrender Of Charleston to the brush
trcops series of disasters had threatened iinnil,
pent reril to the American cause 1eneI"I
Gates who had been raShly assigned
% the command Of the Southern de-
r,rtment by the blind impetuOus favoritism OF
ro,cross repaired to the scene of action with
obocrfpl alocrity which was doomed to bitter disal
poiutment His army though small, was under
admirable discipline; il had well sustained the test
Of hattie, privation, and wearisome marches; the
men were inspired with perfect trust III their ON
GERS. and the officers in full sympathy- Win
their men, The first pregnant mistake OF yates Was
in the selection Of mpraoicable line oi advance
OF two routes that offered themselves to ms cholce
ne took one that led through barren region, tmnIy
pcopIod with tracts Of sand alternating with tracts
cf swamp over whose soil the artillery and baggage
wagons could only be drawn with incredible labor,
and from which the enemy or marauders assuming
the name of tories to disguise their crimes had
stripped it's supplies of food and forage The whole
region was broken Ivy streams which few hourS
rain would swell to torrents.
The order to march was received with blank amaze
nent. The men were i'll provided with food, and
Lad no certainty of half ration after they had
consumed the meager scraps III their knapsacks.
Starting early in the morning, they held on Their
doeful way illnght Day after day passed. and sull
the gloomy procession moved on. The few houses
on the road were empty The inhabitants had fed
90 the swamps with the view to harass the American
army before the arrival of the British soldiers. The
men strove to keep down their hunger, but grew
weaker at every step On reaching the banks OF the
Pedee they found the green corn in luxuriant
growth, but the young kernels, though tender ana
sweet were not yet ripe enough TO impaIt strength.
The officers restrained their appetite, and ate only
of tire lean and uusavory beef which they collected
in the woods making of it soup which they thick
ened with hair-powder. But the men could not re-
sist the TEMPTATION of the waving stalks,
which looked so pleasantly to the eyes that
had 80 long seen only scOrching sand and slimy
swamp. and plucked the green ears which they
cooked with their tough beef without even salt to
season the unhealthy meal. The consequence was
fatal disease which soon began to thin their palid
ranks. The rum and rations which Gates had prom
iscd 20 his Suffering men did not arrive. New prom
ises were made which in their tarn proved false.
At last their temper began to Murmurs of dis
content were whispered among the troops, but they
at length hushed by the counsels of the officers
who showed them their empty eanteens and
messcases assuring them that they shared in all their
p.ivatons. In this condition, the little band came
IN contact with the army Of CORVALLIS. The en-
VaQenent which ensued is the subject of one of the
authors most vivid peces of description, - -
V,vos iupossihe through the dust and smoke to see
The ded; but whose record has reached @ Gs
DE Kalb at the head of the % Regiment of Maryland
lie had issued his orders a. cooly as ne Toald naSe
when broken and led them TO the charge when re formed
His horse had been shot under him blow Win
sroad sword had set the blood streaming from his
bead. An aid had promptly bound up the wound with
sash, entreatng him as he hound II up TO ~oouraM
IRON the hopeless contest But st his clear yolce rang
Out eheery, exhortng encouraging guiding Thlie Than
Pane the last shock the charge Of IarletOns cavalry
the little remnant Of the MaryanaeTs M reeUe
And now the fight was over The roads were filled with
Inc flying the battlefield filled with the wounded
and the dead Far and rose the cry OF agony the
mingled cry of pain and terror humane nearI m uSeT wdT
aud violence by the sight of unprotected baggage ana
helpless enemies Wherever liquor was 10 he found the
fndyes gathered round il and drank deep. Gates was
borne away bv the torrent the flying and by night
reached Charlotte miles from the scene OF the disaster
The surprise and defeat of Sumter at Fishing
Creek was another serious blow to the American
arms The wretched Carolinas were almost plunged
into despair until the ensuing campaign, giving
exercise to the highest military talents freed them
from the oppression of the enemy.
Accompanied by Baron Steuben, General Greene
left Philadelphia about the first of November on his
way 10 assume the chief command in the department
,f the South He reached Charlotte the second of
necember, and Immediately proceeded to head
onarters. His meeting with Gates was marked by
The strictest observance of etiquette, although no
friendly relations had existed between the two
commanders Ii is noticeable that In all his letters,
ne makes point of offering the best defense OF
Gates tLat was in his power, always speaking OF
him as more unfortunate than culpable. His 1rst
stem WAS now TO establish direct relations with his
officers assigning TO each the duties required by the
position of the command. He had already addressed
himself to Congress upon the wants Of the army
and had promptly put himself in relation with the
civil authorities of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia
and North Carolina. His pen continued as busy as
ever lie first called for exact returns Of the troops
from the commanders of detachments. The whole
army was found to consist of only 2,907 men, of
whom but about 800 were present aud fit for duty
Not quite half of these COntnentals all the
rest we're militia. Small as this army was, IT was
too large for the cOmmissariat and clothing Office.
Many of the men were literally naked Others 80
nearly naked that they could not take their place
In the ranks. The resources for food had been
nearly exhausted by the incursiOns of the enemy
and the wasteful habits Of the militia All the wag
ons and horses had been lost at the defeat of Gen
eral Gates. There was not a dollar in hard money
tn the military chest. But Greene was by no means
daunted in view of these difficulties. lie at once
took measures TO remedy them. One of the first
troubles he had 10 deal with was the Generalization
of the troops. The officers had acquired negligent