New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-09
NATHANIEL GREENE.
THE MAN WHO OUTGENERALLED CORN
WALLIS

purely for achievement in war than Nathanacl
Greene Even among the men of later age edu-
Gated exclusively to the military profession, lew
after attaining high position as soldiers have
failed 10 bctray also some political ambitions ana
ATTITUDES Grecne's premature death at the age
Of forty-four when he had barely reached the
maturity of his mental powers; Doubtless goes
far TO account for the absence of his name from
the list of men great in peace as we'll as III war
Within three years after the close OF the KcNou-
ton he was in his grave. In that time the dis
united States had hardly become conscious of the
chaos into which they We're plunged and thoy
certainly confessed need as yet of a remedy for
anarchy On the other hand there is perhaps
defect in the record and tradition of Grccne's
early life He was several times member Of
the Rhode Island Assembly in colony days. Though
he NAV not have been an orator much gwen 10
taking the time Of the House III which he sat,
he must have done something 10 draw upon him
the attention Of his fellow citizens. Otherwise
how could it have happened that he, an iron
smelter by occupation. the son OF quaker
preacher, with no training in the business OF war
beyond what might be got from reading few
famous books and from drill as private in the
ranks of q militia company, should have leaped at
once 10 the command of the State forces IN the
moment when a conflict became certain? Cap
tain Greene frankly says that there is no salts
factory answer in the records to the question why
the Assembly so promptly selected him. lie Is
inclined TO think that the influence OF Governor
Samuel Ward, subsequently member OF the
Continental Congress- had much to do with the
appointment.
He points out also that willie Grccncs business
as an iron manufacturer looks small from the
modern point of view, it was relatively one OF the
most important private concerns in the colony
Those who met him in the ordinary affairs of
life and in the Legislature were capable OF APP
preciating his practical turn. But they could
hardly have OWNED that by the fiat of legisla-
tive vote they had called forth military genius
second only TO that of Washington, and perhaps
under some extraordinary adverse conditions more
rescurccful even than that Of the great Com
mander-in-Ihicf. Robert Morris, who as super
intendent of Finance saw the least brilliant
characteristics of military men. spoke of Greene
as ian officer who finds in his own genius an
ample resource for the want Of men, money,
Clothes arms and supplies" And when the Army
in the South had been reduced TO uniform
even less elaborate than the Texas rangers paper
collar and a pair of spurs, Greene found means
to fit out the entire force TO the satisfaction of an
expert like Wayne, who declared that the men
were better clothed than he had ever seen in an
Rupert; for Wayne, if he could have had his
way would have made dress very important
factor in the life of the Continental Army
At the outset Greene himself seems 10 have
been unconscious of any special bent towar a
military life Most of his hopes in youth were
thwartcd. Ills father, strict man, had no
thought Of education for his children, while
Greenes desires as youth were all centred upon
learning All his life he morbidly sensitive
to his defects i'll this respect. liz fact ii" seems
to have exaggerated them. He had been per-
mitted, after much persuasion, 10 add geometry
and Latin to the list of his requirements. ami a.
long as he lived one Of his occupations was IN"
gathering of a library. His books were bought
TO be read, not merely TO bc looked at. Inc
collection of two hundred and fifty solid volumes
which ornamented the house he built IN CoIen-
try Just before the Revolution must have mcnnt
q vast deal TO man who mastered the contents
of every book he read, and who read nothiag
that was not worthy of lis memory In addition
he trained himself in the art OF expression WITH
the pen doubtless" remarks Captain ureenc'
he lacked the benefits of mental training ehd
discipline set he Ovcrcamc this deficiency by MS
own unguided and persistent efforts to such an
extent that he was never considered by MS dSSo-
ciates an uneducated man: he acquired IL gooi
STYLE barring certain errors oil grammar am
spelling which were then almost universal; he
wrote lucidly and concisely, and was a@recaoi"
in conversation. Above all he had clear mental
vision and sound judgment. His mimi saw reali- |
ties and not pictures
lie seems TO have recognized on the instant !
the needs and opportunities of gwen occasion
Six months before the War Of the Revolution
bepan he awoke TO the need of training as
soldier. and helped 10 organize company Of
militia. which subsequently furnished thrty-two
officers 70 the Continental Army. But he took
bis place in the ranks. and there Is only
little episode to show that other things were
in his mind The company needed drill |
master. and he himself needed mnsket. II
was Greene who devised plan for obtaining |
a knowledge Of tactics. He wont TO Boston oSteil-
sibly on business connected with his iron
making There he the British troops on
parade Then ne hired dcscrter az dr- |
sergeant and bought musSet, and got both |
homo in safety But he also secured transit
lions of Caesars wars and Turenncs memoirs, and
other books that belong TO a soldiers library. |
He studied the business Of private soldier and
that Of a commander at tho same time. Tins
course of six months in military science showed
itself AT once In the Rhode Island troops under
his command When Washington reviewed IN"
ermy which had gathered 10 fight the English |
in Massachusetts he found Grecne's regiments
.under better government than any round Boston"
Not much was meant absolutely by that, but
relatively 1t was significant. for many Of Grecnes
rivals had seen service in the French wars and !
might be expected to BE-. if not more industrious
than he. surely more alert TO the requirements
of life which was 10 him al utter novelty.
Il was this new man who gained above almost
oil others the confidence Of Washington Aside
from his marvellous aptitude for military affairs
an obvious reason for the constantly growing init
macy between the two was that Greene had
no preconccptions the subject OF his deserts |
as an officer. To that extent his inexpericnce
at the beginning OF the war was an advantage |
rather than a drawback. lie was naive enough |