The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-10
VETERAN CITIZENS HEAR
PAPER ON GENERAL GREENE.

The regular meeting Of the Veteran
Citizens Historical association was held
| yesterday afternoon I'm the Mathewson
Street Nj. T.. church. After the reading
of the records by Secretary Gallagher,
The Sword OF Bunker Hill" was sung
with much feeling by DR. c. h. Davis.
The chairman then introduced Mary A.
Greene who gave an interesting paper
entitled Mai. Gen. Nathaniel Greene, 3"
Miss Greene spoke eloquently in part as
follows:
I'm the study OF the life and glorious
achievements Of Gen. Nathaniel Greene,
four elements claim our consideration,
horedity. native, genius, environment, ana
opportunity. Sprung. as he was, fTom "a
line which, running back to- Henry T., of
France. gave To England one OF the TWEEN
ty-fVe barOns, who wrested Magma Char
ta' from King John. queen a lord high
steward. and two lord chief Justices. a
lord high constable TO Scotland and which
crossing the ocean i'm 1885. I'm the person
OF Surgeon John Greene. brought 10
Rhode the parent OF a faithful. loyal
stock, he had much TO be thankful for in
the way OF heredity
"IIe had no college education. his faith
writings OF George Fox and Robert Bar
clay were the chief requisites.
by constant study and reading eNcn-
ings, 10y forging anchors and tools a. the
forge To sell at Newport, he won signal
success In latin, geometry, the sciences
and the law and seat I'm the General
Assembly FOR i've years. Locke and
Watts elements of logic and Euclid
were the nucleus or his go volume IL
brary in 117o, and all his life he was
laborious student and the Greene Coat
of-Arms motto read Nee trneo nee
sperno;" II neither fear nor despise."
on July ~. l1II. he married the brilliant
Catherine Littlefield of Block Island aud
one year after Joined and served years
i'm the army. The military career of Ma
thanaiel Greene furnishes one ~ the most
remarkable instances ~ history OF the
selection and signal success ot one of no
military training 10 command the entire
forces of the state.
'In May, l115, he was elected hrigandier
general OF the Rhode Island Army of
Observation, and was at Bunker Hil
with 1900 men. He was ia command of
Boston, Long Island ana the Jerseys Ia
l176; promoted major general October.
lT6: n. L. expedition l,7S: president court
martial OF Andre 1850. and command OF
West Point 1885, commander of the army
in the southern department Oct H. l7s@.
CumpNlN AlOfnMalllS 10 TfINdA from the
south. March ~, iISl, wins battles at
Guldford Court House lIohkirk's iIll,
siege OF 20. victory at Eaton Springs,
l7Sl thanked by General Assembly OF
South Carolina Jan. is. l1S2. triumphal
entry into Charleston Dec. "a. Use. and
this. after marching go miles his army
on rice and frogs and with
his 1900 men keeping 9i15 soldiers cooped
mp In Charleston and compelling them To
cvacuate Charleston I'M their ships. TO the .
Joy aud wonder Of the southern people.
mo wonder the southern states show \
cred upon him much needed money and /
lands. for he had spent all his means and |
involved himself In debt 10 cloth and /
supply his troops.
Thus it came about that he died a poor 1
man. for congress never reimbursed him /
FOR his outlay ~ the close 81 he war /
Gen Greene returned tn Rhode Island /
and lived for a time in Newport. but was 4
obliged 90 return south 90 guarantee the I
expenditure for the truops which had /
Involved him sud here. june ~ lsy l
While still a young man. a. years of age. /
he died at Mulberry Grove. near Savan
lah. an estate given 10 him by The
grateful erulony of Georgis CsnersI
ireeue hs.l many noble qualities OF sVul.
lie WIS dcvotedly attached to his
iome family and friends Although quick
10 resent au injury be- wss capable 81
,rcat self control sad he siNs3s re-.