The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-03-08
CEN. GREENE'S BONES
Their Discovery Brings TO
Mind Early "reminiscences.
AN AGED HISTORIAN TALKS
KinSman of Revolutionary Of
icer Tells of Leave-taking

The Associated Press dispatch publish
ell in yesterday mornings Eagle concern
ing the finding Of the bones Of Gene-al
Greene IN Georgia, where they had been
lost for the past century. recalled TO the
mind Of wichita's oldest citizen. willard
Greene a kinsman Of the gallant Revo-
Iutionary general. the stories OF his boy
hood and particularly that one in regard
70 General Greene's leaving home to JOIN
the army Of the Revolution.
When a reporter for the Eagle called at
his home On North Main street yesterday
afternoon he found Willard Greene. a man
now past the 50 year mark, sitting by the
window with a copy Of the Eagle beside
Ahim He had been reading the article
concerning General Greenes remains, ard
was telling again the stories told him by
his parents OF how their illusuious kins-
man left home to joint the army.
lie told in his own original way, which
in itself holds the interest Of the listener,
os General Greenes parents. They we're
all Quakers, as were his own parents and
ancestors. General Greene's father owned
q foundry in Providence, r. l., the state
in which the man who was destined to
become one Of the great generals Of the
Revolution was born in 1872
as Quakers were opposed TO war. when
Nathaniel began 10 study the manual Of
arms and organize military companies, he
met with strong opposition at nome.
When the war broke out and he an
nounced his intention OF going to the
oF
objections, particularly his mother, Dat to
no avail. At last ore morning at the
breakfast table he told the folks that he
would go. Then his mother yielded. and
in true Quaker style, said: Nathaniel,
if thee VIII go, thee must not be shot in
the back" and as every school boy knows.
General Nathaniel Greene was never
found with his back to the enemy.
The old American historian, the man
who studied the war Of independence at a
time when its heroes We're living, and who
has grown up with the nation, drew upon
his wonderful memory and told, among
other "reminiscences, OF how General
Greene was Washington's fright bower"
He told of Corawalls and how he gained
the sobriquet Of Corvallis
Two old negroes down in Virginia were
talking one day" said he. zone Of them
said. Sam, has you he'd about Con-
walls2 Shaw, nigga replied the other.
'A1arse Washington done shelled all 6e
con off dat white man
The old man dwelt particularly on the
story Of Putnam's daring ride down a
steep hin when Tarleton attempted to
take him prisoner.
Other "reminiscences, stories told him
while he was a boy. the old man mar
rated. remembering the dates and places
with great accuracy His wonderful mem
ory is the most remarkable part OF the
man, but once in a while, when one of the
minute details had escaped him. he would
turn the leaves Of a little old red-back
United States history, finding the place
with ease stopping here and there at old
fashioned wood-cuts Of men who have be-
come a part of the nations history, the
counry's pioneers, and comment on
whether or not this or that picture re-
sembied the man.
Thus this man. who IS almost a cen
sits and dwells on the occur
rences Of the nation while it was an IN
FAINT; not, however, that alone, as he is
probably one Of the best read men IN the
city Of the happenings o To-day He reads
The newspapers carefully and takes as
much delight in talking OF the issues OF
the day as he does in telling what hap
pened at the beginning Of the nineteenth
century. He was born in the town OF
Newcastle, y. 7, in 1886. His father
and General Greene were cousins. While /
IS years Of age. he IS active and reads
with ease without the aid Of glasses. and /
does not in the least look TO be as old
as he is