Nathanael Greene Research Paper

In the early spring of 1781, Lord Charles Cornwallis led the British Army to the Guilford Courthouse to face the colonial militia and their general, Nathanael Greene. Greene knew of the British Army’s advancements and had set up three lines of defense to fight the British, whose army was under half the size and was weary from traveling. The three lines of defense ended up dividing the militia into smaller sections the British Army could take on, causing the Continental Army to lose the battle.“The Battle of Guilford Courthouse” plaque in the Visitor Center of the park depicts the American general’s main goal for dividing his men by stating, “Greene’s plan threw away the overwhelming American advantage of numbers … intent on crippling—rather …show more content…
Being a general in the South during the Revolutionary War, I was aware of Greene’s importance to North Carolina but did not realize how much he was recognized by larger historical heros. The museum in the Visitor Center made clear of George Washington’s faith in Greene’s military abilities, and when “Charleston fell to the British … Congress instructed General Washington to appoint a successor in the South. He chose Nathanael Greene.” (Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, “Greene”). The monument focused on how Greene’s military tactics in the North Carolina battle lead to the end of the war by quoting Washington, “It is with a pleasure which friendship alone is susceptible of that I congratulate you on the glorious end you have put to hostiles in the southern states.” ("Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina"). Also, a statue of the Greek goddess Athena is placed in front of the statue of Greene. Athena symbolizes Greene’s wisdom found in the battle strategies he used during the Battle of the Guildford Courthouse. Nathanael Greene’s statue compared to the other statues in the park is much bigger in size, which shows the influence the general had to the civilians of North Carolina both in the past and present