Southern Campaign of Nathanael Greene - Essay Example

Nathanael Greene's Southern Campaign Nathanael Greene's Southern Campaign Nathanael Greene was a major general in the Continental Army of the United States appointed by George Washington (Carbone, 2008). When the American Revolutionary War began, he was a lowly-ranked, self-trained soldier. Following his enthusiasm for carrying out military duty and appointment to the committee to revise militia laws, he was expelled from the Society of Friends, which was a religious sect. At the end of the war, he was termed George Washington’s most dependable and gifted officer (Tucker, 2009).

This paper will discuss his southern campaign. Greene was handed the responsibility of leading the then-weak Revolutionary southern army that had already been led by three commanders who failed in their duties (Golway, 2005). He was given the duty of commanding the war against the British occupation of the south. With a small and poorly trained army, he was up against a more established and experienced British army. With the awareness that his troops were not able to win large and decisive wars, he planned brief and sudden attacks against the prominent British army.

He took a bold step to divide his army into smaller groups, forcing the British troops to do the same (Tucker, 2009). He then ordered the Continental army to retreat, and the British, without realizing the tactic used against them, followed the Continental army. This drove the British army further away from their supply base, making them weaker and eventually losing the battle (Tucker, 2009). Some historians view Greene as second to Washington in the importance of winning the war because he was appointed by Washington and took orders from him (Carbone, 2008).

He also succeeded where three other commanders had failed. In the same way as Washington, he was gifted with the ability to use small means to a significant advantage (Carbone, 2008).