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Nathanael Greene is a young soldier on the American side of the Revolutionary War. He hails from Rhode Island, and grows up teaching himself about reading, writing, and military strategy despite his family’s modest means. In the early days of the Revolutionary War, he quickly impresses George Washington with his intelligence and initiative. As McCullough points out, Greene is emblematic of the American values that the Founding Fathers celebrated: he’s young, ambitious, idealistic, and hard-working. While Greene disappoints Washington on occasion—for instance, failing to defend Fort Washington from British attack—he’s a key figure in the early stages of the American war effort, and one of the few American soldiers who fights with Washington from 1775 until the end of the war in 1783.
Nathanael Greene Quotes in 1776
The 1776 quotes below are all either spoken by Nathanael Greene or refer to Nathanael Greene. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 1 Quotes
Nathanael Greene was no ordinary man. He had a quick, inquiring mind and uncommon resolve. He was extremely hardworking, forthright, good-natured, and a born leader. His commitment to the Glorious Cause of America, as it was called, was total. And if his youth was obvious, the Glorious Cause was to a large degree a young man's cause.
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Chapter 3 Quotes
If the desperate American need for leaders had thrust young men like Nathanael Greene into positions beyond their experience, the British military system, wherein commissions were bought and aristocrats given preference, denied many men of ability roles they should have played.
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Nathanael Greene Character Timeline in 1776
The timeline below shows where the character Nathanael Greene appears in 1776. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2: Rabble in Arms
In October 1775, an American general from Rhode Island named Nathanael Greene writes that he wishes the American troops had more gunpowder. Greene is an officer in...
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Greene grew up in Rhode Island. His parents didn’t give him much in the way of...
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Greene knows that the American troops are untrained. British soldiers consider them “a rabble in arms,”...
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...Lee, who fought alongside Washington in the backwoods. In addition to Washington’s head generals, Nathanael Greene is present. Washington argues that the Americans should attack Boston by water. However, the generals...
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...goes on, there’s more and more talk of independence from Britain. In a letter, Nathanael Greene says that many men want “a declaration of independence.”
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...authority in some way. However, he begins working closely with two talented New Englanders: Nathanael Greene and Henry Knox, a colonel from Boston who is well-versed in military tactics.
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Chapter 3: Dorchester Heights
...to appointing generals than the American army. America gives leadership opportunities to lower-class men like Greene, while Britain’s army reflects the structure of British society, with aristocrats taking the top jobs.
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...there are still bushels of wheat and hay, along with many horses. Washington puts Nathanael Greene in charge of Boston while he plans his next move.
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...tactician. He has also cultivated relationships with exemplary leaders from New England (such as Nathanael Greene and Henry Knox) and no longer speaks ill of New Englanders as a result. Meanwhile,...
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Chapter 4: The Lines are Drawn
...the Hudson, they build a second fort, Fort Constitution. As the months drag on, Nathanael Greene and Henry Knox become good friends, and both men’s wives join them in New York....
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Nathanael Greene becomes dangerously ill, and Washington is forced to relieve his favorite general of his duty...
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Chapter 6: Fortune Frowns
...that no damage will be done to the city if he pulls out. Privately, Nathanael Greene urges Washington to leave New York as soon as possible, since there’s no telling when...
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George Washington rides to Harlem Heights. There, he and Nathanael Greene witness the British chasing the American troops. Washington orders a counterattack of three companies of...
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...with Washington into New Jersey. Finally, Nathanael Green will command the troops in Fort Washington. Greene is confident that he’ll be able to hold out against British forces, while Washington is...
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...generals on a scouting mission. They hear the noise of cannons assaulting Fort Washington. Nathanael Greene suggests that Washington keep himself safe by staying away from the fort while other generals...
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...George Washington is said to have wept at the sight of his empty fort. Nathanael Greene’s confidence that Fort Washington could be defended has proven false. But of course, it’s ultimately...
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Chapter 7: Darkest Hour
...author of the pamphlet Common Sense, has been serving as a civilian aide on Nathanael Greene’s staff, and he is inspired by the troops’ commitment. “These are the times that try...
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...the general officers who had been involved in the Siege of Boston (Washington and Nathanael Greene) are still serving. Henry Knox also continues to fight for the American side until the...
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