THE BUILDER MAY 1926

The Quaker General

By BRO. WILLIAM M. STUART

THE most noted of Washington's "Masonic Generals" was Nathaniel
Greene, rated by Lord Cornwallis as dangerous as His Excellency. As
the historian, C. T. Brady, observes:

"Indeed, we have come down to the Civil War to find his equal and
even then the search must be made with some care. General Scott,
for instance, who gained a much greater reputation in the war of
1812 and in the Mexican War, is not to be mentioned in the same
breath with the Rhode Island blacksmith, either for ability or
achievement; he does not compare with the plain man who so highly
educated himself by his own unaided efforts, that, for relaxation
in the midst of desperate campaigns, he read the Latin poets in the
original by the light of the campfire, and annotated, for the use
of the army, Vattel's famous treatise called Droit des Gens'!"

Here, surely, is a mark for the poor but ambitious youth to shoot
at.

Washington and Greene were the only general officers who served
continuously throughout the war from the siege of Boston to the
end.

Although it is an undisputed fact that Greene was a Freemason, it
has not been determined just when and where he was raised. Says
R.W.Bro. S. Penrose Williams, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of
Rhode Island, in a letter dated Oct. 21, 1925:

In answer to your letter of the 19th instant, I beg to state that
there is no record in the archives of the Grand Lodge of Rhode
Island, so far as I have been able to learn, to show that General
Nathaniel Greene was a member of any Lodge in Rhode Island.

"We have cards showing the membership of all our Lodges from 1749
to the present time, but General Greene's name is not among them.
He was undoubtedly a Mason somewhere.

"The Grand Lodge of Rhode Island has a medal which it is claimed
was the property of General Greene, given him by General
Lafayette."

It is extremely probable that General Greene was made a Mason in
one of the ten military lodges of the Continental Army. In fact,
some Masonic writers have definitely claimed this. That he was a
Mason there can be little doubt.

Nathaniel Greene was born of Quaker parents at Warwick, Rhode
Island, in 1746, and was trained to follow the vocation of his
father, a blacksmith. His schooling was very limited, but,
possessing a thirst for knowledge, he started to collect a library,
and while yet a mere child learned the Latin language. After all,
education is more a frame of mind than anything else. The youthful
Greene had the will to acquire knowledge and nothing could keep him
from it. Military history was his forte; he studied the campaigns
of all great captains, from Alexander to Frederick, the Prussian
genius.

Shortly after becoming of age he was elected to the Legislature of
his native colony. When the news of Lexington came he promptly
resolved to take up arms. Shortly he was appointed to the command
of a Rhode Island brigade. His scandalized church promptly kicked
him out. However, at the instance of Washington, who had quickly
perceived his worth, he was promoted by Congress to the command of
a division in the Continental Army.

When Howe's force threatened New York Greene was placed in charge
of the American troops on Long Island. Illness soon incapacitated
him for a time and Bro. Israel Putnam succeeded to the command. The
disastrous battle of Long Island followed. Had Greene been able to
continue in command it is probable that the story of that conflict
would have been far different. Although Putnam was a great
partisan, he was no strategist. Greene was.

General Greene was one of the "Masonic Forlorn Hope" that led the
march to Trenton on Christmas night, 1776. He participated in the
battle of Princeton. At Brandywine, after the brigade of Bro. John
Sullivan had been crushed at Birmingham Meeting-House, Greene
brought his division on a run from a point four miles in the rear,
covering the distance in the incredible time of forty minutes.
Stationing his veterans in a narrow pass, he planted his artillery
and repulsed charge after charge made by the enemy, holding the
position until darkness fell, and effectually covering the retreat
of the army. He was active in the battle of Germantown, and at
Monrnouth rendered good service. He was president of the military
court that tried Major Andre.

On Dec. 3, 1780, following the fiasco of Gates at Camden, General
Greene was appointed to the command of the Army of the South. Among
his prominent officers were Colonel Henry Lee (Light Horse Harry),
Daniel Morgan, Colonel William Washington, Colonel Otho Williams--
all brother Masons. 

The first great success won by the army under the command of Greene
at this time was compassed by General Morgan at Cowpens, where a
vastly superior pursuing force under Tarleton was practically
annihilated.

Then followed the famous retreat across North Carolina with the
pursuing army of Lord Cornwallis often in sight, but never quite
near enough to attack. Swamps, muddy roads, swollen rivers, tangled
forests, made difficult the retreat, but also retarded pursuit.
Greene's barefoot men often marched thirty-five miles in a single
day.

So far Greene had not felt himself strong enough to warrant risking
a general engagement. But at length, while encamped on Troublesome
Creek, near Guilford, North Carolina, he was reinforced by three
brigades of militia from Virginia and North Carolina, together with
400 newly-recruited regulars. These reinforcements raised his army
to a total of 4404, horse and foot. He had temporarily shaken off
the pursuit of Cornwallis, but he was now emboldened to throw down
the gage of battle and wait for his Lordship to take it up. He
accordingly advanced to Guilford Court House and, on March 15,
1781, formed his army in three lines, as was his custom when forced
to depend largely on militia. The militia of the Revolution
constituted a very uncertain proposition at best, and at the worst
incipient disaster.

Lord Cornwallis had but 2400 troops. They were, however, veterans
to a man, and comprised some of the best regiments in the British
service: Guards, Grenadiers, Highlanders, Hessians. Of Greene's
total force, 2753 were raw militia. He had 1490 regular infantry
and 161 regular cavalry; the latter being commanded by two most
excellent officers--Colonels Harry Lee and William Washington.
There were four pieces of artillery. Two-thirds of the regulars
were recruits, too recently brought under discipline to be
thoroughly dependable. Other than the First Maryland regiment, the
dragoons, and the infantry of Lee's Legion, possibly 600 men in
all, the Continentals were far from being veteran troops. It will
therefore be seen that the advantage in personnel was with Lord
Cornwallis.

Greene had the choosing of position; a fact of which he took full
advantage. The North Carolina militia, posted at the edge of a
forest, constituted the first line, which extended both sides of
the Salisbury road. In the road were two pieces of artillery under
Captain Singleton. The second line, composed of Virginia militia,
was also located in the oak woods; while the third line--regulars--
was near the courthouse in the open. Two guns were stationed at
this point. Lee's Legion supported the first line. To make the
attack the British must necessarily cross open fields in front of
the North Carolina militia. So far the advantage was with Greene.
If only the militia would stand and fight, the prospects were good
for a victory. At any rate Greene had tired of retreating and
purposed to do it no more, at least for the present. Cornwallis was
equally desirous of battle. Up to this time it is doubtful whether
either leader had properly estimated the ability of his opponent.

It was about noon when the army of Cornwallis was observed
approaching along the Salisbury road, but as yet nearly a mile
distant. The air was cool and invigorating; not a cloud was in the
sky. The scarlet uniforms and burnished arms of the British
regulars, glittering in the rays of the sun, afforded a sharp
contrast with the dead appearance of the landscape. Not yet had the
buds and grass started; the trees, devoid of foliage, stood
silhouetted like somber skeletons against a background of lifeless
turf.

In the van of the approaching force trotted the dragoons of the
redoubtable Tarleton. The latter only that morning had been roughly
handled in skirmish with Light Horse Harry's men; but ever ready
for battle, he now led the way to renew the contest.

Crouching behind a fence running along the southern margin of the
woods, the raw North Carolina militia nervously handled their
flint-locks and noted with ill-concealed anxiety the steady
approach of the foe. From their position in the road the two
six-pounder guns of Captain Singleton leaped, vomited flame and
smoke and rolled back a pace. Down where the British were defiling
into the open fields some confusion ensued. Then came a swirl of
plunging horses, flaying lashes and gesticulating drivers. Two of
the enemy's gun were unlimbered and opened a return fire.

The British army deployed in three heavy columns and advanced
straight toward the first line of Greene's force. In perfect time
moved the bare legs of the fierce Highlanders; stolidly marched the
Hessians; smartly came the picked men of the Guard. There was no
cheering; but steadily, apparently as irresistible as the march of
doom, they came.

A gruff command. The line halted. Heavy muskets came up in an
ominous row. There came a dancing blaze, a burst of smoke, rolling
away on the breeze a stunning roar. Then inflamed faces, behind a
hedge of glittering bayonets, burst out of the battle haze.

It was too much for the raw North Carolina militia. From their line
ripped out one scattering volley, then they fled, all unharmed,
fled like rabbits before the baying of the hunter's dog. Through
the forest they crashed, flinging from them in wild panic musket
knapsack, canteen--anything and everything to lessen their burden
and increase their speed. Greene's first line of defense had
vanished like dew before the morning's sun.

But now Lee's Legion, fighters to a man, strove valiantly Shouting,
the exultant foe pressed Lee's men back upon the second line. Here
the militia from Virginia stood firm and a desperate contest
resulted. Red coats spotted thickly the drab turf. Among the
scattered oak trees the acrid powder spoke hung sluggishly near the
ground. But eventually the right of the second line was crushed.
The militiamen fell back on their left, finally to take refuge
behind the regulars.

Colonel Webster with the 23rd and 33rd regiments now attacked the
right of the shortened wing, while Leslie and Bose, leading the
Highlanders and Hessians, rushed toward the left. O'Hara with the
Grenadiers and the second battalion of the crack Guards supported
the British left. Before this assault the remainder of Greene's
second line gave way. Only the Continental regulars stood between
the foe and disaster.

The battle now took on a character of the utmost ferocity. Webster
pressed forward and attacked the famous First Maryland regiment,
than which no better troops walked the earth. Greene rode behind
this line and encouraged the men. The hardy veterans did not need
it. Webster's men drew near, but now, before the steady and rapid
volleys of the Marylanders, the advance was stopped. For a few
fateful moment alternate volleys ripped and blazed from the
opposing lines. Then Webster, after suffering terrible loss, fell
back across a little ravine and upon an elevation sought to rally
his shattered brigade.

Lieutenant-colonel Stuart led the first battalion of the Guards in
an assault upon the Second Maryland regiment, unlike the first,
mostly raw recruits. It did not bide the onset, but fled at once in
panic, abandoning two field-pieces. Stuart pursued furiously, and
once more a crisis in the battle was precipitated.

Colonel Gunby of the First Maryland, temporarily relieved from
pressure by Webster's retreat, now called to his men and ordered a
charge against Stuart's flank. This regiment had often tasted
victory; it was highly disciplined, even though the uniforms of
buff and blue were in tatters. In bayonet practice it had no peer
on the continent. With a loud shout it sprang forward, delivered a
heavy volley, and under cover of the smoke of the discharge, struck
Colonel Stuart's battalion with a crash heard all over the field.
And at the same moment Lieutenant-colonel Washington spurred into
the ruck with his Continental dragoons.

The dead grass of the sloping field was trampled into the soil, now
made soft by the blood of men. Through the eddying smoke flashed
bayonet and saber. Cheers, groans and screams mingled with the
harsh grating of steel meeting steel. The co-ordination of the
Maryland infantry and Washington's horsemen was perfect. The
abandoned cannon were recovered. Stuart was slain, the Guards
routed, great slaughter resulted. It is recorded that at this time
one of Washington's troopers cut down in succession eleven of the
fleeing enemy.

Pell-mell the Guards fled, discipline forgotten for the time. And
ever at the heels of the demoralized Britons raced the lean
infantry of Maryland and hacked the dragoons of Washington. The
star of victory had suddenly shifted.

Cornwallis looked upon the rout of his men and realized that all
was lost unless he adopted extreme measures. Extreme measures were
what he did adopt, and those most promptly. So extreme were they
that the recital makes one shudder. He drew up his artillery and
ordered it to sweep with grapeshot his own retreating column and
the pursuing Americans !

And so, while the ground fairly rocked under the rapid discharges
of the British cannon, grapeshot whistled and whined among the
struggling men, exacting impartially its toll from friend and foe.
Right into the blaze of their own guns rushed the panic-stricken
Guards in an effort to escape from their vengeful pursuers. The
Americans fell back.

Greene had yet one regiment of Continental infantry which had been
but slightly engaged. However, the defection of the militia and his
own heavy loss had so weakened his army that he felt it unwise to
abide the renewed attack that Cornwallis was now about to make.
Hence, ordering Colonel Greene to cover the retreat with his
Virginia regiment, the American commander abandoned the field to
his foe and fell back to Troublesome Creek, ten miles in the rear.
The retrograde movement was made in good order and Cornwallis did
not think it prudent to pursue. Indeed, he could not, for he had
lost about a quarter of his entire force.

In this fierce two-hour action the British lost over 600 men,
killed and wounded, including many of the best officers. Greene's
casualties were 400, besides nearly 900 militia missing.
Considering the speed with which these men left the field, it seems
likely that a majority of them had attained the sanctuary of their
own firesides before the echo of the final volley had died away.
Such was the battle of Guilford Court House, a fight so fell that
men still speak of it when tales of valor are toward. Says the
popular American historian, Brady:

"We have to look along the pages of history for a hundred years to
find such fighting as the whole British army did on one side, and
as the famous First Maryland did on the other, on that day, and we
do not find it until we come to the old Thomas at Chicamauga."

Cornwallis claimed the victory because he spent the night on the
field, amid the thousand bodies in scarlet and blue that marked the
place of strife. The British army was so shattered that Greene was
relieved of the danger of further pursuit. Cornwallis gave up the
campaign and retired to the coast within four days after the
battle. Greene pursued for a time, then turned and marched to South
Carolina, where in due season he recovered that state for the
patriot cause.

News of the battle of Guilford produced a sensation in the British
Parliament. Fox declared that "Another such victory will ruin the
British army." In fact it did remove Cornwallis as a factor in the
campaign for the recovery of the Carolinas. Although bloody battles
were to be fought, such as Hobkirk's Hill and Eutaw, Greene was
never again called upon to hazard what he did at Guilford. By
alternately fighting and maneuvering he worsted Lord Rawdon and
Colonel Stuart and shut the British army in Charleston. Before the
end came he had won back all that Gates lost at Camden--that and
more. And he achieved for himself a name that will live as long as
the story of the Republic.
