Essay on Nathanael Greene Southern Campaign

The southern campaign commenced with the British concern over the war's course in the North. The downfall at Saratoga, the fear of intervention by French, and the overall failure to fight the rebels made the British military policymakers to focus devotion to the South. They had perceived it as the loyalist stronghold. The southern campaign by Nathanael Greener ran from December 1780 to December 1781. Greene became the commander of Carolina campaign in 1780 following the downfall of General Horatio Gates. When Greene assumed power, he rapidly moved southwards. As the chief of the Carolina campaign, Greene assisted in turning the war wave by defeating their enemies in a chain of Southern battles. Greene, the principle of military strategy, was known to be a fighting Quaker because of a puzzling mixture of the military talent and the pacifist faith.

Against the contemporary military wisdom, Greene split the army to enable them to spread widely throughout the Carolinas. The decision of Greener to make Daniel Morgan the commander in one division resulted in a Patriot triumph at Cowpens. A stand-off followed Cowpens at Guilford Courthouse and a third of the British forces, some of the best officers lost. The Blockade of British fort at ninety-six increased the pressure on the British. Successive Cornwallis mistakes and the failure of the British to offer naval supremacy contributed to his trap and Yorktown Patriot victory. The knock-back was decisive, war lost, and the American militaries in the South played a significant part in the ultimate success.

The Cowpens battle in the Southern Campaign acted as the Southern war's turning point. Moreover, it had the strategic masterpiece of the whole war; the unique deployment of troops by Morgan, the efficient use of soldiers, and the militia's maximisation of their powers. The triumph at Cowpens was complete and decisive. The Cowpens win boosted the northern morale and resulted in additional as well as much deserved militia assistance for Greene. The battles ended a long series of retreats by the American militaries and initiated events that led to the eventual Patriot conquest at Yorktown.

Why Some Historians Consider Greene as Second From Washington in Winning the Battle

Washington appointed Greene and gave him orders. Greener had no prior experience with the military and rose through the Continental Army ranks and grew to be one of the highly esteemed generals of George Washington. Greene fought with Washington at the Trenton, Germantown, Valley Forge, and Trenton battles. Greene continually achieved and other times exceeded the expectations of Washington. Greene also prospered in situations where some other three commanders had failed. Similarly, like Washington, Greene could employ small means to achieve a significant advantage. Greene's achievement in reversing the success of Great Britain in the war was an impressive campaign. Greene did not want to destroy the enemy directly, but he aimed at weakening him making him irrelevant. Greene commented on his Southern campaign tactic saying that a small number of Commanders have run more often, or highly lustily than he has. However he had exercised caution not to go too far, and he had commonly run as fast frontward as backward, to persuade their enemy that they were similar to a crab, that can run whichever way.

Question Two

How the Americans Defeated Great Britain in Struggle for Independence

In 1778, there were almost 50,000 regular troops and more than 30,000 German mercenaries in the royal army. In contrast, George Washington's command did not have more than 20,000 soldiers. Majority of the American armed forces were young (ranging from early teens to mid-20s), unskilled, poor, and landless. It was a nearly impossible task to conquer the colonies. The colonies' sheer geographic size made it difficult for the Britain militaries to occupy the rural area. Since the British could not control the countryside, it was difficult for them to safeguard the Loyalists. There was also no single national capital for the colonies which if captured could end the conflict. A significant mistake for British was the failure to take satisfactory advantage of the Loyalists. The British had no trust in the Loyalists and did not respect their ability to fight and as a result, eliminated several potential supporters.

The tactics that the Americans learned from the Indian wars were effective in destroying the British army. The militiamen could strike quickly from behind the fences or trees and then vanish into the forest. The Americans also wore regular clothing and thus difficult to distinguish them from the British Loyalists and rebels. Again, Washington used the strategy of evading large-scale clashes with the British army proved it difficult for the royal army of the British to give a knock-out setback. It was only one time through the Upheaval (in 1780 at the Charleston, S.C.) that the American military surrendered to the Britain. The intermediation of Spain, Netherlands, and France made a vital variation in the outcomes of the Revolution. It is doubtful that America could have succeeded to win its liberation without support from Spain, Holland, and France. In horror of losing their sugar settlements in West Indies, British could not concentrate their military forces in the U.S colonies.

The extensiveness of the widespread support for Revolution was one critical factor in the Patriot victory. Ordinary artisans, farmers, and workers joined the fire line. The support of the insurgency cut through religion, social rank, and region. Ordinary shopkeepers and merchants, artisans and farmers were the central actors in the Revolution. Illiterate farmers, slaves, ex-servants, and migrants gained a reputation in the U.S Continental Army. Widespread participation in the politics had begun to grow previously before the Revolution. Years before the war, several men and women united with groups such as the Sons of Liberty in protest against British intrusions on the American liberties.

The Leadership of George Washington and Americas War Triumph

Washington played a significant military and political part in the revolution of America. Washington's role was enormous; balancing the regional demands, competition among his juniors, giving morale, close management of the army affairs, applying for support from the state governors, and a continuous search for the resources to equip, cloth, feed, and move his troops. Washington avoided decisive battles for him to wear out the enemy, at its best erosion. His activities from 1778 to 1780 represented high organisational and diplomatic skills. Washington cooperated with France to find the best ways to defeat British. Washington was always keen on any new threat for example when Clinton sent Arnold to invade Virginia. Cornwallis arrival in Virginia provided Washington with a chance to give a decisive blow

Reference

Millett, A. R., Maslowski, P., & Feis, W. B. (2012). For the common defense: A military history of the United States from 1607 to 2012. (3rd Ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.