Forging the Vision : Nathanael Green
Major General Nathanael Greene , August 7 , 1742 – June 19 , 1786 , oil on canvas by Charles Wilson Peale . Bridgeman Images : Peter Newark American Pictures .
At the onset of the American
Revolution , the rebel forces had many disadvantages in comparison to their British adversary . Aside from insufficient funding and resources , perhaps the Patriots ’ most significant shortcoming was the lack of a unified , standing military , a problem that was exacerbated by a serious deficit of men skilled in the broader administration of warfare . If the Patriots were to be successful , they required men of vision who could find possibilities and solutions where others could not . While many Patriot military leaders demonstrated a capacity for visionary leadership , Nathanael Greene ’ s ( 1742 – 1786 ) unlikely ascendency and unorthodox wartime exploits made him the most significant antihero of the Revolutionary War .
At the onset of the war , very few Patriot military leaders could have been considered extraordinary and experienced by traditional standards . Overall , rebel leaders lacked training and experience compared to the officers they took the field against . Although many Patriots experienced combat alongside the British during the American-Indian campaigns and French and Indian Wars , few served in positions that would provide them the skills necessary to develop , design , and execute broader context strategic planning . Thus , many Patriots were thrust into positions of leadership
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