Voting Station

Nathanael Greene

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Military Personnel

The Resume

    (August 7, 1742-June 19, 1786)
    Born in Potowomut, Rhode Island
    Major General in the Continental Army during the American Revolution
    Quartermaster General of the Army (1778-80)
    Appointed by George Washington to head the southern army, commanding all troops from Delaware to Georgia (December 3, 1780)
    Namesake for Greensboro, North Carolina, Greenville, South Carolina and over a dozen other cities and towns

Why he might be annoying:

    His first name often gets misspelled as ‘Nathaniel.’
    He was expelled from the pacifist Quakers over his military zeal.
    When the Continental Army evacuated New York City, he recommended burning down the city so the British could not use it.
    He was accused of profiteering as Quartermaster General.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He rose from a private in the Rhode Island militia to Brigadier General in the Continental Army in under a year.
    He illustrated the concept of ‘losing the battle but winning the war’: he lost the Battle of Guilford Courthouse (March 15, 1781), but inflicted such heavy casualties on the British that Lord Cornwallis abandoned his plans to conquer the Carolinas and retreated to Virginia.
    He sold off land that the state of South Carolina had given him to raise money to buy supplies for his army.
    He was one of only three American generals, along with Washington and Henry Knox, to serve for the entire Revolution.
    General Anthony Wayne said, ‘He was a great soldier, greater as a citizen, immaculate as a friend.’

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 88.89% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 186 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 39 Votes: 74.36% Annoying