American Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene was born on this day in 1742. Greene grew up in the Potowomut section of Warwick and later moved to Coventry where he operated his family’s foundry.
Before the Revolutionary War broke out, Greene organized a local militia known as the Kentish Guards. Once the War began, he was appointed Commander of the Rhode Island Army of Observation and he later became a General in the Continental Army.
Greene was a close confidant of George Washington and a leader in several major campaigns. He was considered a brilliant strategist and was credited with numerous battlefield achievements, remaining in the military until 1783.
When the war ended, Greene was given lands in Georgia, where he later passed away at age 46 in 1786. Along with Roger Williams, Greene represents Rhode Island in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. His homestead in Coventry is a popular tourist destination.
