按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
d。〃 Idealists in France believed that America was leading in the remaking of the world。 When it was known that La Fayette intended to go to fight in America； the King of France forbade it； since France had as yet no quarrel with England。 The youth； however； chartered a ship； landed in South Carolina； hurried to Philadelphia； and was a major general in the American army when he was twenty years of age。
La Fayette rendered no serious military service to the American cause。 He arrived in time to fight in the battle of the Brandywine。 Washington praised him for his bravery and military ardor and wrote to Congress that he was sensible； discreet； and able to speak English freely。 It was with an eye to the influence in France of the name of the young noble that Congress advanced him so rapidly。 La Fayette was sincere and generous in spirit。 He had； however； little military capacity。 Later when he might have directed the course of the French Revolution he was found wanting in force of character。 The great Mirabeau tried to work with him for the good of France； but was repelled by La Fayette's jealous vanity； a vanity so greedy of praise that Jefferson called it a 〃canine appetite for popularity and fame。〃 La Fayette once said that he had never bad a thought with which he could reproach himself； and he boasted that he has mastered three kingsthe King of England in the American Revolution； the King of France； and King Mob of Paris during the upheaval in France。 He was useful as a diplomatist rather than as a soldier。 Later； in an hour of deep need； Washington sent La Fayette to France to ask for aid。 He was influential at the French court and came back with abundant promises； which were in part fulfilled。
Washington himself and Oliver Cromwell are perhaps the only two civilian generals in history who stand in the first rank as military leaders。 It is doubtful indeed whether it is not rather character than military skill which gives Washington his place。 Only one other general of the Revolution attained to first rank even in secondary fame。 Nathanael Greene was of Quaker stock from Rhode Island。 He was a natural student and when trouble with the mother country was impending in 1774 he spent the leisure which he could spare from his forges in the study of military history and in organizing the local militia。 Because of his zeal for military service he was expelled from the Society of Friends。 In 1775 when war broke out he was promptly on hand with a contingent from Rhode Island。 In little more than a year and after a very slender military experience he was in command of the army on Long Island。 On the Hudson defeat not victory was his lot。 He had； however； as much stern resolve as Washington。 He shared Washington's success in the attack on Trenton； and his defeats at the Brandywine and at Germantown。 Now he was at Valley Forge； and when； on March 2； 1778； he became quartermaster general； the outlook for food and supplies steadily improved。 Later； in the South； he rendered brilliant service which made possible the final American victory at Yorktown。
Henry Knox； a Boston bookseller； had； like Greene； only slight training for military command。 It shows the dearth of officers to fight the highly disciplined British army that Knox； at the age of twenty…five； and fresh from commercial life； was placed in charge of the meager artillery which Washington had before Boston。 It was Knox； who； with heart…breaking labor； took to the American front the guns captured at Ticonderoga。 Throughout the war he did excellent service with the artillery； and Washington placed a high value upon his services。 He valued too those of Daniel Morgan； an old fighter in the Indian wars； who left his farm in Virginia when war broke out； and marched his company of riflemen to join the army before Boston。 He served with Arnold at the siege of Quebec； and was there taken prisoner。 He was exchanged and had his due revenge when he took part in the capture of Burgoyne's army。 He was now at Valley Forge。 Later he had a command under Greene in the South and there； as we shall see； he won the great success of the Battle of Cowpens in January； 1781。
It was the peculiar misfortune of Washington that the three men； Arnold； Lee； and Gates； who ought to have rendered him the greatest service； proved unfaithful。 Benedict Arnold； next to Washington himself； was probably the most brilliant and resourceful soldier of the Revolution。 Washington so trusted him that； when the dark days at Valley Forge were over； he placed him in command of the recaptured federal capital。 Today the name of Arnold would rank high in the memory of a grateful country had he not fallen into the bottomless pit of treason。 The same is in some measure true of Charles Lee； who was freed by the British in an exchange of prisoners and joined Washington at Valley Forge late in the spring of 1778。 Lee was so clever with his pen as to be one of the reputed authors of the Letters of Junius。 He had served as a British officer in the conquest of Canada； and later as major general in the army of Poland。 He had a jealous and venomous temper and could never conceal the contempt of the professional soldier for civilian generals。 He； too； fell into the abyss of treason。 Horatio Gates； also a regular soldier； had served under Braddock and was thus at that early period a comrade of Washington。 Intriguer he was； but not a traitor。 It was incompetence and perhaps cowardice which brought his final ruin。
Europe had thousands of unemployed officers some of whom had had experience in the Seven Years' War and many turned eagerly to America for employment。 There were some good soldiers among these fighting adventurers。 Kosciuszko； later famous as a Polish patriot； rose by his merits to the rank of brigadier general in the American army； De Kalb； son of a German peasant； though not a baron； as he called himself； proved worthy of the rank of a major general。 There was； however； a flood of volunteers of another type。 French officers fleeing from their creditors and sometimes under false names and titles； made their way to America as best they could and came to Washington with pretentious claims。 Germans and Poles there were； too； and also exiles from that unhappy island which remains still the most vexing problem of British politics。 Some of them wrote their own testimonials； some； too； were spies。 On the first day； Washington wrote； they talked only of serving freely a noble cause； but within a week were demanding promotion and advance of money。 Sometimes they took a high tone with members of Congress who had not courage to snub what Washington called impudence and vain boasting。 〃I am haunted and teased to death by the importunity of some and dissatisfaction of others〃 wrote Washington of these people。
One foreign officer rendered incalculable service to the American cause。 It was not only on the British side that Germans served in the American Revolution。 The Baron yon Steuben was； like La Fayette； a man of rank in his own country； and his personal service to the Revolution was much greater than that of La Fayette。 Steuben had served on the staff of Frederick the Great and was distinguished for his wit and his polished manners。 There was in him nothing of the needy adventurer。 The sale of Hessian and other troops to the British by greedy German princes was met in some circles in Germany by a keen desire to aid the cause of the young republic。 Steuben； who held a lucrative post； became convinced； while on a visit to Paris； that he could render service in training the Americans。 With quick sympathy and showing no reserve in his generous spirit he abandoned his country； as it proved forever； took ship for the United States； and arrived in November； 1777。 Washington welcomed him at Valley Forge in the following March。 He was made Inspector General and at once took in hand the organization of the army。 He prepared 〃Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States〃 later； in 1779； issued as a book。 Under this German influence British methods were discarded。 The word of command became short and sharp。 The British practice of leaving recruits to be trained by sergeants； often ignorant； coarse； and brutal； was discarded； and officers themselves did this work。 The last letter which Washington wrote before he resigned his command at the end of the war was to thank Steuben for his invaluable aid。 Charles Lee did not believe that American recruits could be quickly trained so as to be able to face the disciplined British battalions。 Steuben was to prove that Lee was wrong to Lee's own entire undoing at Monmouth when fighting began in 1778。
The British army in America furnished sharp contrasts to that of Washington。 If the British jeered at the fighting quality of citizens； these retorted that the British soldier was a mere slave。 There were two great stains upon the British system； the press…gang and flogging。 Press…gangs might seize men abroad in the streets of a town and； unless they could prove that they were gentlemen in rank； they could be sent in the fleet to serve in the remotest corners of the earth。 In both navy and army flogging outraged the dignity of manhood。 The liability to this brutal and degrading pu