The Traits that Make a Good General: Revolutionary War Hero Daniel Morgan

Want to win a war ? It's not just about the last battle. Good war strategy gets you to that last battle. One historian remarked that the American Revolution was won because of General Daniel Morgan.

Daniel Morgan was a frontiersman. Born in New Jersey, he set out westwards at the age of 17 after a disagreement with his father. He had a very strong moral compass of what is right versus wrong that served him well his whole life.  He got a job as a teamster with a fun fellow, scrimping and saving enough money to buy his own wagons in a year and create his own waggoner business. His business was tapped into service during the French Indian War. He also served in a militia capacity alongside the British. Angered by one of the British (unknown if it was a soldier or officer), he threw a punch and was sentenced to 400-500 lashes (exact number disputed, but enough that normally meant a death sentence). While being whipped with his skin ribboning from his flesh, he remained conscious and survived with his strong character; however, this  left a bitterness in his soul for the British which served him well during the American Revolution.  He was an entrepreneur. He worked hard and accumulated much land.  He created a grist mill that still stands today as a museum. He successfully counterbalanced business risk with hard work.  He fell in love and had two daughters (educating them in a time where this was not so common).  With freedom bells clamoring throughout the country, he signed up to fight in the American Revolution after the Battles of Lexington and Concord. He served in some of the fiercest battles. He quickly earned the reputation of a genius military strategist. Had his strategy been followed, the infamous Battle of Quebec may have turned out differently. His battalion was successful. They scaled the walls of Quebec and had the British fleeing in all directions until melee broke loose upon General Montgomery's death.  His strategy was so good in the famous Battle of the Cowpens (positioning of militia and continental troops) that it was advised and adapted by General Greene in the southern Battle at Guilford Courthouse. This battle was critical in keeping the American southern army alive after British devastation tore all through the South.

So how did he win the war ? The British's most feared weapon was their star legion of cavalry rifle shooters led by Banastre Tarleton. They wreaked devastation wherever they triumphed mutilating prisoners and civilians alike, often sparing no one (hence the phrase 'Tarleton's Quarter),burning houses and property along the way. Daniel Morgan desired to meet head to head with this notorious legion and he did  at the Battle of Cowpens.  He so decimated Tarleton's legion, that he crippled the British army. Hence, his credit for being key to the American triumph. While many feared the intrepid Tarleton, Morgan was hunting him down.

It takes both heart and smarts to lead. General Morgan had a reputation for both. Many militia men demanded they would enlist only if they could serve under Morgan. Morgan was once seen rallying troop to troop the night before battle, even though he was strictly advised bed rest due to a very serious illness (for the rest of his life he would suffer flair ups of sciatica attributed to his military service). General Morgan was always in the thick of the battle (unlike General Horatio Gates whom his men despised) and did not ask his men to do anything he would not. He was instrumental in the successful battle of Saratoga (after whose victory the French pledged assistance and support to the United States). He relished those memories and named his estate Saratoga. Despite his imperviousness to fear, he also wisely knew when to retreat in order to gather up the proper forces to wage victory. Not only is he attributed a brilliant military tactician, he exemplified great strength of character. After the Revolution, a 'whiskey rebellion' rose up in western Pennsylvania. President George Washington asked Daniel if he would lead a force to quell the rebellion. When he arrived, the rebellion was put down without a single shot being fired. The mere mention of General Morgan's name (both out of fear and respect for his values) was enough to move people to reason. Two of the ringleaders were sentenced to death. One, John Mitchell, had even threatened the life of General Morgan's son in law causing him to flee for his life. Yet despite the egregious acts committed, Morgan urged mercy on Mitchell because he had seen the error of his ways and was 'ignorant'. George Washington in turn pardoned both ringleaders sentenced to death. It was this type of perspicacity that led his constituents in his Virginia district to elect him to the House of Representatives as a United States Congressman after the Whiskey Rebellion, while Daniel was in his 60s.

Daniel Morgan did not have a college education, nor come from a family of means, but he made the most out of every opportunity. He perfectly balanced deep conviction with courage, skill, and hard work.  He rose to the highest levels of leadership yet never countenanced an ounce of arrogance. There is a statue of General Daniel Morgan in Spartanburg, South Carolina rising tall over the pasture of the Battle of Cowpens. May we all let remnants of his noble character rise within us in our hearts.

William Eaton: Heroism Triumphs Over Bad Politics

Great heroes deserve our thanks. Great heroes live on despite bad politics. Actions speak louder than words. Much like education, great feats cannot be taken away no matter what. The incredulous story of America's hero William Eaton must be counterbalanced in an unsavory political lesson of the American Consul General to the North African coast Tobias Lear.

After the founding of our country, Tripoli was the first nation to declare war on the United States. The Barbary Coast countries would demand tribute (large bribes) for sailing their waters, capture American sailors and enslave them. William Eaton led a small band of Marines (ten in all) across 500 miles of Egyptian desert to find and empower Hamet Karamanli (younger brother to the despot Tripoli ruler Yussef) to free over 300 enslaved sailors (doing hard labor for 19 months) of the USS Philadelphia and negotiate a peace with the United States that would no longer involve paying tribute or enslaving American sailors.  This five month long, arduous trek involved being captured and imprisoned by a band of Turks, hunger, thirst, mutinies and threatened desertion. Even Hamet himself attempted to abandon the project out of cowardice several times. Miraculously, through sheer willpower Eaton and his men (accumulating friendly bands to Hamet along the way) made it to Tripoli's city of Derne and won a battle totally outmanned against a city's offenses. 

Poised to stike a victorious coup alongside US naval ships, newly arrived to assist and replace the ruthless tyrant Yussef Karamanli (who killed his older brother for power and would later attempt to kill Hamet), American Consul General Tobias Lear negotiated a peace (along with a secret treaty totally in Tripoli's favor) stopping Eaton in his tracks. Eaton was forced to withdraw his men. Dejected (leaving Hamet's followers at the mercy of Yussef) Eaton and Hamet's family sailed away on the cusp of what would have terminated by force America's Tripoli problems. The United States Senate issued a commission to investigate the circumstances, only to have Thomas Jefferson (who possessed great pensmanship but little ardor for battle as was evidenced when he fled the Virginia capitol as its governor on horseback under British siege) intermeddled to keep the status quo. It was later revealed that Tobias Lear, while negotiating, was simultaneously engaged in a commercial enterprise of wheat that was threatened by relations with Tripoli. He found it in his best interest to placate the tyrannical leader Yussef and did (spending over $500k of America's money for "diplomatic" reasons, an inordinate sum for the times). This same Tobias Lear was also caught stealing from George Washington (pocketed rent money from one of George Washington's properties) while in George Washington's employ and also swindled a business partner. Ironically, it was William Eaton, when serving as the American Consul to Tripoli before Lear, who advocated these diplomatic posts mandate no commercial conflicts of interest. 

Thomas Jefferson as President, refused to answer William Eaton's charges of treaty issues and premature negotiation, and covered for Lear's actions.  No coincidence that it also later came to light that Tobias Lear destroyed much of George Washington's papers that involved Jefferson's conflicts with Washington. Politics among cowards and thieves is never pretty nor desired. The political lesson in it all is that it does not serve the country to place bad characters in office or diplomatic posts. Yes, this tale has a sad and bitter ending with William Eaton, a man of much principle and proven courage, essentially drinking himself to death as he spent his last years attempting to seek right for Hamet and setting the record straight. Thomas Jefferson forever refused to acknowledge in public the secret treaty Lear negotiated nor respond to Eaton's charges.  Dead men do speak as time has a way of unearthing the truth. William Eaton, with his heart in the right place, achieved the impossible in Marine like fashion and may his memory forever blazon to remind us all of indomitable courage aptly captured in the lyrics of the Marine hym, "From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli....."

A Lesson In What It Takes To Be A Hero: John Paul Jones

They ought to make bracelets that say WWJPJD.  What Would John Paul Jones Do ? Among the pantheon of greats such as George Washington and Ben Franklin, John Paul Jones has his place. Just finished reading the two volume biography by Augustus C. Buell on Paul Jones. It is entitled: Paul Jones: Founder of the American Navy and was published by Charles Scribner's Sons in New York in 1900.  John Paul Jones timeline is remarkable:

1. He went to sea as a sailor starting at age 12.
2. He became a shipmate at age 17.
3. He became a Captain at age 20 in the merchant service of the North Atlantic.
4. Upon inheritance, he became a Virginia planter before age 26.
5. He became a Naval Lieutenant at age 28.
6. He became a Commodore at age 32.
7. By age 33 he became world famous in the most celebrated sea victory up to that time in the capture of the British ship Serapis as his own was on fire and sinking (he uttered the famous words, "I have not yet begun to fight" when asked if he was striking colors to give up).
8. He was knighted by the King of France and given a sword.
9. He became an Admiral in the Russian Navy.
10. He died at age 45 and counted among his friends and acquaintances many illustrious figures including George Washington, Ben Franklin (whom he named a ship after), the King of France Louis VXVI, Empress Catherine the Great of Russia and the Marquis de Lafayette.

He wrote and spoke English and French fluently. He proved an extremely able diplomat in international negotiations with France, Holland, and Denmark out of necessity over prize ships. He led with character versus fear  (throwing away feared tools of discipline on ships like the cat of nine tails whip). Among his personal traits:  honesty, respectful diplomacy, loyalty, and courage. He overcame the most remarkable obstacles with grace and dignity including a false criminal allegation in Russia, his own ship firing on him (the Alliance) in the battle of the Serapis and refusing to assist him afterwards, jealous colleagues who intrigued and sometimes succeeded in taking his ships and crew from him (but never succeeding in the long run), false reports of war victories (giving credit for his wins to others which he stood his ground on correcting), and huge disappointments such as preparing and supervising construction of the largest war ship ever to be built in America (called teh America) which he was to captain only to have it given away to France. His company was much sought after due to his charm, manners and enlightening conversation. Women from Great Britain, America and France adored him.  He exercised as much wisdom in life as he showed courage in battle. His words convey remarkable judgment. He remarked to French Navy Officer Kersaint, "... in human affairs the sources of success are ever to be found in the fountains of quick resolve and swift stroke; and it seems to be a law inflexible and inexorable that he who will not risk cannot win." Outmanned and outgunned, he won many battles on the sea, capturing  many ships due to his bravery, intelligent strategy and sheer will to win.  He was an excellent judge of character. In his journal of 1791, he wrote "... truth and courage are twin traits; and, on the other hand, so are cowardice and falsehood alike inseparable." Despite the British and Tories destroying his Virginia plantation in the American Revolution, in his travels to Great Britain after the war he always demonstrated the utmost respect and forgiveness.  He had two sisters living in America during the outbreak of the American Revolution. One, with British loyalties, returned to Scotland. Hurt by the tension between the sisters, he advised both of the Pope's Universal Prayer which he lived by:

"Teach me to feel another's woe;

To hide the faults I see; 

That mercy I to others show;

Such mercy show to me."

A study of John Paul Jones' life teaches one that courage, truth, hard work and moral principles are what makes great men.  Great accomplishments don't make great men. It is rather, great men achieve great accomplishments. The son of a humble, poor Scottish gardener grew up to become the most famous man to ever sail the seas. What an honor it is for the United States to have John Paul Jones be the Father of our Navy. What a treasure for all humanity to learn from John Paul Jones. His astonishing victories, tremendous accomplishments, and renown courage will forever be a beacon that good character accomplishes the unthinkable.