Choosing a Leader: Learning from George Washington's Choice of General Nathanel Greene

It took the Continental Congress three times, but they finally got it right. After appointing Benjamin Lincoln and Horatio Gates to lead George Washington's southern campaign to no success, they finally allowed George Washington to choose his own general. Washington made an excellent choice in appointing Nathanael Greene after serving alongside him in battle and knowing his passion, strength, intelligence and endurance.  Lesson one- it is wise to give the experts in the best position to make the choice the power to do so. Greene was victorious in the Southern campaign driving the British from the Carolinas.  So wise that he kept on fighting until legally not allowed to do. He was right. The British came back for round two in the Battle of 1812.  Lesson two- a leader must have good judgment in people. Greene never trusted General Charles Lee or General James Wilkinson. Although he never lived to see the proof of his distrust, hundreds of years later have revealed that Charles Lee gave plans to the British on how they could capture the American army while he was a "prisoner" of war in South Carolina and recent documents have unearthed that James Wilkinson was a double spy in the pay of  the Spanish government.   Greene noted that when Lee was traded for another prisoner and released, he came back not rejoicing as one would  expect. Lee even spent his first night back at Washington's camp sleeping in the quarters behind Martha Washington's camp living arrangements with the wife of a British officer. Lesson three- a leader must be brave and wiling to personally sacrifice. Whereas Horatio Gates' soldiers' nicknamed him "Granny Gates"for his lack of zeal in battle, Green had a reputation for being brave despite the odds. Greene even successfully employed the "divide to survive"  strategy  (controversial compared to accepted practices of warfare at the time) before Napoleon coined it.  When the virtually penniless Continental Congress could not pay to clothe Greene's men and neither could the provincial South Carolina government, Greene signed on as creditor to pay for uniforms for the entire Southern army (he was not a wealthy man). Not only did he care for his men, he knew they could not fight in their naked condition and many would desert. After winning the war, the American government never paid Greene back and he was besought with creditors when he died a few years later much distressed at the age of 44.  He was also a peacemaker. When General Sullivan upset the French Admiral Charles D' Estaing, it was Greene that placated and kept the peace. Had this not been done, Washington would not have had the French navy which was necessary to assist in trapping the British at the victorious battle of Yorktown. Nathanael Greene sacrificed everything for our country. True heroes do. George Washington made an excellent choice which proved essential to the formation of this country, when he chose Nathanael Greene to be his right hand man. Great leaders choose great leaders.

Learning Family Values from Aaron Burr

Just finished reading Aaron Burr: The Conspiracy and Years of Exile 1805-1836 by Milton Lomask published in 1982. Mr. Lomask uncovered rare, never before seen papers in putting together this excellent Founding Father's bio. It is an honest tribute. There were four major take aways I gleaned from this book. The first is that it pays to "idealize". Aaron Burr's parents died when he was young. He must have spent hours idealizing what his mother was like because when his daughter was born, he made her one of the most educated (at a time when women could not go to college), cultured and sophisticated women of her time. Throughout his entire life, including his Vice Presidency and years of exile in Europe, he kept guiding and overseeing  her continued education in the classics and languages. It is important to idealize to create goals.

The second great lesson about Aaron Burr is to prize family. At the zenith of his successes, he always placed his daughter's happiness above his own. When she and his only grandchild died, he mourned deeply and never fully recovered,  but tended to the pains by spending years and resources helping take care of and guide the education of needy children that came across his way. Their appreciation and progress proved to be the happiest joys of his life. Too often, particularly true of  the baby boomer culture, retirement, and selfish exploits are sought after as the pinnacle prizes of success and happiness. Aaron Burr knew better. Our existence is validated in what we can give to others. No amount of cruises, fast cars, rv(s), or boats can replace the value of leaving the world a better place. To cherish valuable contributions that directly affect the generations is to live a full life.

Never rub a sore. Although Burr's treason trial was politically motivated and he was  a victim of the excesses of party vitriol akin to the French  Revolution, he carried himself adroitly and with class throughout his perilous ordeal. Although victorious, one of his prosecutors was in France as a diplomat at the same time Burr was seeking a passport home to the United States. He made it very difficult for Burr, through no fault of his own. The utmost courtesy and respect must be paid at all times to even those whom we vehemently disagree. If they choose to carry on a grudge, their actions are a reflection of the flaws in their character, not of our own.

Lastly, Burr lived in a time where major ventures and expeditions were privately funded because there were very few banks in existence. Due to this, he raised a lot of money for his plan to colonize the Bastrop properties and the American West. When all of this went asunder following the notoriety of his trial, he spent a lifetime plagued with his investors seeking repayment.  It is best not to mix financial dealings with friends and family. Business deals do sometimes go asunder, why jeopardize what we cherish the most ?

Burr lived in a different time. The country was a much bigger canvas of wide open opportunity but the lessons are the same. Raise your family to be the ideal. Be the ideal. Always act with dignity and class. Never lessen yourself because of others' shortcomings. Use careful wisdom in separating business from the pleasure of friends and family. Burr remarkably survived all his obstacles to remain for us an example of what life is really about- the love of family and giving back as best you can.