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Efforts to erect a monument to General Nathanael Greene, in Guilford County,
date to 1857. In that year the Greene Monument Association was formed; however, due to
the ensuing war between the Union and the Confederacy, the organization was unable to move
forward with its goal. After the formation of the Guilford Battleground Company, in 1886,
the goal of erecting a monument was again undertaken.
In 1911 the United States Congress appropriated the sum of $30,000.00 for
the project.
The Nathanael Greene monument is the work of sculptor Francis H. Packer.
The monument was dedicated on July 3, 1915.
The inscriptions on the monument read:
(On the front of the monument)
MARCH XV MDCCLXXXI
IN THE MANOEUVERING THAT PRECEDED IT, IN
THE STRATEGY THAT COMPELLED IT, IN THE
HEROISM THAT SIGNALIZED IT, AND IN THE RE-
SULTS THAT FLOWED FROM IT, THE BATTLE OF
GUILFORD COURTHOUSE IS SECOND TO NO
BATTLE FOUGHT ON AMERICAN SOIL. OVER THE
BRAVE MEN WHO FELL HERE THEIR COMRADES
MARCHED TO ULTIMATE VICTORY AT YORKTOWN,
AND THE CAUSE OF CONSTITUTIONAL SELF GOV-
ERNMENT TO ASSURED TRIUMPH AT PHILADEL-
PHIA. TO OFFICER AND PRIVATE, TO CONTINEN-
TAL SOLDIER AND VOLUNTEER MILITIAMAN,
HONOR AND AWARD ARE ALIKE DUE. THEY NEI-
THER NEED DEFENSE NOR EULOGY BUT ONLY
JUST RECOGNITION. A GRATEFUL NATION
ERECTS THIS MONUMENT, THEREFORE, AS AN
EXPRESSION OF ITS SOLEMN PRIDE IN THE MEN
WHO FOUGHT HERE, OF ITS IMPERISHABLE DEVO-
TION TO THEIR MEMORY, AND OF ITS UNALTER-
ABLE CONFIDENCE IN THE PERMANENCE OF THE
PRINCIPLES WHICH THEIR EXAMPLE VINDICATED
AND THEIR BLOOD CONSECRATED.
(On the front of the pedestal)
NATHANAEL GREENE
APPOINTED MAJOR GENERAL IN
COMMAND OF THE SOUTHERN ARMY
OCTOBER 14, 1780
BORN IN RHODE ISLAND AUGUST 7, 1742
DIED IN GEORGIA JUNE 19, 1786
(On the south side of the pedestal)
HARLEM HEIGHTS
TRENTON
PRINCETON
BRANDYWINE
GERMANTOWN
MONMOUTH
(On the north side of the pedestal)
GUILFORD
COURTHOUSE
HOBKIRK'S HILL
NINETY-SIX
EUTAW SPRINGS
(On the north "wing" of the pedestal)
GREENE IS AS DANGEROUS AS WASHINGTON
I NEVER FEEL SECURE WHEN ENCAMPED
IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
-CORNWALLIS
(On the south "wing" of the pedestal)
IT IS WITH A PLEASURE WHICH FRIENDSHIP ALONE IS SUSCEPTIBLE
OF THAT I CONGRATULATE YOU ON THE GLORIOUS END YOU
HAVE PUT TO HOSTILITIES IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
-WASHINGTON
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