Greene who was from the North was shocked at the plunder, and cruelty in which ran in the South. The North did have crimes, such as plunder, rape, and homes being burned, but the North had a civil military government. In the South there was no military order of rules particularly in the states of North Carolina, and Georgia (Carborne, 2008, 159). For an example, in North Carolina if one plundered they were mostly asked to return the stolen items and promise not to do the offense against. In another state if one plundered, then one would get 17 lashes (Lee, 2001, p.207). Greene had the most famous lines about lack of military order in the south, and on plundering. As he stated: “”with the militia everybody is a general; and the powers of government so feeble…it is with the utmost difficulty you can restrain them from plundering one another.” (Lee, 2001, p. 207). Greene was determined to change the rules of war crimes in the South.
Greene practiced what he preached, for he ordered a strict system of capital punishment to those who committed a war crime, such as plundering, desertion, rape, etc. Greene was the most disquieted by crimes against civilians because he felt war crimes were a bad example to show citizens, whose independence the army was suppose to be protecting (Lee, 2001, p. 212). As was stated in a letter Greene wrote to General Andrew Pickens in 1781. “All parties are to be prohibited under the penalty of capital punishment and that no violence should be offered to any of the inhabitants (Lee, 2001, p.212). Greene did make some extreme decisions for order. Greene used capital punishment for those who committed war crimes, but some of his methods were a little extreme. For an example, for he publicly shot three time deserter to “improve” order (Charborne, 2008, p. 160). Greene had good ideas for military order, but he could also be too violent.
A second way Greene established order was he reorganized Georgia’s state government in 1782. Greene worked closely with the Government leaders in Georgia, so the government would develop a new constitution (Saba, 2010). The citizens of Georgia respected him immensely, so he was able to implement many new rules, and changes in Georgia (Saba, 2010). The new constitution helped Georgia become a government, who was more civil. Another measure of government order Greene advocated the end of violence against American British Loyalists, called Tories, he believed citizens in Georgia should not impose revenge of them (Saba, 2010). Greene’s hard work to restore order in Georgia earned him a plantation in Georgia called Mulberry Grove after the war ended (Saba, 2010). The citizens of Georgia were very much appreciated by Greene’s hard work.
