It all went down in Virginia: Nathanael Greene of Rhode Island led the Southern Army to victories at Cowpens and Guilford Court House to drive the British to eventual defeat at Yorktown, while Edmund Randolph of Virginia — who wouldn’t sign the Constitution — was a notable anti-Federalist at the Virginia ratification convention.
Both were distinguished figures in groups of men who fought for America’s independence — Greene along with Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, Henry Knox and Daniel Morgan — and then secured the republic’s liberties protesting for a federal Bill of Rights — Randolph along with George Mason, Patrick Henry and Richard Henry Lee. Despite their squabbles with government officials and opposing politicians, their uncanny talents built America.
Nathanael Greene
• Continental Army quartermaster
• George Washington’s second-in-command
• Commander of Southern Army (victories at Cowpens, Guilford Court House, Hobkirk’s Hill and Eutaw Springs)
• Three U.S. Navy ships and many cities named Greensboro and Greenville are named in his honor, as well as 15 state’s Green(e) Counties. Statues of Greene have been erected in Savannah, Georgia, Greensboro, North Carolina, and at the U.S. Capitol
Edmund Randolph
• State politician
• Delegate to Virginia constitutional convention
• Delegate to Continental Congress
• Delegate to Constitutional Convention
• Author of Virginia Plan
• U.S. attorney general
• Secretary of State
FORGOTTEN FOUNDING FATHERS TOURNAMENT BRACKET
Round 2
Washington Bracket
1. George Mason 88%
- John Witherspoon 12%
*
- Frederick Muhlenberg 38%
2. William Penn 62%
Jefferson Bracket
- Nathanael Greene
- Edmund Randolph
*
- John Carroll
- Richard Henry Lee
Madison Bracket
- Roger Williams
- Isaac Shelby
*
- Henry Knox
- Roger Sherman
Franklin Bracket
- John Jay
- John Dickinson
*
- John Paul Jones
- Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
FFFs and match-ups are determined by my interpretation of who I believe were the 32 greatest FFFs. Personal politics, favoritism and reader response was NOT a factor in selection or seeding. As for the tournament itself: each match-up will be conducted every 24 hours with a synopsis written by yours truly and readers can determine using the poll function who the winner should be for that match-up; there is no #1 overall seed; FFFs retain their seeds throughout; the winner of the Washington bracket will face the winner of the Jefferson bracket, and the winner of the Madison bracket will face the winner of the Franklin bracket; after having the first tie, I've decided the higher seed will win ties. I am not voting nor will I pick sides in discussion. I wish I could somehow do a more rigid time duration period for each round but there’s no guarantee I’ll be on a computer or awake at that time so I’m gonna say polling lasts until I post the next match-up, or roughly 24 hours later. Readers may choose whichever FFF contestant they wish, but the point of the tournament is to select the greatest Forgotten Founding Father — the most influential, most important, most impactful, who contributed the most to the Revolution and/or seeds of American liberty. Please read the original diaries in addition to the information provided above so you have all the information before voting. Have fun!