Daniel Morgan: Revolutionary Leader
Though I rarely subscribe to the “Great Man” historical theory, I remain fascinated by the convergence of great leaders and the situations that allow their greatness. This essay analyses the development of the leadership style of General Daniel Morgan, one of the pivotal leaders of the American Revolutionary War.
Though neither the battle nor the American general who led it are widely remembered today, the Battle of Cowpens was a tactical triumph, and a strategically vital victory for the Patriot cause. It was a situation that capitalized on all of Morgan’s strengths as a leader – strengths built out of the struggles of his early life and his rough-mannered pioneering spirit.
Short tempered, pugnacious, tenacious, brilliant, stern, supportive, loyal. A self-made man, a husband, a father. The story of Daniel Morgan’s rise from a difficult childhood to brilliant military leader is a quintessentially American tale. And the tale of Morgan’s life built the character traits that define his leadership, molding him into the perfect leader in the perfect circumstances at the perfect moment.