John Greenwood, the Revolutionary War patriot, has often been overshadowed by John Greenwood, the dentist. Best known as the "Father of American Dentistry," Greenwood pioneered the use of foot power drills, developed adaptable springs for dentures, formulated porcelain teeth from hippopotamus ivory, and was one of the first advocates of transplantation from one body to another. Greenwood's paramount contributions to dentistry are, nevertheless, paralleled by his equally remarkable adventures in the American War for Independence.

At barely thirteen years of age, Greenwood became an eyewitness to the Boston Massacre, and for obvious reasons, he very rapidly formed an unfavorable impression of the British. Enlisting in a militia regiment in 1775, the fifteen year old Greenwood quickly received notice among his peers as a capable and entertaining fife player. As a fifer, he was introduced to the war at the Battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, and he entered directly into combat for the first time during the siege and evacuation of Boston. Greenwood's regiment was then ordered to Montreal, where he took part in skirmishes with both Indians and the British under the direct supervision of Benedict Arnold. Shortly thereafter, Greenwood's regiment was ordered to join General Washington during the New Jersey Campaign, and were again engaged, this time at the Battle of Trenton.

Concluding his service on land, Greenwood joined the war at sea in January, 1779, by setting sail with Captain John Manley, but had the misfortune of being captured by the British and taken prisoner to Barbados. After being released and returning home, he entered in trading activities in Port-au-Prince, the Chesapeake, Saint Eustatius, and Kingston, Jamaica. During this time he was imprisoned twice more, but each time, managed his escape.

Greenwood was basically thankful for the opportunity to serve his country. He endured extremes of hardship, including hunger, nakedness, disease, injury and inclement weather, but claims never to have complained or questioned his army or its cause. In Greenwood's own words, "There is no person that has seen my crying and blubbering about imaginary or even real misfortunes, and there is no person who has had a greater share of them."

Scope and contents:

Greenwood's solid moral character is so impressive, and at times, his tales so grandiose and melodramatic, that the reader may question the journal's authenticity. However, much of what he writes can be verified through other documents. Greeenwood himself may have exaggerated his own romantic character and embellished the events when writing the journal from memory in 1809, but it appears that he did not make up entirely. Alternatively, his son, Clark Greenwood, who copied the journal in 1819, may have altered the journal in the interest of portraying his father in the best possible light. In any case, the bulk of the journal seems believable and reading is enhanced by its novel-like quality.

Cat. 9/90 atd

Subject index to the John Greenwood Journal

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