"Most over under rated commander in the American Revolution" Topic

Flip side of my previous question. Looking for who you think was an under rated commander. Here we are not looking for a Morgan or Greene. They have numerous articles or books about them. No this time we are looking for those who did not get credit offers forgotten or pushed aside because they published a Memoir. Here is a chance to recognize the little guy, the forgotten man who campaigned loyalty but never got the credit.

Gray, perhaps, on the British side. Possibly one of the Butler brothers on the American? Or Kirkwood?

Edward Hand, American side.
He did a very good job of delaying Cornwallis's advance on Trenton, using the famous "hide behind trees and shoot British red coated columns" tactic. One of the few times it was actually used! He took over command from one of those foreign jackanapes who was drunk and bolted from the scene.
His "diplomatic" career among the Indians… not so good.

Greene and Lafayette. Their campaigns in North Carolina and Virginia in 1781 led to Washington's decisive victory over Cornwallis at Yorktown.

As the OP said, Greene was too highly rated to ever be underrated.

John Eager Howard played a key role commanding Maryland troops in the Southern Campaigns, particularly at Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse.

Robert Kirkwood. Commander of the Delawares. Never to be promoted during the AWI.

When his old comrade-in-arms Henry Lee learned of Kirkwood's death, he wrote to George Washington lamenting the loss of the "entrepid Kirkwood," which he described as "a sad testimony of the doleful casualtys of war."[58] Lee would later observe that Kirkwood's fate was "singularly hard." It was the thirty-third time that Kirkwood had risked his life for his country, explained Lee, and "he died as he had lived, the brave, meritorious, unrewarded Kirkwood."[

Among lower level American commanders I think Elijah Clarke of Georgia qualifies. He fought inn the Indian campaigns at the start of the AWI and participated in at least one Florida campaign. After Savannah fell he lead Georgia's resistance to the British, fighting actions in both Georgia and South Carolina and nearly capturing August in the fall of 1780. Chased out of Georgia he lead his supporters into NC, and then returned to the conflict in the spring-summer of 1781 including participating in the capture of Augusta. I believe his final service was in the Blockade of Savannah in 1782.

Lt. Col. William Washington. Although both Tarleton and Lee get more press then Washington as cavalry commanders, I feel his record surpasses them both. He was originally a infantry officer so he had to learn his job. In command of the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons he fought Tarleton and his legion at Rantowle's Bridge and Rutledge's Plantation and got the best of him. Tarleton got the better of him at Monk's corner and Lenud's Ferry. His cooperation under the command of both Morgan and Greene was exemplary.

William Washington: Cavalryman of the Revolution by Stephan E. Haller is outstanding.

Although I am a big fan of William Washington, his record is pretty spotty. He failed to post pickets twice. Yes, I know he wasn't in command, but come on! You had to learn something from that debacle. To get caught unawares again is just criminal, in my book.

There is no doubting his courage in battle or his ability to strike at the right time. But he did manage to get himself captured and he was fortunate not to get killed at Cowpens, when his servant saved his life.

You are right about the Haller book. Exceptional.

I forgot to mention there is a new book about William Wahington out, "William Washington, American Light Dragoon: A Continental Cavalry Leader in the War of Independence"
by Daniel Murphy. It is outstanding.

I agree with you both examples you provide do not show him at his best. I will not make excuses for him. But his actions at both Cowpens and Guilford, and his cooperation with Greene during his campaign make him,in my humble opinion a superior cavalry officer to Lee or Tarleton.