The Greek War of Independence was seen by many around the world as a noble cause to support, given the small size of the Greek nation and its brave fight to overthrow the long-endured Turkish yoke. However, few are aware of the significant role that American philhellenes played in the struggle.
To begin with, important political figures in the United States were made aware of Greece’s needs. Adamantios Koraes, a Greek intellectual, constantly exchanged letters with Thomas Jefferson, asking for American support. Even more importantly, the common American citizen was well-informed about the goings on across the Atlantic, since the Harvard professor and great philhellene Edward Everett published correspondence from Greece in major American newspapers. It was inevitable, therefore, that some Americans would take to heart the Greeks’ battle for freedom, a concept that prominently figures in the Constitution of the United States.
The first American to join the Greek War of Independence was George Jarvis, a New Yorker. He went to Greece in 1822 and immediately became one with the passionate guerrilla fighters, adopting a Greek name and wearing the foustanella, the traditional skirt donned by warriors. During his time there, he fought in many battles and served as the famous British poet Lord Byron’s adjutant. When he died in 1828, his bones were laid to rest in the Greek city of Argos. A few years after Jarvis, Captain Jonathan P. Miller also decided to aid the Greeks. His prestige and bravery in battle is made clear by the nickname, “The American Daredevil,” that was given to him there. Unlike Jarvis, Miller returned to the United States and brought with him a young boy that he adopted. Loukas Miltiades Miller, after growing up and studying in America, came to be the first Greek-American to be elected to Congress.
However, Americans were not only involved in the military aspect of the Greek War of Independence. Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe served in Greece not only as a soldier, but also as a surgeon and a helper in the reconstruction of the country after its devastation by war. Furthermore, he established a medical center on the island of Aegina and a colony for exiles in Corinth. Howe’s work did not end there, though. Back in the United States, he authored the book An Historical Sketch of the Greek Revolution. This account of the Greeks’ brave struggles made such an impression on Howe’s fellow Americans that because of it, they raised money for supplies for the soldiers back in Greece.
Of course, these three men were not the only Americans passionate about the Greek cause. The poet William Cullen Bryant wrote about the Greeks’ bravery, while James Williams, a black slave, died fighting in Greece during the war. Furthermore, several prominent politicians, like Daniel Webster, Robert Livingston, and Henry Clay, supported the Greeks’ efforts. Even presidents such as John Adams, James Madison, and James Monroe were aware of the importance of their struggle.
To honor these men’s efforts, the American Philhellenic Society is cooperating with the United States Postal Service to issue several stamps dedicated to American philhellenes. The series, called Association of American Philhellenes 1810-1840, is due to begin circulation on April 19. Among those honored in the collection are Samuel Gridley Howe and George Jarvis.