“Just hold up your heads, boys, three fires and you are free…when you return to your homes, how the old folks will bless you, and the girls will kiss you, for your gallant conduct.”

-- Brig. General Daniel Morgan (on eve of battle)

Cowpens was the site of arguably the most one sided American victory of the Revolutionary War. The battle saw a hodgepodge army of 800 Americans under the command of Brigadier General Daniel Morgan face off against 1,100 battle-hardened British Regulars under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. The battle was part of the great southern campaign of General Charles Cornwallis intended to subdue the southern colonies and bring them back under British rule. Three months earlier, Cornwallis had suffered a humiliating defeat at nearby Kings Mountain. Eager to pay the Americans back in kind, Cornwallis dispatched the infamous Banastre Tarleton to destroy Morgan's force who had been erroneously reported to be headed to the British outpost at Ninety-Six. Upon arrival at Ninety-Six Tarleton discovered that Morgan was no where to be found and turned his force to pursue him. Morgan was ready. He had placed his forces on a low ridge between two marshy creeks in a relatively open area used by locals for foraging cattle (thus the name 'cowpens').

He did this for a couple of reasons. First, the surrounding wetlands would be a deterrent for any hasty retreat by his untested militia units. Secondly, the marshlands would limit the movement of the attacking British by taking away the option of flanking movements and forcing them into a frontal assault against the rebels. Morgan deployed his forces in three lines, one behind the other, in increasing amounts of strength. The first line would be made up of skirmishers, intended to harass the initial advance of the British. The second line would contain the militia units. Morgan, aware of the unreliable nature of militia, only requested that they deliver two solid volley's before they could pull back to the third line. Morgan's final line would contain his battle tested Continental Regulars. It was his hope that, by the time the British reached this final line, they would have been sufficiently bloodied that they could be repulsed. The plan went off (almost) without a hitch, handing the American forces in the south a much needed boost to morale and setting the stage for future events which would gradually lead to Corwallis' downfall at Yorktown.

Cowpens National Battlefield is located a short distance south of the North Carolina line less than an hour from Spartanburg. The battlefield is accessed by a short, 1 mile interpretive loop trail which highlights the events of the battle and their respective locations on the field. As with many of my historical albums I have arranged the album not in order of how you'd see them on the walk, but rather in chronological order...

Battle Statistics

Continental Army

Commanding Officer: Brigadier General Daniel Morgan

Strength: 800

Casualties: 149 or 18.6% (25 killed, 124 wounded)

British Army

Commanding Officer: Colonel Banastre Tarleton

Strength: 1,150

Casualties: 339 or 29.5% (110 killed, 229 wounded)

Cowpens National Battlefield, SC (8-31-12)

Cowpens National Battlefield Entrance
Entering the National Battlefield...
Visitor Center
The visitor center...a good place to orient yourself...
Cowpens National Battlefield Site Map
Pre-Dawn, January 17, 1781...
Robert Scruggs House - Purchased by Scruggs in the 1820's this farm was depicted on British battle maps. Located a quarter mile east of the battlefield, it was here that Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton formed his troops before the battle...
Pre-Dawn, January 17, 1781...
Robert Scruggs House - Purchased by Scruggs in the 1820's this farm was depicted on British battle maps. Located a quarter mile east of the battlefield, it was here that Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton formed his troops before the battle. This shot looks from the front porch of the cabin towards the battlefield...
Pre-Dawn, January 17, 1781...
Robert Scruggs House - Purchased by Scruggs in the 1820's this farm was depicted on British battle maps. Located a quarter mile east of the battlefield, it was here that Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton formed his troops before the battle...
The Battle Plan
General Daniel Morgan had set up his troops to receive the British attack in three lines of increasing strength. He placed sharpshooters out front to harass the initial advance of the British. Never intended to stop the advance, the sharpshooters were then to withdraw behind the second line of militia. The militia were ordered to "fire twice" before withdrawing. At this point, if all went to plan, the severely bloodied British would hit the final line of hardened Continental Regulars who would complete halt the attack and drive the enemy back.
Pre-Dawn, January 17, 1781...
Daniel Morgan had plenty of time to prepare for the inevitable battle. Arriving many days before Tarleton he chose a site which would maximize the effectiveness of his force while forcing the British to attack in a fashion which he wanted...
Pre-Dawn, January 17, 1781...
Daniel Morgan had plenty of time to prepare for the inevitable battle. Arriving many days before Tarleton he chose a site which would maximize the effectiveness of his force while forcing the British to attack in a fashion which he wanted.

This field, located behind the visitor center, would have been where Morgan first organized his troops prior to the battle...
Pre-Dawn, January 17, 1781...
Thick woods and marsh surrounding the battlefield would minimize the effectiveness of cavalry and force the British to attack headlong into the American force atop the ridge...
Battlefield Trail
Following the Battlefield Trail from the visitor center you enter the field from behind the American lines...
Battlefield Trail
The condition you find the battlefield in today is not unlike what the soldiers encountered in 1781. The term "Cowpens" was used to describe any pasture used for the foraging of cattle. The field at the time would have been mostly open with a smattering of trees and an open understory...
Battlefield Trail
The "ridge" Morgan had placed his troops on was far from a dramatic physical feature. Located between two small rivers, the ridge was just high enough to provide an excellent field of view and provided dry ground surrounded by marsh which would negate the British use of flanking maneuvers...
Battlefield Trail
A look into the surrounding woodlands. Although still in the process of restoration, it is easy to see why the British were reluctant to attempt flanking the American force...
6:45am - The British form line of battle...
With the American force facing him on the ridge ahead, Tarleton was eager to join battle. With little preparation, Tarleton threw his first line of troops up the hill towards the first line of American skirmishers...
6:45am - The Skirmish Line...
The Americans were ready and waiting as Tarleton moved in. The American 1st line, a skirmish line, had this view of the road the British moved in on...
6:45am - Sharpshooters...
Interspersed with the skirmishers, Morgan had placed a number of sharpshooters. As the British advanced on the thin line the sharpshooters began firing with deadly purpose. In this initial phase of the battle two-thirds of the British officers fell dead or wounded...
7:00am - The skirmishers fall back...
As ordered, after initial contact and one or two volley's, the American skirmishers pulled back behind the second line...
7:15 am - The Second Line, The Militia...
General Morgan, aware of the unreliability of militia units, only requested the soldiers provide him with two good volleys before withdrawing behind the third line. The militia delivered more than could have been expected. Standing against the British advance in good order, the militia units unleashed two devastating volley's before pulling back in good order alongside the Regulars. ...
7:30am - Cavalry counter-attack...
As the second line pulled back to the right flank of the Regulars, Tarletons Dragoons sensed an opportunity to rout the retreating militia. Charging in, the Dragoons were taken by complete surprise by a counter-attack of William Washington's mounted militia who had been held back, out of sight, for just such an event. After a brief, bloody, clash the British Dragoons were chased from the field...
7:40 am - The Continental Regulars...
It was the American third line that would determine the fate of the battle. Morgan had placed his most disciplined and battle-hardened troops in the final position to stop the British advance. Many of these troops had seen battle since the beginning of the Revolution. There could be no withdrawal from this line...
7:45am - The British final advance...
Perceiving the withdrawal of the first two American lines as a full-on retreat, Tarleton pushed his forces forward at the double-quick to complete the victory. The rout of his cavalry should have been a warning that the Americans were not as overwhelmed as he thought. Meeting the American third line the British encountered the stiffest resistance yet and a furious firefight ensued...
7:45am - Misunderstood Order...
As the regulars joined battle against the final British advance, the militia who had pulled back were ordered to make an about face and fire upon the British flank. Unfortunately, in the confusion of battle, the order was interpreted as a call to retreat and the milita began to pull back, exposing the American flank...
7:50 am - Highlander pursuit...
As the militia mistakenly began to pull back from the American flank, the 71st Highlanders moved in to exploit the gap in the American lines. The next few minutes would determine the outcome of the battle...
7:55am - The Militia regroup...
Seeing the militia begin to withdraw Morgan once again ordered them about. This time the order was received properly. The militia immediately turned to face their pursuers. At a distance of only 30 yards they delivered a massive volley that decimated the ranks of the pursuing Highlanders...

This monument, erected in 1856, memorializes this heroic stand by the militia which ultimately turned the tide of the battle in the American's favor.
8:00 am - The desperate conclusion...
With the strength of the American Regulars to their front and the rejuvenated militia firing into their flank, the remaining British troops began a disorganized final charge. The Americans responded with a counter-charge of their own. The British were surrounded and began to throw up their hands in surrender. The Americans were victorious...
The Aftermath
Lasting only a bit over an hour the Americans had handed the British a resounding defeat. Entering the battle with 1,100 men, Tarleton had lost over 800 men dead, wounded, or captured. The Americans, in contrast, had only lost 72 out of a force of 800.

This defeat, coming on the heels of the American victory at Kings Mountain three months earlier, set the stage for a final confrontation between the British under Cornwallis and the Americans under Greene at Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina...
Cowpens Victory Monument
“…our success was complete…”
-- Daniel Morgan to Nathanael Greene, January 19, 1781

This monument was erected in 1932 to commemorate the stunning victory at Cowpens. The inscription reads...

"The Congress of the United States has caused this monument to be erected on the site of the Battle of Cowpens as a testimonial to the valor and in appreciation of the services of the American troops on this field in behalf of the independence of their country. On this field American troops under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan won a signal victory over a British force commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, January 17, 1781."