Cowpens National Battlefield, SC (8-31-12)
Read MorePre-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...
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.
This field, located behind the visitor center, would have been where Morgan first organized his troops prior to the battle...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...
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...
7:55am - 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."