The Patriot Resource: Battle of Cowpens

Battle of Cowpens

Date: January 17, 1781
Location: Cowpens, South Carolina
Victor: Continental Brig. General Daniel Morgan
Defeated: British Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton
Other Notables: Patriot Militia General Andrew Pickens

Summary
New Southern Commander Maj. General Nathanael Greene determined that he needed time to rehabilitate his army. He decided to split his force and assigned command of the more mobile force to Brig. General Daniel Morgan. British Lt. General Charles Cornwallis recognized the strategy and sent his own mobile force under Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton after Morgan.

After several weeks of maneuvering, General Morgan finally had to choose his ground before Lt. Colonel Tarleton overran him. He settled on Cowpens, South Carolina. He counted on British expectations of a militia retreat as it had at Camden, so that when Andrew Pickens' militia withdrew as planned, the British became undisciplined and broke ranks. This loss of discipline allowed the ordered actions of the Continentals to thoroughly rout the British and destroy General Cornwallis' light troops.

View the following pages for a more detailed description on the Battle of Cowpens:

Cowpens: Background

Greene's Arrival - General Nathanael Greene arrives in the South.

Cowpens: Cat and Mouse

Generals Greene and Cornwallis maneuver and plan.

Cowpens: The Chase

Lt. Colonel Tarleton pursues General Morgan.

Cowpens: The Battle Part I

General Morgan Arrays His Troops on the Battlefield.

Cowpens: The Battle Part II

The Battle Begins.

Cowpens: The Battle Part III

The Battle is decided.

Cowpens: Aftermath and Bibliography

Aftermath - Fallout from the battle.
Bibliography - Websites and books used as reference.

Also check out these related site pages:
1781 Overview
1781 Timeline
Southern Theatre - Includes Timeline, Overview and Continental Commanders;
The Patriot Fact or Fiction: Battle of Cowpens in the film

Related Items Available at eBay - Scroll for additional items