Battle+of+Cowpens

The Battle of Cowpens By Brad Maierle

= = = = = The Battle of Cowpens took place during the American Revolutionary War on January 17, 1781 and lasted less than one hour. The battle’s location was [|Cowpens, South Carolina]. The combatants were the Americans against the British and [|loyalist Americans]. The Generals in command were Colonel Daniel Morgan who was an American against the Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton who was British. = = = = = = = = = =// American Regiment was made up of the following : //= = = = [|William Washington’s dragoons] = = = = [|Maryland Continentals] = = = = [|Delaware Continentals] = = = = [|Virginia Militia] = = = = [|North Carolina Militia] = = = = [|Georgia Militia] = = = = // British Regiments were made up of the following: // = = = = [|17th Light Dragoons] = = = = [|7th Foot the Royal Fusiliers now the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers] = = = = [|a Battalion of 71st Fraser’s Highlanders (disbanded after the war)] = = = = [|Royal Artillery with two 3 pounder guns] = = = = [|“Tory” militia] = = = = The Americans had about 1,000 men where as the British had around 1,100 men. The two regiments serving for America, the 16th and the 17th wore blue coats and leather crested helmets. The British wore [|red coats]and headgear of bearskin caps. = = = = The Battle of the Cowpen was important as it was a turning point during the Revolutionary to the [|Continentals]in the South. [|General Gates]had taken over command in the south in 1780 and determined he needed time to rehabilitate his army. He decided to split his force and asked Brig. General Daniel Morgan to join him. Morgan had retired from the war in 1779 in protest of being passed over for a promotion by Congress. = = = = Even though Morgan still did not receive his promotion he agreed to help General Gates. Thanks to militia patrols directed by [|Andrew Pickens]Morgan learned of Tarleton’s movements. General Morgan devised an ingenious strategy. He took advantage of the terrain of the Cowpens Battlefield that was very unique. Morgan had picked this spot for because he knew he could position his men strategically and the terrain was hard to move around. It was raining and there was mud everywhere and ruts so the horses would get stuck. He stationed sharpshooters in trees and hilltops off to the side. Morgan instructed them to pick off British officers. The remaining troops formed two lines to the rear and out of sight from the British troops. Morgan placed the militia in the middle because they were not always reliable in battle. The Continental Army was behind the militia. Morgan asked them to fire two shots before retreating to the rear and reforming. His plan worked to perfection. = = = = Colonel Tarleton and his forces confidently attacked straight on. The front line of the Continental sharpshooters killed 15 British Dragoons before retreating to the rear. The British were stunned and had to reorganize and advance over the hill were they were met by the militia. The militia fired two volleys before retreating. Once the British saw the militia retreat they felt confident that they had won because the militia has a reputation of never retreating. Since the British felt so confident they advanced full force and instead of finding retreating militia they were met by the Continental Infantry. The Infantry were decimating Tarleton’s troop as well as the Continental sharpshooters and militia shooting on the sides of the British. The British were being attacked on all sides. The ensured the American victory at the Battle of Cowpens. Tarleton’s forces were destroyed delivering a dramatic blow to the British in South Carolina. = = = === Cowpens was the second major defeat of the British in the South in less than 4 months. Tarleton’s had about 110 men killed, approximately 800 captured and 200 wounded. He also lost two [|artillery grasshoppers], two [|regimental standards], thirty five[| wagons], 100 horses and 800 [|muskets]. The victory at the Battle of Cowpens convinced many doubtful Americans that the war could actually be won. General Morgan earned the reputation of a master strategist because of his detailed strategies that were used in the 18th century warfare. General Morgan earned a [|gold medal]for his victory at the Battle of Cowpens. ===



The British retreating
= =

= THE BATTLE OF COWPEN MAP =

= The battle map of Cowpens - = =Morgan placed the Georgia and North Carolina militia in front of his line with a screen of reiflemen in the front. Morgan's amin line was on the first and higher hill and the dragoons were placed behind the hill.=

**The Battle of Cowpens took place in Cowpens, South Carolina. Which is located in the northern part of South Carolina as shown on the map below**.

= Phases of the Battle of Cowpens =

=PHASE 1 – British Attack=



=**PHASE 2 – American Counterattack**=

= = =**Cowpens Cavalry Action – PHASE 1**= = = =Cowpens Cavalry Action - Phase 2= == = = = = =Cowpens Cavalry Action, PHASE 3 (a)=

=Cowpens Cavalry Action – PHASE 3 (b)=

**Click on the link below for an animated version of the Battle of Cowpen as it takes you through 9 different phases of the Battle**:
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media type="youtube" key="bHN3nl-yAJI" height="315" width="420" = = = = = Historical Figures = = = = ** Continental ** ** General Daniel Morgan ** = =** Battles: [|Quebec], [|Saratoga] , __ [|Cowpens] __ **= || = = Daniel Morgan was born in Hunterdon County, New Jersey in 1736. Much is not know of his childhood because Morgan refused to talk about it. He did have a fight with his father at the age of seventeen which prompted him to leave his parents house and move to Virginia. When he arrived in Virginia he could barely read or write. His first job was to prepare the land for planting. He was a hard worker and moved into better positions. He became a Wagoner for the British Army during the French and Indian War. This is how he got his nickname [|“The Old Wagoner].” One day when he was taking supplies to Fort Chiswell, he made a British Lieutenant mad and that Lieutenant hit him with his sword so Morgan knocked him out. Morgan was court martialed and received lashings.
 * || = **Born:** ** 1736; **** Hunterdon County ****, **** New Jersey ** **Died:** ** July 6, 1802 **** ; **** Virginia **=

In 1757, Morgan joined the British Army; in 1759 he married Abigail Bailey and had two daughters. He also had an illegitimate son who grew up in South Carolina. Morgan was still angry about the British Lieutenant so Morgan joined the American Army; it was the beginning of the Revolutionary War. It is said that he did not get the recognition he deserved from fighting in the Battle of Saratoga. He resigned from the Army in 1779 because he was passed over for a promotion to [|Brigadier General]. In 1780 Congress gave him this promotion so he rejoined the army. In 1781 at the [|Cow- Pens], a pasturing area for cattle in South Carolina was where Daniel Morgan defeated the better trained British army under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. Morgan was successful because he had the knowledge of what to do in any given situation against his opponent. He was also very familiar with the terrain. On March 25, 1790 he received a gold medal from Congress for his victory at Cowpens. After the Revolution, Morgan led a group of militia against protestors of the [|Whiskey Rebellion]. In 1797 he was elected and served a term in the [|House of Representatives]. He died on July 6, 1802.

= Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton =

==

=** Battles : [|Fort Sullivan], [|Monck's Corner] , [|Siege of Charleston] , [|Waxhaws] , [|Camden] , __ [|Cowpens] __, [|Guilford Courthouse] **= || = = = Banastre Tarleton was born in Liverpool in 1754. He was born into a wealthy family. He graduated from Oxford where he studied Law. He joined the [|British Army]May 1776 and this was his first Military Commission. At twenty three years old he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the[| British Legion]. He was known for his speed, daring and surprise and that led to initial success in the Revolutionary War in both the [|Northern] and [|Southern] Campaigns. He made a powerful combat team and men would panic when they saw the green jacketed dragoons led by Tarleton. His early success included raids in Upstate New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He led to success in the nothern and southern campaigns thorugh his use of light infantry and cavarly. Tarleton start to symbolize british cruelty in the revolutionary war. He showed the most amount of cruelty in [|waxhaws] there people said Tarleton was a butcher. The american forces let their arms down but Tarleton continued to kill the Americans. In January 17, 1781 Tarleton went to the Battle of Cowpens and lost. Many British military leaders thought that he lacked military maturity. He returned to England a miliatry hero and lived a happy life. He died on January 16, 1833 at the age of 78 with no children but a happy life. =
 * ||  || = **Born:** ** August 21, 1754; Liverpool, England Died: January 16, 1833 **=

=**The following is a video that depicts a battle being fought with muskets. It is also a scene from the movie "The Patriot" which is loosely based on the Battle of Cowpens.**=

media type="youtube" key="7C1U8BMCOkw" height="315" width="420"