Cowpens January 17, 1781 Strategic Context The overall strategic situation of the American Revolutionary War is already decidedly in the American favour but the southern theater is yet to be won or lost. Near Charlotte, both sides are reinforced in December 1780: Nathaniel Greene now leads 3,000 Americans against Charles Cornwallis’ 4,000 British. Greene takes the offensive by sending Daniel Morgan with roughly 1,000 men in a western turning maneuver and taking the remainder to a camp near Charleston. Cornwallis opts to try and destroy both forces simultaneously by sending Banastre Tarleton with 1,100 men against Morgan and Alexander Leslie with the rest to contain Greene. Tarleton reaches Morgan’s position and attacks. Stakes + A British victory would allow Cornwallis to recall Tarleton to decisively envelop the rest of Greene’s force at Charleston. + An American victory would allow Greene to reunite his forces after mistakenly dividing them against a stronger force. By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©

Cowpens, 1781 Strength  British  Well  Americans  Well  Banastre Tarleton  450 militia  250 cavalry  Daniel Morgan By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©  450 regulars  125 cavalry  2 guns  850 regulars

Tarleton deploys three of his four infantry regiments in the main line along with his two guns. He places cavalry on his right wing, an infantry regiment and cavalry as a reserve flanking party on his left wing and another cavalry force behind his center as a reserve. Tarleton plans to rout the unreliable American militia with a blunt, frontal attack. Morgan’s main line is made up entirely of cavalry, hidden in a shale. In front of this main line are militia and sharpshooters with instructions to fire two shots before fleeing. Morgan groups his cavalry into one main striking force far in his rear, hidden by a slopes. He plans to lure Tarleton into a trap in which his own infantry, naturally aiming too high, will get the better of the British regulars. Tarleton advances with his main line; his infantry are hit by sporadic sniper fire but otherwise continue forwards unimpeded. Morgan’s sharpshooters hastily withdraw to the next battle line. British (Tarleton) Americans (Morgan) The British infantry continue to advance and are met by more concentrated volleys but are unable to return fire as the American militia flee. Tarleton orders his battle line forward in pursuit of the American rabble; his infantry storm over a ridge and are promptly met with a solid wall of fire from the previously undetected American battle line. The British cavalry meanwhile pursue the American militia astride the ridge until Morgan orders his cavalry to sweep around their flank and force them back. A mutual slaughter ensues between the two battle lines but Morgan’s hypothesis appears to run true; British infantry are aiming too high while the American infantry are aiming just right. Tarleton knows he is losing the battle and sends his left wing forward to smash Morgan’s right flank, held by militia. Here, an order to right-turn is misunderstood and the militia about-turn and retreat. Morgan halts this rout and orders the militia to about-turn again and fire. The attacking British are stunned by this sudden burst of fire. Meanwhile in the American rear, the other militia begin to reorganize. Tarleton is heavily committed to a frontal attack that is both costly and unproductive. Morgan senses the time right for a double envelopment; cavalry on his left wing and militia on his right wing sweep around the British flanks, surrounding large numbers of British infantry. Tarleton urges his final cavalry reserve forward but they flee instead as his center infantry disintegrate. Unsupported and surrounded, the British infantry on the wings have no choice but to lay down their arms. British (Banastre Tarleton) 850 regulars 250 cavalry Americans (Daniel Morgan) 450 regulars 450 militia 125 cavalry

Cowpens, 1781 Casualties & Aftermath British: Americans: 930 or 85% >100 or 10% By Jonathan Webb, 2009 © Morgan and Greene retreated into southern Virginia immediately after reuniting, closely pursued by the British. With Morgan unable to command in the field due to severe arthritis, Cornwallis defeated Greene at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in March. The victory was so costly that Cornwallis withdrew into Virginia where he was outmaneuvered and forced to surrender by George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau at Yorktown in October.

The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©