1781 Battle of Cowpens, Scene In the Revolution
Do you remember your high school history classes? Did they ever teach us the "why" and "what" and "where" concerning the "Battle of Cowpens?" I don't believe they ever did in my small rural Oklahoma high school. Did they in yours?
Here is the story of the Battle of Cowpens as written in 1843 April 8, The Columbia Democrat, Bloomsburg, PA, page 1:
Found on Newspapers.com
It may with truth be said, that in no battle of the American revolution was the contest more unequal, or the victory more signal and complete, than that of the Cowpens. The British army was superior in numbers, in discipline, and in every thing that can constitute an army, having the soul and spirit of the soldier, and the noble daring of the officer. In Infantry they were five to four, and in cavalry as three to one! The American army under Gen. Morgan, was a retreating detachment, without artillery, without proper arms, and without baggage or provisions. In the language of a distinguished historian of that period, the earth was their bed, the heavens their covering, and the rivulets which they crossed, their only drink.
The battle ground of the Cowpens was in Spartanburg District, about 17 miles north of the Court Houses and four or five miles from the North Carolina line. The surrounding country was a beautiful and almost perfect plain, with a fine surrounding growth of tall pines, oak and chestnut.
On the memorable 17 January 1781 the entire country for miles around the battle ground, was one vast untouched forest. The inhabitants of the lower part of the district, had been in the habit of driving their cattle into this part of the country for the purpose of grazing, and had erected pens in the neighborhood for the purpose of salting the marking them. Hence the origin of the battle ground. The field of the battle ground was about two miles distant from the Cowpen; but in as much as there was no other or nearer known place in the neighborhood, it was called 'the Battle of the Cowpens.' The night previous to the battle, the American army had encamped on the grounds. The position was a favorable one and lay immediately between the head waters of Suck Creek, a branch of Buck Creek, which were not more than two or three hundred yards apart. The forces under Gen. Morgan were drawn up about day light, on the bridge extending from one of these spring branches to the other. These branches, at that time, were well lined with cane and small reeds, which made it exceedingly difficult to cross over them. General Morgan was retreating to North Carolina, and had determined to give battle on the other side of the broad River, but General Picks informed him if they crossed the river the militia could not be kept together. A large portion of them had joined the army the day previous, and were under no regular discipline. This determined the commanding General to wait for Tarlton, whose forces had been marching all night to overtake the American army before they could get over Broad River. The North and South Carolina militia, under the command of Gen. Pickens, were posted one hundred and fifty or two hundred yards in advance of the continental troops, under Col. Howard. Col. Bronton's regiment was placed on the left of the road leading from the Union District into N. Carolina, and the regiments of Colonels Thomas and Roebuck on the right. They were ordered to stand the fire of the enemy as long as possible and then retreat and form again on the right and left of the continental troops.
It was about sunrise the British army appeared in sight, and marched within one or two hundred yards of the American lines, and then displayed on the right and left, with a corps of cavalry on each wing. Gen. Picks ordered the militia not to fire until the enemy came within thirty paces of them. They were also permitted to shelter themselves behind trees, which was at least a prudent, if not scientific mode of fighting. The British, when formed, rushed forward with a shout and a huzza, as if in anticipation of an easy victory. The horse of Colonel Bronton was shot down under him; and his regiment immediately fired on the enemy, in violation of their orders to await until he had approached within thirty paces. The regiments of Colonels Thomas and Roebuck soon commenced also a brisk and destuctive fire. The enemy then made a charge with fixed bayonets, and the militia gave way. The brunt of the battle was bravely born by the regular troops while the militia rallied in the rear and rewed the engagement. Three hundred of the British were killed and wounded, and five hundred taken prisoners. The remnant of Tarleton's cavalry was pursued by Col. Washington fifteen or twenty miles to Goudelock's where he was informed the British were out of his reach. This was a false statement, made by Mrs. Goudelock in order to save the life of her husband, whom Tarleton had just pressed into his service to pilot him across the Pacolet. This good lady supposed that if Col. Washington overtook the British that an engagement would necessarily ensue and her husband might be killed in the action. She therefore suffered the feelings of a wife to prevail over this of patriotism and morality. For the fact was Tarleton had just got out of sight as Washington rode up. Had the American cavalry continued their pursuit fifteen minutes longer, the remnant of the British troops could have been either captured or killed.
The next day after the battle, a promotion of the militia was despatched to bury the dead. Three places of burying were now to be distinctly seen. The largest was near the chimney of a cabin some hundred yards above the battle ground. The second was fifty to one hundred yards distant and the third on the spot where the battle took place. One of the soldiers who assisted at the burying, observed, at the celebration before alluded to, that the dead were found in straight lines across the battle ground, and that it gave them a most singular appearance when seen at distance. The only vestiges of the battle, then to be seen, were the trees which had been cut for bullets. Some of these cops were twenty feet high - an evidence of bad shooting by one or the other of the parties. A great many of the bullets were yet to be found in the trees. Lead being scarce, some good Whig had made the best substitute in his power, at the expense of his table, and the convenience of his family. At the time the battle was fought, there was no undergrowth on the ground, and objects might be seen a great distance through the woods; but since that time bushes and saplings had sprung up and destroyed, in a great measure the beauty of the forest.
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