“As the British closed to within mere yards, the American line halted, turned and unleashed a murderous volley literally into the faces of the pursuing Redcoats.”

By Jim Stempel

IT WAS A bone-chilling January 1781 morning in the wilderness of South Carolina when one of the most shocking, decisive and consequential victories in American military history took place.

So pivotal was the outcome that it literally changed the course of the American Revolution, turning what had been a contest – that for years had been at loggerheads – into a race to the finish-line. Yet today that battle’s historical significance seems all but lost.

That morning, British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton – hand-picked by General Charles Cornwallis – met American general Daniel Morgan, a rough-and-tumble 45-year-old son of the Virginia frontier who had risen from an impoverished childhood to brigadier general by means of ability alone.

On ground known locally as the Cowpens, Morgan employed a psychological ploy and tactical scheme so brilliantly conceived and masterfully executed that within an hour the British found themselves overwhelmed, enveloped, and routed from the field.

Morgan’s victory had immediate and significant repercussions. It ended a two-year strategic impasse for the Continentals, while simultaneously rekindling hope throughout the colonies. More importantly, it put Cornwallis on a rash and desperate march through North Carolina, hopeful of running Morgan down and recovering the British prisoners captured at Cowpens. That reckless journey would eventually end with Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown, a defeat that ultimately catapulted the infant United States to its independence.

Since the Battle at Monmouth Courthouse in 1778, the American War for Independence had been deadlocked – the British, barricaded within New York City, too weak to venture out and the Continentals too weak to venture in. Things changed in May 1780 when the key port of Charleston, South Carolina fell to a British siege led by Sir Henry Clinton and Cornwallis. That defeat left the whole of the South open to the British; with it would go victory in the entire war.

Frantic, Congress sent Horatio Gates, “the Hero of Saratoga,” to take command of those meager Southern forces that remained intact. But in August 1780, Gates marched his small force directly into Cornwallis’ entire army on the road to Camden, S.C. The result was disaster when the American militia – two thirds of Gates’ troops – bolted at the mere sight of British bayonets. Thus, the Battle of Camden would be added to the ever-expanding list of dismal American defeats.

Gates was soon replaced by Nathanael Greene – who was then Washington’s right-hand man. Not long thereafter Greene in turn was joined by Daniel Morgan, recently recovered from a nagging illness.

Morgan had earned a solid reputation as a fierce and cagy fighter, and, utilizing the talents of his subordinate, Greene struck upon a bold plan. As winter approached, he decided to divide his command, even in the face of Cornwallis’s larger force, sending Morgan with a small but veteran force west to the Pacolet River in South Carolina.

The idea was to harry Cornwallis while more favourably wintering the American troops in separate locations. If Cornwallis moved against Greene, he would leave Morgan in his rear, while if he moved against Morgan, Greene would be free to march on Charleston. That theory was all fine and good if the troop levels on both sides remained static. But Cornwallis was soon substantially reinforced and immediately decided to strike at Morgan. Thus, what had seemed like a fine idea only weeks before, now smacked of folly, for if Morgan were defeated, Greene – outnumbered substantially by Cornwallis’ forces – would have to flee north or risk annihilation.

The command of the British attack was handed to Cornwallis’ favourite commander, Banastre Tarleton. A tough and relentless cavalry officer, the 26-year-old lieutenant-colonel’s reputation for butchery had made him “with reason, the most hated man in the South.” Moreover, Tarleton had earned his infamy by chasing down small militia units or minor contingents of Continentals on the move. Morgan would offer the dragoon officer something quite different. More importantly, it was well known that Tarleton consistently attacked immediately and ferociously, despite all odds. This, Morgan was also well-aware of.

In early January 1781 Tarleton, leading a column of about 1,100 of Cornwallis’s finest troops, augmented with cavalry and artillery, splashed across the Enoree River in pursuit of Morgan. Detecting the movement by means of an elaborate screen of scouts, Morgan started his force north toward the North Carolina line, drawing the enemy ever deeper into foraged-out country, while hunting good ground to offer battle.

This he found at a well-known crossroads known as the Cowpens near modern Spartanburg, S.C., where local farmers had for years gathered their herds for branding. The Cowpens was a wooded plateau, running slightly uphill, with swales and natural undulations crossing the whole. The Green River Road, a north south pike, bisected the plateau.

By then Morgan’s force had swelled with the arrival of local militias, but that created the same problem that had defeated Gates at Camden – the use of untested militia on the field of battle against well-trained British regulars. The Redcoats had developed the simple yet effective tactic of firing one volley, then lowering the bayonet against American militia, as the latter were generally untrained in battlefield techniques. That approach usually resulted in pandemonium among the Continental forces, which had been amply demonstrated at Camden. What was Morgan going to do to alter the odds?

The American general responded with a tactical deployment so novel, yet simple, that it took advantage of his militia’s best qualities, while shielding them from British bayonets. He decided to deploy his troops in three lines – 150 yards separating each – all three lines essentially obscured to the approaching British by the lay of the land.

The first line consisted of a small group crack-shots or skirmishers, the second a strong line of militia partially obscured by a swale. The third line consisted of veteran Continentals and Virginians, all armed with muskets equipped with bayonets. Morgan asked the skirmishers to fire two shots before retiring to the militia line behind them. Likewise, the militia line was also ordered to fire two shots, then withdraw to the waiting line of Continentals. There, the entire force, now recombined, would make a final stand, the militia now shielded by the Continental’s bayonets.

At dawn, Jan. 17, Tarleton caught up with the Continentals and marched his exhausted troops – now days into the chase – onto the Cowpens and immediately deployed for assault. Sensing what appeared to be only a light rearguard deployed ahead, he sent his dragoons dashing at Morgan’s skirmish line, then semi-concealed behind trees and rocks. The dragoons were roughly handled, however, many unhorsed by the crack American shots. Nevertheless, Tarleton could determine from the volume of musketry alone that he was facing only a few hundred men.

As the Americans hastily withdrew, Tarleton saw his chance to rundown the fleeing Americans then thunder down upon Morgan’s main body.

Foolishly failing to further reconnoiter the American position, Tarleton immediately launched a full-scale assault into the teeth of Morgan’s trap. The British commander had no idea that, behind that retreating line of skirmishers, two more powerful lines of American infantry were deployed, ready and waiting. Hence both the skirmish and militia lines savaged the unwary British attack as it advanced before falling back to where the Continentals were waiting. Here a fierce fight of musketry raged at close quarters, the Americans giving as well as they took.

Tarleton, eventually realizing he was getting nowhere in a head-to-head shootout, attempted to flank the American right, but this movement was spotted by Lieutenant-Colonel John Eager Howard, then commanding the Continental infantry under Morgan. Howard immediately ordered the unit on the far right of the Continental line to change fronts but, in the confusion of battle, that order was completely misunderstood. Instead of pivoting to meet the threat from the flank, the end regiment did an about-face and began to withdraw. Seeing this – and naturally believing the order for a full withdrawal had been given – the remainder of the American line of battle began to turn and withdraw. It seemed a catastrophic mistake.

Morgan confronted Howard; both immediately grasped the error that had taken place. Cool heads prevailed and Morgan galloped off and selected another location to make a stand, while the British, mistakenly thinking the Americans beaten and in retreat, began a wild, undisciplined pursuit.

The Continentals, reloading their muskets on the move – a practice America’s famed Prussian army drill master Baron von Steuben had taught them – continued their disciplined withdrawal uphill to where Morgan was standing and halted upon Howard’s command. Meanwhile, the hopeful British raced forward, gaining on the Americans with every passing second. As the British closed to within mere yards, the American line halted, turned and unleashed a murderous volley literally into the faces of the pursuing Redcoats. The British infantry was blown backwards, their pursuit instantly staggered, many Redcoats now on their knees in a state of shock. As the smoke cleared a momentary lull fell over the field, the British virtually stupefied by what had just occurred.

Howard, intuitively grasping the stunning effect the American volley had had, wasted not a moment. Raising his sword, he turned and shouted: “Charge bayonets!” It was one of the greatest, instinctive commands of the American Revolution. The Continentals, bayonets dropped horizontal for the advance, surged out and over the bewildered British, sending what remained of Tarleton’s attack running for their lives. A complete rout ensued. The militia joined on the Continentals’ flanks, American cavalry circled the British fugitives. In short order the Redcoats were enveloped, surrounded and utterly defeated. Sensing their hopeless situation, the British tossed down their weapons and surrendered.

Hardly a British infantryman who stepped-off that morning avoided death, injury or capture. The final tally was breathtaking. Morgan wrote:

“The enemy were entirely routed, and the pursuit continued upwards of 20 miles. Our loss was inconsiderable, not having more than twelve killed and sixty wounded. The enemy’s loss was 10 commissioned officers and over 100 rank and file killed and 200 wounded, 29 commissioned officers and about 500 privates prisoners which fell into our hands with two pieces of artillery, two standards, 800 muskets, one traveling forge, 35 baggage wagons, 70 negroes and upwards of 100 dragoon horses, with all their musick.”

Infuriated, Cornwallis vowed to regain his captured infantry, and kicked off a compulsive, reckless pursuit of the hard-marching Morgan. It would lead the British through North Carolina, to battle at Guilford Courthouse, and ultimately defeat at Yorktown.

How critical was Cowpens to American independence? We will leave the final word on that to Sir Henry Clinton, who later wrote that Morgan’s victory was “the first link of a chain of events that followed each other in regular succession until they at last ended in the total loss of America.”

Jim Stempel is a speaker and author of nine books and numerous articles on American history, spirituality, and warfare. His newest book regarding the American Revolution – Valley Forge to Monmouth: Six Transformative Months of the American Revolution – is now available on Amazon and at virtually all online book sellers. This serves as a follow-up to his critically acclaimed book American Hannibal, an examination of American General Daniel Morgan at the Battle of Cowpens. For a full preview, pricing, and pre-publication reviews of Valley Forge to Monmouth, visit Amazon (https://amzn.to/34J4fZN).  Or visit his website (https://bit.ly/2EAWNVT)  for all his books, reviews, articles, biography, and interviews.