Cowpens

Battle Overview

The Battle of Cowpens was a decisive engagement fought during the American Revolutionary War on January 17, 1781. It took place in northwestern South Carolina, near the border with North Carolina.

The American forces, commanded by Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, sought to disrupt the British Army’s supply chain and prevent reinforcements from reaching British General Cornwallis. The British troops, led by Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, pursued Morgan’s forces and engaged them in an open but rolling field near Cowpens.

The battle began with a surprise attack by the American forces, who utilized a tactical formation that had been developed by Morgan. The British forces initially seemed to be gaining the upper hand, but the American forces rallied and launched a fierce counterattack. The British forces were ultimately defeated, with many soldiers taken prisoner and significant losses suffered.

The Battle of Cowpens was a significant victory for the American forces, and it had a significant impact on the outcome of the war in the Southern United States. The battle demonstrated the effectiveness of the American forces’ tactics and strategy, and it helped to boost morale among the Continental Army and the American public.

Primary Sources

There are several officers and soldiers who wrote letters and memoirs describing the Battle of Cowpens. Some of the most notable include:

Brigadier General Daniel Morgan: As the commander of the American forces at Cowpens, Morgan wrote an official report on the battle shortly after it took place. He also corresponded with other officers and politicians about the engagement in the days and weeks that followed.
Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton: Tarleton, the commander of the British forces at Cowpens, also wrote an official report on the battle. He later published a memoir, “A History of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in the Southern Provinces of North America,” that included his account of the battle.
- Tarleton, Banastre. A History of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in the Southern Provinces of North America. Dublin: Colles, Exshaw, White, H. Whitestone, Burton, Bryne, Moore, Jones and Dornin, 1787.
Colonel John Eager Howard: Washington fought in the Battle of Cowpens and later wrote about his experiences in his memoirs.
- Maryland Center for Culture and History, https://mdhistory.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/67/collection_organization.
Colonel Otho Holland Williams: Williams was a soldier in the Maryland Line who fought in the Battle of Cowpens. He wrote several letters home to his family and friends that provide a detailed account of the fighting and his experiences during the engagement.
- Otho Holland Williams papers at the Maryland Center for Culture and History. https://mdhistory.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/231
- A Calendar of Otho Holland Williams Papers at the Maryland Historical Society, 1940. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015079944289&view=1up&seq=11