Battle of Cowpens | |||||||
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Part of the American Revolutionary War | |||||||
![]() The Battle of Cowpens, painted by William Ranney in 1845. The scene depicts an unnamed black man (left), thought to be Colonel William Washington's waiter,[1] firing his pistol and saving the life of Colonel Washington (on white horse in center). | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
1,887–1,912 [2] |
1,150 2 guns[3] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
25 killed 124 wounded[4] |
110 killed 229 wounded 629 captured or missing 2 guns lost[5][6] |
The Battle of Cowpens was a military engagement during the American Revolutionary War fought on January 17, 1781, near the town of Cowpens, South Carolina. American Patriot forces, estimated at 2,000 militia and regulars under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan faced 1,000 British troops under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton,.
The American victory was the worst loss suffered by British units since General John Burgoyne surrendered to General Horatio Gates at the Saratoga in 1777. Pro-independence enthusiasm surged when news of the battle spread.[7] Tactically, Cowpens demonstrated that American patriot militia, when properly led, could inflict heavy casualties on Britain’s best-trained troops.[8]
Morgan’s militia disbanded after the battle, leaving 550 soldiers under his command. British General Charles Cornwallis pursued Morgan during December 1981 and January 1782 with his army of 2,500 men. Morgan evaded Cornwallis to join General Nathanael Greene’s army near Greensboro, North Carolina in early February, setting the stage for the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.[9]