As we mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Robert Ford shares why Cowpens was a pivotal battle in the American War of Independence, leading directly to the ultimate defeat of the British.
The Battle of Cowpens was a formative experience in a dawning America. The underdog in any calculation of the Revolutionary War, America had fought hard for four years with few wins anywhere and a string of disastrous losses in the south. Enter: Daniel Morgan, a rough son of the backcountry with a new idea. He would mass rifles on the front lines to maximize the weapon’s deadly accuracy against the British leadership. Stripped of its leaders, the well-disciplined British army would devolve into a mob, rudderless in the maelstrom of enemy volleys. His primary target: Banastre Tarleton, spoiled scion of British wealth, the most despised officer in North America, and the man we all love to hate. Tarleton, arrogant to a fault and convinced of his own abilities, charged headlong into Morgan’s carefully prepared lines and found only waves of disaster crashing on him and his army. The battle marked a turning point in the war. No longer luckless and winless, the Americans found new energy and a revitalized sense of self. It was a short step to the ultimate victory at Yorktown, a result unimaginable before Cowpens. In this season of America’s birthday, if you have an interest in the way America achieved its birth, you will be interested in this fascinating tale.
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