During the American Revolution in 1778, British high command maneuvered their forces to the American South to help British mercantilists prosper economically from goods and products created in this region. They also hoped to mobilize loyalists into armed units to increase the size of their forces. In the South, there were spilt loyalities between loyalists and patriots and the fighting became a civil war. Following their victory at the Battle of Waxhaws in South Carolina, British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton were directed engage American forces under General Daniel Morgan.
Tarleton followed Morgan to Cowpens, South Carolina and a battle ensued on January 17, 1781. The Americans defeated British forces with clever maneuvers and the use of sharpshooters. This loss caused British forces to retreat out of South Carolina and to Yorktown, Virginia where they surrendered to American forces on October 19, 1781.
Fun Fact: The battle scene at the end of the movie The Patriot is a rough depiction of the Battle of Cowpens.
To see YPL’s upcoming events about the American Revolution and for recommended books about it, please visit the The American Revolution webpage.
Michael Walsh is an Adult Services Librarian at the Will Library. He is currently reading The Bad Guys Won by Jeff Pearlman.