90-649: Cowpens may refer to: Battle of Cowpens , a battle in the American Revolution Cowpens National Battlefield , a unit of the National Park Service that protects the battlefield. Cowpens, South Carolina USS Cowpens (CG-63) , a guided-missile cruiser, commissioned 1991 USS Cowpens (CVL-25) , an aircraft carrier, commissioned 1943 See also [ edit ] Cowpen Topics referred to by
180-661: A brigadier general and adjutant general of the Continental Army . He is considered to be the first Adjutant General of the United States Army . Gates's previous wartime service in administrative posts was invaluable to the fledgling army, as he, Washington and Charles Lee were the only men with significant experience in the British regular army. As adjutant, Horatio Gates created the army's system of records and orders and helped standardize regiments from
270-608: A boys' boarding school in Maryland . Booth had been the curate for the "Chapel in the Woods," later to become Saint John's Church at Hagerstown, Maryland. Many have suggested that Gates freed his slaves at the urging of his friend John Adams along with the sale of Traveller's Rest in 1790. This narrative was popularized in 1837 by the Anti-Slavery Record, an abolitionist publication. The paper produced an account of
360-573: A clever double envelopment that has been compared with the Battle of Cannae in ancient times, many of the British surrendered. When Tarleton's right flank and center line collapsed, only a minority of the 71st Highlanders were putting up a fight against part of Howard's line. Tarleton, realizing how desperate his situation was, rode back to his sole remaining intact unit, the British Legion cavalry. He ordered them to charge, but they instead fled
450-423: A halt. John Eager Howard shouted, "Charge bayonets!" The Continentals in the center, as ordered, mounted a bayonet charge. Tarleton's force, faced with a terrible surprise, began to collapse; some men surrendering on the spot, while others turned and ran. Howard's men charged forward and seized the two British grasshopper cannons. William Washington's cavalry came around from behind the opposite American left to hit
540-425: A main line of regulars and experienced militia. The first line was composed of 150 select riflemen from North Carolina (Major McDowell) and Georgia (Major Cunningham). The second line consisted of 300 militiamen under the command of Colonel Andrew Pickens . The effect was the conspicuous placement of weak militia in the center-front in order to encourage Tarleton to attack there. The skirmishers and militia would screen
630-537: A modest plantation in Virginia the following year. When the word reached Gates of the outbreak of war in late May 1775, he rushed to Mount Vernon and offered his services to Washington. In June, the Continental Congress began organizing the Continental Army . In accepting command, Washington urged the appointment of Gates as adjutant of the army. On June 17, 1775, Congress commissioned Gates as
720-501: A picked force of 500 trained riflemen, known as Morgan's Riflemen . Morgan and his men played a key role in the 1777 victory at Saratoga along the Hudson River in upstate New York , which proved to be a turning point of the entire war. Bitter after being passed over for promotion and plagued by severe attacks of sciatica , Morgan left the army in 1779. A year later, he was promoted to brigadier general and returned to service in
810-725: A prisoner of the Americans, as saying that "he was an officer before Tarleton was born; that the best troops in the service were put under 'that boy' to be sacrificed." An American prisoner later recounted that when Tarleton reached Cornwallis and reported the disaster, Cornwallis placed his sword tip on the ground and leaned on it until the blade snapped. Historian Lawrence E. Babits has demonstrated that Morgan's official report of 73 casualties appears to have only included his Continental troops. From surviving records, he has been able to identify by name 128 Colonial soldiers who were either killed or wounded at Cowpens. He also presents an entry in
900-498: A ravine on their right flank and a creek on their left flank, Morgan reasoned his forces were sufficiently protected against possible British flanking maneuvers at the beginning of the battle. Morgan surmised that Tarleton would be highly confident and attack him head-on, without pausing to devise a more subtle plan. He therefore arranged his forces to encourage this presupposed impetuosity of his opponent by establishing three lines of soldiers: one of sharpshooters , one of militia, and
990-568: A sizable British raiding force at the Battle of Bennington –Stark's forces killed or captured over 900 British soldiers–was also a substantial factor in the outcome at Saratoga. Gates stands front and center in John Trumbull 's painting of the Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga, which hangs in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda . By Congressional resolution, a gold medal was presented to Gates to commemorate his victories over
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#17327726671851080-685: A small plantation in Virginia . On Washington's recommendation, the Continental Congress made Gates the Adjutant General of the Continental Army in 1775. He was assigned command of Fort Ticonderoga in 1776 and command of the Northern Department in 1777. Shortly after Gates took charge of the Northern Department, the Continental Army defeated the British at the crucial Battles of Saratoga. After
1170-642: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Battle of Cowpens [REDACTED] Great Britain 1781 1782 1783 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
1260-481: The Battle of Camden on August 16, Gates's army was routed, with nearly 1,000 men captured, along with the army's baggage train and artillery. Analysis of the debacle suggests that Gates greatly overestimated the capabilities of his inexperienced militia, an error magnified when he lined those forces against the British right, traditional position of the strongest troops. He also failed to make proper arrangements for an organized retreat. Gates's principal accomplishment in
1350-514: The Battle of Waxhaws , where his men had killed American soldiers after they had surrendered. In Tarleton's account published in the British Isles in 1781, he said that his horse had been shot from under him during the initial charge and his men, thinking him dead, engaged in "a vindictive asperity not easily restrained". Tarleton and the Legion marched to Ninety Six. After learning Morgan
1440-762: The Conway Cabal , which attempted to discredit and replace General George Washington ; the battle at Saratoga; and his actions during and after his defeat at Camden. Born in the town of Maldon in Essex, Gates served in the British Army during the War of the Austrian Succession and the French and Indian War . Frustrated by his inability to advance in the army, Gates sold his commission and established
1530-467: The Ohio Valley . This force included other future Revolutionary War leaders such as Thomas Gage , Charles Lee , Daniel Morgan , and George Washington . Gates didn't see significant combat, since he was severely injured early in the action. His experience in the early years of the war was limited to commanding small companies, but he apparently became quite good at military administration. In 1759 he
1620-527: The Society of the Cincinnati , the organization of former Continental Army officers, and president of its Virginia chapter, and worked to rebuild his life. He proposed marriage to Janet Montgomery, the widow of General Richard Montgomery , but she refused. In 1786, Gates married Mary Valens, a wealthy Liverpudlian who had come to the colonies in 1773 with her sister and Rev. Bartholomew Booth , who ran
1710-538: The "defeated" Americans. His men moved forward in regular formation and were momentarily paused by the militia musket fire but continued to advance. Pickens's militia seemed to "flee" as usual, around the American left to the rear as planned after getting off their second volley. Taking the withdrawal of the first two lines as a full-blown retreat, the British advanced headlong into the third and final line of disciplined Maryland and Delaware regulars which awaited them on
1800-864: The 1776 Battle of Brooklyn ), as were many of his militia, which included some Overmountain Men , who had fought at the Battle of Musgrove Mill and the Battle of Kings Mountain. The experienced British forces (and particularly their relatively young commander) were accustomed, especially in the Southern Theater, to easily routing often "green" militia, and could have underestimated the opposition. Tarleton's force included: A total of over 1,150 officers and men. Broken down by troop classification, there were 300 cavalry, 553 regulars, 231 provincials, 24 artillerymen, and 50 militia. From these numbers, nearly half of Tarleton's force were Provincial troops recruited from
1890-462: The Americans broke and ran. A few minutes before sunrise, Tarleton's vanguard emerged from the woods in front of the American position. Tarleton ordered his dragoons to attack the first line of skirmishers, who opened fire and shot fifteen dragoons. When the dragoons promptly retreated, he immediately ordered an infantry charge, without pausing to study the American deployment or to allow the rest of his infantry and his cavalry reserve to make it out of
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#17327726671851980-631: The Americans. In the opinion of John Marshall, "Seldom has a battle, in which greater numbers were not engaged, been so important in its consequences as that of Cowpens." It gave General Nathanael Greene his chance to conduct a campaign of "dazzling shiftiness" that led Cornwallis by "an unbroken chain of consequences to the catastrophe at Yorktown which finally separated America from the British crown". 35°08′12.6″N 81°48′57.6″W / 35.136833°N 81.816000°W / 35.136833; -81.816000 Horatio Gates Horatio Lloyd Gates (July 26, 1727 – April 10, 1806)
2070-522: The British defeat at the Battle of Kings Mountain, Cowpens was a serious blow to Cornwallis, who might have defeated much of the remaining resistance in South Carolina had Tarleton won at Cowpens. Instead, the battle set in motion a series of events leading to the end of the war. Cornwallis abandoned his pacification efforts in South Carolina, stripped his army of its excess baggage, and pursued Greene's force into North Carolina. Skirmishes occurred at
2160-428: The British force. Morgan expected that the British advance uphill would be disorganized, weakened both physically and psychologically by the first two lines, before engaging the third. The third line would also withdraw a short distance to add to the appearance of a rout. Morgan, in arranging his battle lines at Cowpens, proposed "to turn a weakness into a strength" according to historian Alan Pell Crawford. Anticipating
2250-461: The British in the Battles of Bennington , Fort Stanwix and Saratoga. Gold and bronze replicas of that medal are still awarded by the Adjutant General 's Corps Regimental Association in recognition of outstanding service. Gates followed up the victory at Saratoga with a proposal to invade Quebec, but his suggestion was rejected by Washington. Gates attempted to maximize his political return on
2340-679: The British in the colonies. In December 1776, he and a small party surprised and captured Colonial General Charles Lee in New Jersey . He served with distinction at the siege of Charleston and the Battle of Camden. Commanding the British Legion , a mixed infantry/cavalry force composed of American Loyalists who constituted some of the best British troops in the Carolinas, Tarleton won victories at Monck's Corner and Fishing Creek . He became infamous among colonists after his victory at
2430-526: The British on their right flank and rear. Pickens's militia, having now reorganized, charged out from behind the hill, completing a 360-degree circle around the American position to hit the 71st Highlanders on the British left flank and rear. Howard ordered the Virginia militia, whose withdrawal had brought on the British ill-fated charge, to turn about and attack the Scots from the other direction. The shock of
2520-424: The British, the forces lost (especially the British regulars and the dragoons) constituted the cream of Cornwallis's army. Additionally, 110 British soldiers were killed in action, and every artilleryman was either killed or incapacitated by wounds. Tarleton suffered an 86 percent casualty rate, and his brigade had been wiped out as a fighting force. John Eager Howard quoted Major McArthur of the 71st Highlanders, now
2610-505: The Broad River. Learning of Morgan's location, Tarleton pushed his troops, marching at 3 a.m. instead of camping for the night. The size of the American force at Cowpens remains in dispute. Morgan claimed in his official report to have had about 800 men at Cowpens, which is substantially supported by historian John Buchanan, whose estimate is between 800 and 1000 men. In contrast, historian Lawrence E. Babits, in his detailed study of
2700-494: The Catawba River (February 1, 1781) and other fords. Yet, after a long chase Cornwallis met Greene at the Battle of Guilford Court House, winning a pyrrhic victory that so weakened his army that he withdrew to Yorktown, Virginia, to rest and refit. Washington and his French ally, Rochambeau, seized this opportunity to trap and defeat him in the Battle of Yorktown , which caused the British to give up their efforts to defeat
2790-623: The Catawba and take command of them. Morgan headed west on December 21, charged with taking position between the Broad and Pacolet rivers and protecting the civilians in that area. He had 600 men, some 400 of whom were Continentals, mostly from Delaware and Maryland. The rest were Virginia militia who had experience as Continentals. By Christmas Day, Morgan had reached the Pacolet River. He was joined by 60 more South Carolina militiamen led by
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2880-586: The Legion) would be assembled in linear formation and move directly upon Morgan. The right and left flanks of this line would be protected by dragoon units. In reserve was the 250-man battalion of Scottish Highlanders (71st Regiment of Foot), commanded by Major Arthur MacArthur, a professional soldier of long experience who had served in the Dutch Scotch Brigade. Finally, Tarleton kept the 200-man cavalry contingent of his Legion ready to be unleashed when
2970-610: The Loyalist population of the colonies (481 out of 1,158). Tarleton's regular troops from the Royal Artillery, 17th Light Dragoons, and the 7th, 16th, and 71st Regiments of Foot were reliable and seasoned soldiers. Tarleton's own Provincial unit, the British Legion, had established a fierce reputation as formidable pursuers, being used to great effect at Waxhaws and Camden , but they had an uncertain reputation when facing determined opposition. Morgan turned to his advantage
3060-510: The North Carolina State Records that shows 68 Continental and 80 militia casualties. It would appear that both the number of Morgan's casualties and the total strength of his force were about double what he officially reported. Tarleton's apparent recklessness in pushing his command so hard in pursuit of Morgan may be explained by the fact that, up until Cowpens, every battle that he and his British Legion had fought in
3150-463: The South had been a relatively easy victory. He appears to have been so concerned with pursuing Morgan that he quite forgot that it was necessary for his men to be in a fit condition to fight once they caught him, though Cornwallis himself did press Tarleton to take aggressive action. Coming in the wake of the American debacle at Camden, Cowpens was a surprising victory and a turning point that affected
3240-483: The Southern Department. Greene decided that his weak army could not meet the British in a stand-up fight. He made the unconventional decision to divide his army, sending a detachment west of the Catawba River to raise the morale of the locals and find supplies beyond the limited amounts available around Charlotte. Greene gave Morgan command of this wing and instructed him to join with the militia west of
3330-537: The Southern Department. He learned of his new command at his home near Shepherdstown, Virginia (now West Virginia ), and headed south to assume command of the remaining Continental forces near the Deep River in North Carolina on July 25, 1780. Gates led Continental forces and militia south and prepared to face the British forces of Charles Cornwallis , who had advanced to Camden, South Carolina . In
3420-414: The Virginia militia on the rebels' right withdrawing and believed the Americans were on the run. They charged, breaking formation and advancing in a chaotic mass. Morgan ordered a volley. Howard's "fleeing" militia suddenly stopped their withdrawal and made an about-face. The Virginians fired into the British at a range of no more than thirty yards, with massive effect, causing the confused British to lurch to
3510-561: The afternoon of the 16th, Morgan was approaching the Broad River, which was high with flood waters and reported difficult to cross. He knew Tarleton was close behind. By nightfall, he had reached a place called locally "Hannah's Cowpens", a well-known grazing area for local cattle. Pickens, who had been patrolling, arrived that night to join Morgan with his large body of irregular militia. Morgan decided to stand and fight rather than continue to retreat and risk being caught by Tarleton while fording
3600-534: The army during its retreat and was also an experienced seaman. Gates rewarded Arnold's initiative by giving him command of the fleet when it sailed to meet the British. The American fleet was defeated at the Battle of Valcour Island in October 1776, although the defense of the lake was sufficient to delay a British advance against Ticonderoga until 1777. When it was clear that the British were not going to make an attempt on Ticonderoga in 1776, Gates marched some of
3690-654: The army rallied to his side, ending the " Conway Cabal ". Gates then apologized to Washington for his role in the affair, resigned from the Board of War, and took an assignment as commander of the Eastern Department in November 1778. In May 1780, news of the fall of Charleston, South Carolina , and the capture of General Benjamin Lincoln 's southern army reached Congress. It voted to place Gates in command of
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3780-519: The army south to join Washington's army in Pennsylvania , where it had retreated after the fall of New York City . Though his troops were with Washington at the Battle of Trenton , Gates was not. Always an advocate of defensive action, Gates argued that Washington should retreat further rather than attack. When Washington dismissed this advice, Gates claimed illness as an excuse not to join
3870-478: The army was demobilized and he did not have the financial wherewithal to purchase commissions for higher ranks. In November 1755, Gates married Elizabeth Phillips and had a son, Robert, in 1758. Gates' military career stalled, as advancement in the British army required money or influence. Frustrated by the British class hierarchy , he sold his major's commission in 1769, and came to North America. In 1772 he reestablished contact with George Washington, and purchased
3960-454: The arrival of British reinforcements at Quebec City . Furthermore, disease, especially smallpox , had taken a significant toll on the ranks, which also suffered from poor morale and dissension over pay and conditions. The retreat from Quebec to Fort Ticonderoga also brought Gates into conflict with the authority of Major General Philip Schuyler , commander of the army's Northern Department, which retained jurisdiction over Ticonderoga. During
4050-694: The battle, offers an alternate estimate, contending that the strength of Morgan's command on the day of the battle was closer to 1,900, composed of: Babits's figures can be summarized as follows: 82 Continental light dragoons, 55 state dragoons, 45 militia dragoons, 300 Continental infantry, about 150 state infantry, and 1,255–1,280 militia infantry, for a total of 1,887–1,912 officers and men. Broken down by state, there were about 855 South Carolinians, 442 Virginians, 290–315 North Carolinians, 180 Marylanders, 60 Georgians, and 60 Delawareans. Morgan's forces were strengthened by these core elements of relatively seasoned troops.His Continentals were veterans (Marylanders from
4140-406: The battle, the British ran out of food and had less than four hours' sleep". Over the whole period, Tarleton's brigade did a great deal of rapid marching across difficult terrain. Babits concludes that they reached the battlefield exhausted and malnourished. Tarleton sensed victory and nothing would persuade him to delay. His Tory scouts had told him of the countryside Morgan was fighting on, and he
4230-415: The battles, some members of Congress considered replacing Washington with Gates, but Washington ultimately retained his position as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. Gates took command of the Southern Department in 1780, but was removed from command later that year after the disastrous Battle of Camden. Gates's military reputation was destroyed by the battle and he did not hold another command for
4320-546: The call for an inquiry. Gates then rejoined Washington's staff at Newburgh, New York . Rumors implicated some of his aides in the Newburgh Conspiracy of 1783. Gates may have agreed to involve himself, though this remains unclear. Gates' wife Elizabeth died in the summer of 1783. He retired in 1784 and again returned to his estate, Traveller's Rest , in Virginia (near present-day Kearneysville , Jefferson County, West Virginia ). Gates served as vice president of
4410-536: The campaign against him by Gates's adjutant, James Wilkinson . Following a drunken party, Wilkinson repeated the remarks of General Thomas Conway to Gates, which were critical of Washington, to aides of General William Alexander , who passed them on to Washington. Gates (then unaware of Wilkinson's involvement) accused persons unknown of copying his mail and forwarded Conway's letter to the president of Congress, Henry Laurens . Washington's supporters in Congress and
4500-470: The capture of one American army under Gen. Benjamin Lincoln in May 1780, at the siege of Charleston . The British then occupied the city, the largest in the South and the capital of South Carolina. Later that year, another Colonial army, commanded by General Horatio Gates , was defeated at the Battle of Camden . A victory of colonial militia over their Loyalist counterparts at the Battle of Kings Mountain on
4590-572: The command of Hugh Warburton , the following year. He participated in several engagements against the Mi'kmaq and Acadians , particularly the Battle at Chignecto . He married the daughter of Erasmus James Philipps , Elizabeth, at St. Paul's Church (Halifax) in 1754. Leaving Nova Scotia, he sold his commission in 1754 and purchased a captaincy in one of the New York Independent Companies. One of his mentors in his early years
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#17327726671854680-487: The debacle at Camden, Congress passed a resolution calling for a board of inquiry, the prelude to a court-martial , to look into Gates's conduct. Always one to support a court-martial of other officers, particularly those with whom he was in competition for advancement, such as Benedict Arnold, Gates vehemently opposed the inquiry into his own conduct. Although he never was again placed in field command, Gates's New England supporters in Congress came to his aid in 1782, repealing
4770-526: The defeat of British General Burgoyne's invasion in the Battles of Saratoga . While Gates and his supporters took credit for the victory, military action was directed by a cohort of field commanders led by Benedict Arnold , Enoch Poor , Benjamin Lincoln , and Daniel Morgan . Arnold in particular took the field against Gates' orders and rallied the troops in a furious attack on the British lines, suffering serious injuries to his leg. John Stark 's defeat of
4860-419: The epaulets." —General Daniel Morgan to his militia, exhorting them to target advancing British officers. At 2:00 a.m. on January 17, 1781, Tarleton roused his troops and continued his march to Cowpens. Lawrence Babits states that, "in the five days before Cowpens, the British were subjected to stress that could only be alleviated by rest and proper diet". He points out that "in the forty-eight hours before
4950-423: The event in which Gates supposedly, “summoned his numerous family and slaves about him, and amidst their tears of affection and gratitude, gave them their freedom.” In fact, the terms of the deed of sale for Traveller's Rest indicate that Gates sold his slaves for £800 together with the plantation. The deed did not immediately free any of Gates's slaves, rather it stipulated that five would be free after five years;
5040-407: The experienced guerrilla partisan Andrew Pickens . Other militia from Georgia and the Carolinas joined Morgan's camp. Meanwhile, Lord Cornwallis was planning to return to North Carolina and conduct the invasion that he had postponed after the defeat at Kings Mountain. Morgan's force represented a threat to his left. Additionally, Cornwallis received incorrect intelligence claiming that Morgan
5130-492: The field. The Highlanders, surrounded by militia and Continentals, surrendered. Desperate to save something, Tarleton found about forty cavalrymen and with them tried to retrieve his two cannons, but they had been captured, and he too retreated from the field. Although their charge was initially effective, the dragoons, numbering about 50, were quickly surprised and outnumbered by concealed American cavalry , under Colonel William Washington, and driven back in disarray. Washington
5220-492: The hill, was manned by Morgan's most seasoned troops: around 550 Continental regulars comprising Brooklyn veterans: the famed Maryland Line and Delaware Line , supported by experienced militiamen from Georgia and Virginia. Colonel John Eager Howard of Baltimore commanded the Continental regulars, while Colonels Tate and Triplett commanded the experienced militia. The third line could be expected to stand and hold against
5310-441: The hill. The 71st Highlanders were ordered to flank the American right. John Eager Howard spotted the flanking movement and ordered the Virginia militiamen manning the American right to turn and face the Scots. However, in the noise of battle, Howard's order was misunderstood and the militiamen began to withdraw. It was now 7:45 am, and the British had been fighting for nearly an hour. They were tired and disorganized, but they saw
5400-464: The militia, which comprised half of the American force, broke and ran as soon as the fighting started, leaving the American flank exposed. To eliminate that possibility, he defied convention by placing his army between the Broad and Pacolet rivers, thus making escape impossible if the army was routed. Selecting a low hill as the center of his position, he placed his Continental infantry on it, deliberately leaving his flanks exposed to his opponent. With
5490-580: The nighttime attack and instead traveled on to Baltimore , where the Continental Congress was meeting. Gates had always maintained that he, not Washington, should have commanded the Continental Army. This opinion was supported by several wealthy and prominent New England delegates to the Continental Congress. Although Gates actively lobbied Congress for the appointment, Washington's stunning successes at Trenton and Princeton subsequently left no doubt as to who should be commander-in-chief. Gates
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#17327726671855580-433: The northwest frontier in October had bought time, but the British still occupied most of South Carolina. When Greene took command, the southern army numbered 2307 men on paper (1482 present), of whom only 949 were Continental regulars, mostly of the famous and highly trained " Maryland Line " regiment. On December 3, Brigadier General Daniel Morgan reported for duty to Greene's headquarters at Charlotte, North Carolina . At
5670-542: The process wounded Tarleton on his right hand with a sabre blow, while Tarleton creased Washington's knee with a pistol shot that also wounded his horse. It was now 8:00 a.m., and the battle had lasted approximately one hour. Washington pursued Tarleton for sixteen miles but gave up the chase when he came to the plantation of local planter Adam Goudylock near Thicketty Creek. Tarleton was able to escape capture by forcing Goudylock to serve as guide. Morgan's army took 712 prisoners, which included 200 wounded. Even worse for
5760-566: The psychology of the entire war— "spiriting up the people" , not only those of the backcountry Carolinas, but those in all the Southern states. As it was, the Americans were encouraged to fight further, and the Loyalists and British were demoralized. Furthermore, its strategic result—the destruction of an important part of the British army in the South—was crucial toward ending the war. Along with
5850-596: The remainder of the war. Gates retired to his Virginia estate after the war, but eventually decided to free his slaves and move to New York. He was elected to a single term in the New York State Legislature and died in 1806. Horatio Gates was born on July 26, 1727, in Maldon , in the English county of Essex . His parents (of record) were Robert and Dorothea Gates. Evidence suggests that Dorothea
5940-660: The remaining eleven would have to wait until they reached the age of twenty-eight. Nevertheless, even this limited gesture toward emancipation surpassed the other major generals of the revolutionary era; for none but Gates made any efforts to emancipate their slaves during their lifetimes. The couple thereupon moved to an estate at Rose Hill in present-day midtown Manhattan , where the local authorities received him warmly. His later support for Jefferson's presidential candidacy ended his friendship with Adams. Gates and his wife remained active in New York City society, and he
6030-410: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Cowpens . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cowpens&oldid=686278143 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
6120-409: The stage for the Battle of Guilford Courthouse . On October 14, 1780, Continental Army commander General George Washington chose Nathanael Greene , a Rhode Island Quaker officer, to be commander of the Southern Department of the Continental forces. Greene's task was not an easy one. In 1780 the Carolinas had been the scene of a long string of disasters for the Continental Army, the worst being
6210-551: The start of the Revolution, Morgan, whose military experience dated to the French and Indian War (1754–1763), had served at the siege of Boston in 1775. Later he participated in the 1775 invasion of Canada and its climactic battle, the Battle of Quebec . That battle, on December 31, 1775, ended in defeat and Morgan's capture by the British. Morgan was exchanged in January 1777 and placed by George Washington in command of
6300-521: The sudden charge, coupled with the reappearance of the American militiamen on the left flank where Tarleton's exhausted men expected to see their own cavalry, proved too much for the British. Nearly half of the British and Loyalist infantrymen fell to the ground whether they were wounded or not. Their will to fight was gone. Historian Lawrence Babits diagnoses "combat shock" as the cause for this abrupt British collapse—the effects of exhaustion, hunger, and demoralization suddenly catching up with them. Caught in
6390-415: The summer of 1776, this struggle was resolved, with Schuyler given command of the department as a whole and Gates command of Ticonderoga and the defense of Lake Champlain . Gates spent the summer of 1776 overseeing the enlargement of the American fleet that would be needed to prevent the British from taking control of Lake Champlain. Much of this work eventually fell to Benedict Arnold , who had been with
6480-472: The tendency for militia units to break ranks in the face of British bayonet charges, Morgan made a virtue out of a vice: "His plan is studied to this day." In developing his tactics at Cowpens, as historian John Buchanan wrote, Morgan may have been "the only general in the American Revolution, on either side, to produce a significant original tactical thought". "Look for the epaulets! Pick off
6570-426: The terrain of Cowpens, the varying reliability of his troops, his expectations of his opponent, and the time available before Tarleton's arrival. He knew that untrained militiamen, which comprised a large portion of his force, were generally unreliable in a pitched battle. In the past, they had routed at the first hint of defeat and abandoned the regulars. For instance, the Battle of Camden had ended in disaster when
6660-534: The time was a patronage plum. Marriage into the Reeve family opened the way for Robert Gates to get into and then up through the Customs service. So too, Dorothea Gates's appointment circa 1729 to housekeeper for the third Duke of Bolton provided Horatio Gates with otherwise off-bounds opportunities for education and social advancement. Through Dorothea Gates's associations and energetic networking, young Horace Walpole
6750-438: The unsuccessful campaign was to cover 170 miles (270 km) in three days on horseback, heading north in retreat. His disappointment was compounded by news of his son Robert's death in combat in October. Nathanael Greene replaced Gates as commander on December 3, and Gates returned home to Virginia. Gates's devastating defeat at Camden not only ruined his new American army, but it also ruined his military reputation. Because of
6840-513: The various colonies. During the siege of Boston , he was a voice of caution, speaking in war councils against what he saw as overly risky actions. Although his administrative skills were valuable, Gates longed for a field command. By June 1776, he had been promoted to major general and given command of the Canadian Department to replace John Sullivan . This unit of the army was then in disorganized retreat from Quebec, following
6930-464: The veteran Continental regulars, while inflicting casualties as the British advanced. Morgan asked the militia to fire two volleys, something they could do, and then withdraw to the left and re-form in the rear behind the third line, under the cover of reserve light dragoons commanded by Colonel William Washington and James McCall. The withdrawal of the militia was, in effect, a feigned retreat which would further embolden Tarleton. The third line, on
7020-823: The victory, particularly as George Washington was having no present successes with the main army. In fact, Gates insulted Washington by sending reports directly to Congress instead of to Washington, his commanding officer. At the behest of Gates's friends and the delegates from New England, Congress named Gates to president of the Board of War , a post he filled while retaining his field command—an unprecedented conflict of interest. The post technically made Gates Washington's civilian superior, conflicting with his lower military rank. At this time, some members of Congress briefly considered replacing Washington with Gates as commander-in-chief, supported by military officers also in disagreement with Washington's leadership. Washington learned of
7110-595: The woods. Tarleton attacked the skirmish line without pausing, deploying his main body and his two grasshopper cannons. The American skirmishers kept firing as they withdrew to join the second line manned by Pickens's irregular militia. The British attacked again, this time reaching the militiamen, who (as ordered) poured two volleys into the enemy, especially targeting commanders. The British—with 40% of their casualties being officers—were astonished and confused. They reorganized and continued to advance. Tarleton ordered one of his officers, Ogilvie, to charge with some dragoons into
7200-505: Was Edward Cornwallis , the uncle of Charles Cornwallis , against whom the Americans would later fight. Gates served under Cornwallis when the latter was governor of Nova Scotia , and also developed a friendship with the lieutenant governor, Robert Monckton . During the French and Indian War , Gates served General Edward Braddock in America. In 1755 he accompanied the ill-fated Braddock Expedition in its attempt to control access to
7290-518: Was a British-born American army officer who served as a general in the Continental Army during the early years of the Revolutionary War . He took credit for the American victory in the Battles of Saratoga (1777) – a matter of contemporary and historical controversy – and was blamed for the defeat at the Battle of Camden in 1780. Gates has been described as "one of the Revolution's most controversial military figures" because of his role in
7380-500: Was certain of success because Morgan's soldiers, mostly militiamen, seemed to be caught between mostly experienced British troops and a flooding river. As soon as he reached the spot, Tarleton formed a battle line, which consisted of dragoons on his flanks, with his two grasshopper cannons in between the British Regulars and American Loyalists. Tarleton's plan was simple and direct. Most of his infantry (including that of
7470-565: Was enlisted as Horatio's godfather and namesake. In 1745, Horatio Gates obtained a military commission with financial help from his parents, and political support from the Duke of Bolton. Gates served with the 20th Foot in Germany during the War of the Austrian Succession . He arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia , under Edward Cornwallis and later was promoted to captain in the 45th Foot , under
7560-409: Was going to attack the important British fort of American Loyalists at Ninety Six, in western South Carolina. Seeking to save the fort and defeat Morgan's command, Cornwallis on January 1, 1781, with a follow-up message on January 2 ordered cavalry (dragoons) commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton to the west. Tarleton was 26 years old and had enjoyed a spectacular career in his service with
7650-436: Was in close pursuit of the retreating Tarleton and found himself somewhat isolated. He was attacked by the British commander and two of his men. Tarleton was stopped by Washington himself, who attacked him with his sword, calling out, "Where is now the boasting, Tarleton?" A cornet of the 17th, Thomas Patterson, rode up to strike Washington, but was shot by Washington's orderly trumpeter. Washington survived this assault and in
7740-451: Was made brigade major to Brigadier General John Stanwix , a position he continued when General Robert Monckton took over Stanwix's command in 1760. Gates served under Monckton in the capture of Martinique in 1762, although he saw little combat. Monckton bestowed on him the honor of bringing news of the success to England, which brought him a promotion to major. The end of the war also brought an end to Gates' prospects for advancement, as
7830-536: Was not there, Tarleton asked for reinforcements of British regulars, which Cornwallis sent. Tarleton set out with his enlarged command to drive Morgan across the Broad River . On January 12 he received accurate news of Morgan's location and continued with hard marching, building boats to cross rivers that were flooding with winter rains. Receiving word that Tarleton was in hot pursuit, Morgan retreated north to avoid being trapped between Tarleton and Cornwallis. By
7920-402: Was the granddaughter of John Hubbock Sr. (died 1692) postmaster at Fulham, and the daughter of John Hubbock Jr., listed in 1687 sources as a vintner. She had a prior marriage, to Thomas Reeve, whose family was well situated in the royal Customs service. Dorothea Reeve was housekeeper for the second Duke of Leeds , Peregrine Osborne (died June 25, 1729), which in the social context of England at
8010-822: 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. Tactically, Cowpens demonstrated that American patriot militia, when properly led, could inflict heavy casualties on Britain's best-trained troops. Morgan's militia disbanded after the battle, leaving 550 soldiers under his command. British General Charles Cornwallis pursued Morgan during December 1781 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
8100-399: Was then sent back north with orders to assist Schuyler in the Northern Department. But in 1777, Congress blamed Schuyler and St. Clair for the loss of Fort Ticonderoga , though Gates had exercised a lengthy command in the region. Congress finally gave Gates command of the Northern Department on August 4. Gates assumed command of the Northern Department on August 19 and led the army during
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