Battle of Cowpens
1781 CE · South Carolina, USA
Quick Facts
- Year
- 1781 CE
- Location
- South Carolina, USA
- Era
- 🦅 American Wars
- Difficulty
- hard
Brigadier General Daniel Morgan devised a brilliant tactical plan that used the militia's tendency to break and run as a deliberate feint. Morgan placed militia in front with orders to fire two volleys then retreat behind the Continental regulars, drawing the British into a trap. When Tarleton's forces pursued, they were hit by disciplined regulars and a cavalry counterattack that destroyed the British force. Over 800 British were killed or captured, dealing a devastating blow to British operations in the South.
💡 Did you know?
Daniel Morgan at Cowpens deliberately put a river behind his own army so his militia could not run away, then used their tendency to retreat as a deliberate tactical feint to draw the British into a trap.