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Lexington and Concord were the first shots of the Revolutionary War (the shots heard around the world). A team of rookie militia goes against an army of trained British soldiers. The American troops were warned by Paul Revere and other riders about the incoming British troops on their way to put down the revolution and confiscate all weaponry. While Lexington was a sad loss for the Patriots, Concord was slightly different. Colonists had high morale after the battles because they did great damage to the British army by the end of the fights. This was humiliating for the British who were known as the world's strongest army. Although this started the war, it also proved that the colonists had a chance against the British.

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After learning that British troops were going to try to take control over the high hills surrounding Boston, American militia led by William Prescott marched to stop this sizer.  When they finally got to the British, they started limiting their ammo to not hurt any civilians. During the battle, the British retreated to reform their army and started firing again. The colonists started running very low on ammo and were forced into retreat. Though they technically lost, they still viewed this as a win because they did an immense amount of damage to the British troops before losing supplies. This only boosted the Americans more while enraging the British.

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Washington took all of his troops and supplies and marched across the Delaware River with a goal to capture Trenton from British and Hessian control. While shockingly maintaining the element of surprise, Washington and his troops were able to disorientate the troops there and force them into retreat. This embarrassed the British general that was commanding. The American troops later arrived in Pennsylvania beaten and tired but victories and proud.

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British forces wanted to cut off the rest of America from the New England colonies while also discouraging their allies (France). To do this they tried to completely take over New York. When the British armies got to their location they were met by a heavily armed American army ready to fight. The battle lasted many hours and the Continental Army cut British armies off from their supply routes and let them increasingly run out of supplies. This battle was a victory and a turning point in the Revolutionary War for the Colonists.

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While in South Carolina, weak British armies tried to overthrow Southern colonies to weaken them. Not being able to hold their ground, they were almost immediately squashed by the American army and stopped in their tracks. This was a very critical win for the Colonists' army because the southern campaign was not holding up well.

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After Washington and his troops came in with a surprise attack on the British army and while attacking them French navy came from the other side and forced the Britans to surrender and accept defeat. With this massive victory, the Revolutionary War ended, and a new nation was starting to be born on independence.

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In this first battle of the American Revolution, Massachusetts colonists defied British authority, outnumbered and outfought the Redcoats, and embarked on a lengthy war to earn their independence.
HOW IT ENDED
American victory. The British marched into Lexington and Concord intending to suppress the possibility of rebellion by seizing weapons from the colonists. Instead, their actions sparked the first battle of the Revolutionary War. The colonists' intricate alarm system summoned local militia companies, enabling them to successfully counter the British threat.
IN CONTEXT
Thomas Gage was appointed Royal Governor of Massachusetts in 1774 and tasked by the British Parliament with stamping out rising unrest caused by restrictive British policies. Gage inflamed tensions between the colonies and the mother country and practiced harsh enforcement of British law. He drafted the Coercive Acts, a series of laws intended to punish colonists for deeds of defiance against the King, such as the Boston Tea Party.

By April 1775, Gage was facing the threat of outright rebellion. He hoped to prevent violence by ordering the seizure of weapons and powder being stored in Concord, Massachusetts, twenty miles northwest of Boston. But he underestimated the courage and determination of the colonists. Patriot spies got wind of Gage's plan. On the evening of April 18, Paul Revere and other riders raised the alarm that British regulars were on their way to Concord. Minute Men and militias rushed to confront them early on April 19. Though it is uncertain who actually fired the first shot that day, it reverberated throughout history. Eight years of war followed, and those who stood their ground against Gage's troops eventually earned independence from Britain and became citizens of the democratic United States of America.

Before the Battle

British Lt. Col. Francis Smith assembles the 700 regulars under his command to capture and destroy military stores presumably hidden by the Massachusetts militia at Concord. When the King's troops depart Boston for Concord on the evening of April 18, anti-British intelligence quickly informs patriot leader Dr. Joseph Warren about their intentions. Warren sends for riders Paul Revere and William Dawes to spread the alarm. Revere takes the short water route from Boston across the harbor to Charlestown, while Dawes rides out across Boston Neck. Revere and Dawes depart Boston around 10:00 p.m. At the same time, two lanterns briefly flicker from the Old North Church steeple, a prearranged signal designed by Revere to alert the patriot network that the British will row across Boston harbor instead of marching out over the Neck.

On reaching the Charlestown shore, Revere mounts and begins his ride to Lexington. As he passes through the towns of Somerville, Medford, and Menotomy (now Arlington), other riders set out, guns fire, and church bells peal-all warning the countryside of the coming threat. Minute Men grab their weapons and head for town greens, followed by the rest of the militia. By the time the British cross the water, word of their imminent arrival has already reached Concord.

During the Battle

April 19. British troops march into the small town of Lexington at about 5:00 a.m. to find themselves faced by a militia company of more 70 men led by Capt. John Parker. When the vanguard of the British force rushes toward them across the town green, Parker immediately orders his company to disperse. At some point a shot rings out-historians still debate who fired it-and the nervous British soldiers fire a volley, killing seven and mortally wounding one of the retreating militiamen. The British column moves on toward Concord, leaving the dead, wounded, and dying in their wake.

Arriving in Concord at approximately 8:00 a.m., British commanders Francis Smith and John Pitcairn order several companies, about 220 troops in all, to secure the North Bridge across the Concord River and then continue on another mile to the Barrett Farm, where a cache of arms and powder is presumably located. A growing assembly of close to 400 militia from Concord and the surrounding towns gather on the high ground, where they see smoke rising from Concord. Mistakenly assuming the Redcoats are torching the town, the militia companies advance. The Acton Company, commanded by 30-year-old Capt. Isaac Davis, is at the head of the column. When asked if his men are prepared to confront the British troops, Davis says, "I haven't a man afraid to go."

As the Minute Men march down the hill, the British soldiers, intimidated by their numbers and orderly advance, retreat to the opposite shore and prepare to defend themselves. When Davis's company comes within range, the Redcoats open fire, killing Davis and also Abner Hosmer, another Acton Minute Man. Major Buttrick of Concord shouts, "For God's sake, fire!" and the Minute Men respond, killing three British soldiers and wounding nine others. This volley is considered "the shot heard round the world" and sends the British troops retreating back to town.

Smith and Pitcairn order a return to Boston, which devolves into a rout as the British are attacked from all sides by swarms of angry Minute Men along what is now known as Battle Road. When they reach Lexington, Parker's men take their revenge for the violence suffered that morning, firing on the British regulars from behind cover. For the next 12 miles, the British are continually ambushed by Minute Men shooting from behind trees, rock walls, and buildings. British reinforcements reach Smith and Pitcairn's men on the eastern outskirts of Lexington, but the Minute Men pursue them as they retreat back to Boston.

Aftermath

The British conduct a running fight until they can reach the cover of British guns on ships anchored in the waterways surrounding Boston. The Patriots chase them but, having no clear orders, ultimately let them escape.

In the wake of Lexington and Concord, Governor Gage finds Boston faced by a huge militia of men who have arrived from throughout New England to fight for liberty. Numbering 20,000, this resolute force will become part of the Continental Army.

Lexington and Concord: Featured Resources

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 393
American: 93
British: 300

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775 - Mar 17, 1776

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 98
American: 19
British: 79

Massachusetts | Jun 17, 1775

Result: British Victory
Est. Casualties: 1,532
American: 450
British: 1,054

Related Battles

Massachusetts | April 19, 1775

John Parker

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 393
American: 93
British: 300

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775 - Mar 17, 1776

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 98
American: 19
British: 79

Massachusetts | Jun 17, 1775

Result: British Victory
Est. Casualties: 1,532
American: 450
British: 1,054

John Parker

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In this first battle of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775, Massachusetts colonists defied British authority, outnumbered and outfought the Redcoats, and...

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At the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, early in the Revolutionary War, the British defeated the Americans. Despite their loss, the inexperienced colonial forces inflicted significant casualties against the enemy, and the battle provided them with an important confidence boost during the Siege of Boston. Although commonly referred to as the Battle of Bunker Hill, most of the fighting occurred on nearby Breed's Hill.

Where was the Battle of Bunker Hill?

On June 16, 1775, on the heels of the Battles of Lexington and Concord that kicked off the Revolutionary War, American troops learned that the British were planning to send troops from Boston to occupy the hills surrounding the city.

Some 1,000 colonial militiamen under Colonel William Prescott built earthen fortifications on top of Breed's Hill, located on the Charlestown Peninsula overlooking Boston. The men originally had been ordered to construct their fortifications atop Bunker Hill but instead chose the smaller Breed's Hill, closer to Boston.

'The Whites of their Eyes'

On June 17, some 2,200 British forces under the command of Major General William Howe and Brigadier General Robert Pigot landed on the Charlestown Peninsula, then marched to Breed's Hill.

As the British Army advanced in columns against the Americans, Prescott, in an effort to conserve the Americans' limited supply of ammunition, reportedly told his men, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" When the Redcoats were within several dozen yards, the Americans let loose with a lethal barrage of musket fire, throwing the British into retreat.

After re-forming their lines, the British attacked again, with much the same result. Prescott's men were now low on ammunition, though, and when the Redcoats went up the hill for a third time, they reached the redoubts and engaged the Americans in hand-to-hand combat. The outnumbered and outgunned Americans were forced to retreat.

However, by the end of the engagement, the casualties of the Battle of Bunker Hill were high: Patriot gunfire had cut down some 1,000 enemy troops, with more than 200 killed and more than 800 wounded. More than 100 Americans perished, while more than 300 others were wounded.

The last of the Americans left on the hill avoided being captured by the British because Peter Salem, a Black soldier, shot and mortally wounded Major John Pitcairn, the British commanding officer leading the final charge up the hill.

Three weeks later-on July 2, 1775- George Washington arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts to take command of the Continental Army.

Who Won the Battle of Bunker Hill?

The British won the so-called Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Bunker Hill area-plus Breed's Hill and the Charlestown Peninsula-fell firmly under British control.

Despite losing their strategic positions, the battle was a significant morale-builder for the inexperienced Americans, convincing them that patriotic dedication could overcome superior British military might. Additionally, the high price of victory at the Battle of Bunker Hill made the British realize that the war with the colonies would be long, tough and costly.

Bunker Hill Monument

The first monument on Breed's Hill, installed in 1794, was a wooden pillar dedicated to Doctor Joseph Warren, a leader of the American troops who died in the fighting. It was later decided to install a more permanent memorial.

On June 17, 1825-50 years after the Battle of Bunker Hill-the cornerstone was laid for the Bunker Hill Monument. In attendance were some 40 veterans from the original battle, and another 190 from the Revolutionary War. The ceremony was led by General Marquis de Lafayette and statesman Daniel Webster.

The completed Bunker Hill Monument-a 221-foot-tall granite obelisk-was erected in 1843 as a memorial to those who died in the Battle of Bunker Hill. The monument is located on Breed's Hill, where most of the fighting took place.

Sources

The True Story of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Smithsonian Magazine.
The Battle of Bunker Hill. National Park Service.
Today in History - June 17: The Battle of Bunker Hill. Library of Congress.
Building the Bunker Hill Monument. National Park Service.

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Battle of Bunker Hill: Monument & Breed's Hill - HISTORY

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The Battle of Bunker Hill was a deadly battle atop Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill in colonial Boston. A victory for the British, it also renewed Americans' confidence.

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Immediately following his famous crossing of the Delaware River, General George Washington marched the Continental Army to Trenton, New Jersey. The army's forces included horses, guns, wagons, and soldiers, stretching for nearly one mile. The weather was worse than it had been crossing the river, but the army continued to proceed as Washington rode up and down the column pressing his men to carry on.

Shortly after eight o'clock on the morning of December 26, 1776, the Continental Army started its charge on the city. Three columns marched through thick snow with Washington personally leading the middle charge. As the soldiers pushed forward, artillery began to fire. At the same time, German drums urgently called the Hessians to arms. To his astonishment, Washington had maintained the element of surprise.

Immediately after the firing began, three Hessian regiments ran from their quarters ready to fight, quickly forming ranks. As the Hessians grouped, the Continental Army entered the city at two points: John Stark marched into the city on River Road from the west, while Nathanael Greene and Washington arrived from the north.

Andreas von Wiederholdt, a Hessian lieutenant, incorrectly reported to Colonel Johann Rall that the Continental Army had surrounded Trenton and there was no available route for a retreat. As a result, Rall decided to counterattack Washington within the city and not retreat across Assunpink Creek. This proved to be costly as Washington's forces occupied the highest ground in the city and had clear views of all of Rall's movements.

Time after time, Washington countered Rall's efforts to outflank the Continentals. Eventually, Washington's forces overpowered the Hessians. Rall was mortally wounded and many of his soldiers broke ranks, fleeing from the fighting. Normally very disciplined, Rall's regiment was confused and disoriented without their commander. They retreated to an orchard east of Trenton where they were forced to surrender.

Despite the large number of Hessians that escaped Trenton, Washington still won a crucial strategic and material victory. In only one hour of fighting, the Continental Army captured nearly nine hundred Hessian officers and soldiers as well as a large supply of muskets, bayonets, swords, and cannons. Washington ordered his soldiers to treat the Hessian prisoners in a humane manner, and the general quickly focused his attention on what to do next. Washington assembled all of his officers in Trenton to discuss whether they should attack another post, hold their position in Trenton, or retreat back across the Delaware River. Washington decided that because of the condition of his army, the best move was to return to their camps across the river.

When the Continental Army returned to camp on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, soldiers were exhausted. They had marched and fought for two straight days through rain, snow, sleet, and hail. Washington knew that his army had far exceeded expectations at Trenton and that they faced many more challenges going forward. However, he also understood that doing nothing was even more dangerous. As a result, Washington shifted his focus to planning another engagement, at Princeton.

Cody Lass
Texas Tech University
Bibliography:
Fischer, David Hackett. Washington's Crossing. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Higginbotham, Don. The War of American Independence: Military Attitudes, Policies, and Practice, 1763-1789. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1983.

Middlekauf, Robert. The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985.

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Immediately following his famous crossing of the Delaware River, General George Washington marched the Continental Army to Trenton, New Jersey.

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Battle of Quebec

After a failed Canadian invasion known as the Battle of Quebec (December 1775 - May 1776) left much of the Continental Army beaten, sick and in retreat, the British hoped to quash rebellion once and for all by isolating the New England colonies from the other American colonies.

They also hoped to discourage potential American allies such as France from joining the fight. To accomplish this, the British Redcoats needed to take upstate New York and control the Hudson River.

In the spring of 1777, the British ordered three of their armies to merge in Albany, New York. Only one army, however, commanded by General John Burgoyne, made the final push to its destination. Waiting for them was the heavily-fortified Northern Department of the Continental Army, commanded by General Horatio Gates.

Did you know? To celebrate the American victory at Saratoga, the Continental Congress issued a proclamation for a national day "for solemn Thanksgiving and praise," the first official holiday observance with that name.

First Battle of Saratoga: Freeman's Farm

The opposing armies came face to face on September 19 on the abandoned farm of Loyalist John Freeman near Saratoga, New York. Known as the Battle of Freeman's Farm or the First Battle of Saratoga, the fierce fighting lasted for several hours.

Momentum changed sides several times, but neither side gained significant ground until Burgoyne ordered his column of German troops to support the faltering British line and forced the Americans to pull back. Still, the British suffered twice the number of casualties than the Americans and couldn't continue their drive to Albany.

Battle of Bemis Heights

Burgoyne decided to stay put and wait for reinforcements from New York City. In the meantime, the number of Gates' American troops increased to over 13,000 and continued to grow.

By October 7, with supplies dwindling fast, Burgoyne realized waiting for backup was in vain. He sent out a reconnaissance force to attack the American's left flank in the wooded area of Bemis Heights, south of Saratoga. The Americans got wind of the movement, however, and forced the British to withdraw.

Burgoyne decided to take his army north to safety, but heavy rain and frigid temperatures slowed their retreat. Within two days, Gates' soldiers surrounded what remained of Burgoyne's army. Supporting the Patriot cause was Colonel Thaddeus Kosciusko, a Polish engineer who built strong field fortifications on Bemis Heights overlooking the Hudson River.

Out of supplies and out of options, Burgoyne surrendered his army to Gates on October 17. The battle became known as the Battle of Bemis Heights or the Second Battle of Saratoga.

Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold is infamous for betraying his country to the British, but he also played a heroic patriot's role during the American Revolution, including the Battle of Saratoga. Despite being wounded in the leg in the Battle of Quebec and then helping delay a British invasion of New York in late 1776, Arnold was passed up for promotions.

Frustrated, he resigned his commission in July 1777, but General George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, refused his request and ordered him north to serve under General Gates.

At best, Arnold and Gates strongly disliked each other and often argued. After the Battle of Freeman's Farm, Gates relieved Arnold of his command. During the Battle of Bemis Heights, however, Arnold supposedly defied Gates' order and led an assault on horseback which helped the Americans win the battle. He severely wounded his leg again during the attack.

Arnold never felt appreciated by his country and eventually became a traitor, threatening everything he'd fought for during his time with the Continental Army. Yet his heroics at the Battle of Saratoga complicate his legacy.

Saratoga National Historical Park

The Saratoga Monument in Saratoga National Historical Park honors key players of the Battle of Saratoga. Its southern niche is empty in recognition of Arnold's conflicting roles of top general and turncoat.

A memorial statue of a lone boot, also located in Saratoga National Historical Park, represents Arnold's actions and leg wound at Saratoga. Neither the Boot Monument nor the southern niche bears Arnold's name.

Who Won the Battle of Saratoga?

Despite being overcome during the Battle of Freeman's Farm, the Continental Army persevered and won a decisive victory at the Battle of Saratoga. They decimated Burgoyne's troops, cut off supply routes, and Burgoyne never received his promised and desperately needed reinforcements.

The Redcoats had planned a divide-and-conquer attack against the Americans in upstate New York. However, a series of British mishaps and delays, as well as offensive actions taken by the Continental Army, forced Burgoyne's troops to fight Gates' fast-growing army alone, greatly diminishing any possibility of British success.

Significance of the Battle of Saratoga

The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the American Revolution. It gave the Patriots a major morale boost and persuaded the French, Spanish and Dutch to join their cause against a mutual rival.

France's naval support eventually helped the Continental Army win the final Battle of Yorktown, leading to the end of the American Revolution.

Sources

Benedict Arnold. Mountvernon.org.
Saratoga: Freeman's Farm/Bemis Heights. American Battlefield Trust.
Saratoga National Historic Park New York: Saratoga Monument. National Park Service.
Saratoga National Historic Park New York: History and Culture. National Park Service.
The Battle of Freeman's Farm. Alabama Sons of the American Revolution.
The Battle of Saratoga. Saratoga.org.
The Battle of Saratoga. The Saratoga County Chamber.

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Battle of Saratoga - Definition, Significance & Date

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The Battle of Saratoga occurred in 1777 during the Revolutionary War. It was a decisive victory for the Continental Army and a crucial turning point in the war.

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A stunning example of military prowess and skilled leadership, the Battle of Cowpens near Chesnee, South Carolina, was a critical American victory in the Revolutionary War. This engagement further weakened British attempts to wrest the southern colonies from American control.

How it ended

American victory. After a string of bad luck in the Southern Campaign, the American army demonstrated its worth in a swift struggle that decisively hindered British forces in the South.

In context

By late 1778, the British high command proceeded with their "Southern Strategy." Why did they choose this new "Southern Strategy?" Simply put, economics. The New England colonies produced many of the same products and goods as the British Isles, but the Southern Colonies were a different story. Rice, indigo, tobacco, and other cash crops abounded. Crops that could not be produced in the British Isles. The institution of chattel slavery helped to keep the wholesale prices of these products low, and British mercantilism could profit from cornering the market and selling the goods for substantial profits. Many leaders in London felt that the Southern people supported Toryism, and by default were more apt to take up arms as loyalists. These loyalist forces could be relied upon to bolster the British war effort lending manpower to an army that had been at war with their own colonists since 1775. However, in the South Carolina Low Country, British soldiers freed southern planters' greatest source of labor and income-enslaved workers. While in the Backcountry, British officers used threats and intimidation against the population. Thus, by alienating the population, the British had difficulty rallying sympathetic allies to their cause, while exacerbating the civil war within a civil war. With little loyalist support, they faced greater challenges in battle as the campaign in the South continued.

The South Carolina backcountry turned out to be Britain's undoing. The colonial population there was split between patriots and loyalists. The territory was essentially engaged in civil war, with neighbor pitted against neighbor. Both sides organized militias and engaged in armed raids and reprisals. Into this hostile arena, General George Washington sent Major General Nathanael Greene to take command of the Southern Army. Greene, just two weeks into his command, split his force, sending Brigadier General Daniel Morgan southwest of the Catawba River to cut supply lines and hamper British operations.

General Cornwallis, the British commander in the South, countered Greene's move by sending Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton to block Morgan's progress. Tarleton was only 26 years old, but he was already an able commander. He was also feared and hated. At the Battle of Waxhaws in 1780, Tarleton was alleged to have attacked Continental Army troops who were trying to surrender. His refusal of offering "no quarter," is said to be the derivation of the derisive term "Tarleton's Quarter," meaning "taking no prisoners." Morgan's brilliant victory over Tarleton at the Battle of Cowpens was humiliating for the elite British army officer. His loss directly contributed to Cornwallis's defeat in the southern colonies, the British surrender at Yorktown, and American independence.

Before the Battle

Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, boosted by the British success at Camden and other victories, aggressively pursues American general Daniel Morgan's forces through South Carolina. Confident that his 1,150 men will continue to be successful in the South, Tarleton chases Morgan without knowing how many men Morgan actually has at his side. Morgan, however, is well aware of the strength and location of his enemy. He readies his 1,065 men for battle.

Tarleton's early morning crossing of the Pacolet River on January 16 forces Morgan to abandon his campsite and fall back on Cowpens pasture near Thicketty Creek. This open, rolling woodland of first-growth pines and hardwoods is excellent country for cavalrymen but offers little cover for riflemen. The Americans find a slope ridge, which dips down to a shallow swale and rises again to a higher ridge. Just behind the crown of the second ridge is a deeper gully in which cavalry can be concealed. Morgan spends the evening moving from campfire to campfire, talking with his soldiers before combat and building their resolve.

During the Battle

January 17. Near dawn that morning, Morgan's men meet the British on wide-open South Carolina pastureland. Morgan knows his men and he knows Tarleton's. Hoping to hinder any impulse among his troops to retreat, he positions his forces between the Broad and Pacolet rivers, ensuring a head-on encounter with the enemy. Morgan worries that his men could panic in the early stages of combat, as they had in the American fiasco at Camden months before. Boosting morale in his men and safeguarding their confidence with two rivers, Morgan takes a chance against Tarleton's more disciplined and trained troops. Betting that Tarleton will employ typical British field battle tactics by lining up his men in a linear assault, Morgan deliberately leaves his flanks open, inviting Tarleton's troops to take the bait.

Morgan forms his defense into three separate lines: the first of skirmishers; the second of militia, and the third and last line consisting of the better-trained Continental Army units. He orders some trained men to be in first two lines and to shoot British officers first, so when the British get through the lines the Royal Army will be leaderless and disorganized. As the British advance, Morgan commands his militia in the second line to fire two volleys and then immediately retire to the rear of the line to fight in reserve behind the line of Continentals. This maneuver gives the impression that the Americans are fleeing, while at the same time concealing the third line, which can fire on British troops as they assault the hill. The arrangement works. The British suffer heavy casualties in the initial attacks. By the time they reach the third American line, they have fallen apart.

Depleted of officers, Tarleton's men continue to try and press their advantage. An hour into the fighting, elements of Morgan's Virginia Regiments fire point blank into the British as they attempt a feeble flanking move on the right. Just when the British assault is blunted, the Americans fix bayonets and plunge into the enemy. In the melee that follows, Americans seize the two small field pieces the British had brought along for artillery support. The British line crumbles with Regulars throwing down their arms and surrendering.

American cavalry advance from behind the third line to cut off the British, shocking and devastating the Royal Army soldiers left standing. Morgan orders 100 cavalrymen under William Washington (second cousin, first-removed to George Washington) to meet Tarleton's men at the third line. Washington's horsemen attack on the right and reformed militia from first two lines strike left, overwhelming Tarleton's frazzled troops. Those British who can, try to run-only to be hotly pursued by the American cavalry. Washington personally takes on Tarleton with his sabre, shouting insults as he attacks. Tarleton shoots Washington's horse out from under him and, like his men, flees the field. By 8:00 am the battle is over.

Aftermath

After the battle, Morgan buries the dead, and, with many British prisoners in tow, heads north to avoid an encounter with Cornwallis. He later retires from duty due to ill health.

After Cowpens, Cornwallis gives up on his efforts to win in South Carolina and pursues Greene's force into North Carolina. He defeats Greene at the Battle of Guilford Court House in March, then withdraws to Virginia to rest and refit his tired and depleted army. Washington seizes the opportunity to trap and defeat Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown, which is the last major conflict of the Revolutionary War.

Cowpens: Featured Resources

Related Battles

South Carolina | January 17, 1781

Beckhamville, South Carolina | Jun 6, 1780

South Carolina | Dec 4, 1780

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A stunning example of military prowess and skilled leadership, the Battle of Cowpens near Chesnee, South Carolina, was a critical American victory in the...

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Battle of Yorktown - Definition, Who Won & Importance

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The Battle of Yorktown (Sep 28, 1781 – Oct 19, 1781) was the final battle of the American Revolution, fought between Colonial troops and the British Army at Yorktown, Virginia. The British began peace negotiations shortly after the American victory.