Battle of Cowpens

Battle of Cowpens
	Part of the American Revolutionary War
	; The Battle of Cowpens, painted by William Ranney in 1845. The scene depicts an unnamed black man (left), thought to be Colonel William Washington's waiter, firing his pistol and saving the life of Colonel Washington (on white horse in center).
Date	January 17, 1781
Location	Cherokee County,; near Cowpens, South Carolina
Result	American victory
Belligerents
United States	Great Britain; Loyalists;
Commanders and leaders
Daniel Morgan	Banastre Tarleton
Strength
1,887–1,912	1,150 ; 2 guns
Casualties and losses
25 killed ; 124 wounded	110 killed; 229 wounded; 629 captured or missing; 2 guns lost

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 was the worst loss suffered by British units since General John Burgoyne surrendered to General Horatio Gates at Saratoga in 1777. The British campaigned southward because of higher British support, or Toryism, in the south, however 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 1780 and January 1781 with his army of 2,500 men. Morgan evaded Cornwallis and joined General Nathanael Greene’s army near Greensboro, North Carolina, in early February, setting the stage for the Battle of Guilford Court House.