Strong Winds Lead to Battle of Cowpens, a Decisive American Revolution Conflict

by S.J.Thomas

January was not only a serious deadline month but a hectic one for me, as well, and I still hadn’t come up with something I felt would be an appropriate usher into the spring.  Two trips to Wilmington for auditions and callbacks, followed by another trip to Atlanta for a director’s call, gave me the opportunity to combine two interests by picking up wedding photos from my current Staria Melody bride, as well.  

Driving to Atlanta was going to be very pleasant, indeed. Or, so I thought.  It turned into one of the most harrowing drives I’ve had in a long time.   

Leaving at four in the morning, I was fortunate enough to miss the heavy storms that had been pounding the very highway of my destination; but, unfortunately, follow-up winds from 60 to 75 miles-an-hour settled in for the entire trip. I have always loved traveling at night and arriving by design just as the city is awakened by a rising sun, slowly unveiling skylines and the first flurry of commuters rushing to get the day started for the rest of their community.  

Callbacks take less than five minutes, and I found myself with plenty of time to enjoy the changes that had taken place since I last lived on Peachtree Street in the early 60s.  I might as well have been on another planet!  Almost stopped the car and kissed the ground when I stumbled over a street name I recognized.  My personal point of orientation, the golden Capitol dome, had long since been dwarfed by office buildings two and three times its height.  I’m sure there’s a new reference point for everyone, now, but the trip was too short for me to figure it out. 

After enjoying a lovely dinner with the newlyweds and feeling fully alert, there seemed to be no reason to stay overnight, and, from the restaurant in Atlanta, it appeared that the winds would no longer be a problem.  Said my good-byes and boldly went off into the night. Well, wouldn’t you just know that, out of the protection of the skyscrapers, the same strong winds I had faced on the way down were waiting for me in full force?  We all know the feeling; we are at the whim of the winds and fast-moving eighteen-wheelers, spending most of the time white-knuckling the wheel through the worst of it.  Handling the tiller of a sailboat in high seas feels the same – it ain’t over ‘til it’s over! 

Traveling Back in Time

After little more than three hours of driving, I admitted defeat and began looking for a place to stay the balance of the night.  The decision made, and still in South Carolina, I found an exit offering my choice of accommodations. It was an easy decision, adjacent to the return ramp to I-95 and directly across from a Wal-Mart Shopping Center (Ah, all the comforts of home!), the Super-8 Motel beckoned.  Barely looking at my surroundings, within a half hour, I had checked in, enjoyed a hot bath, and trundled off to bed. The town was Gaffney, South Carolina, just north of Spartanburg. 

Upon awakening, I found that the amenities of the Super-8 included a continental breakfast and, so, it was off to the Coffee Shop to break my fast.  Imagine my surprise to discover that I was the only person from the 21^st Century in the room!  To my right, standing tall at the coffee urn, were two members of King George the III’s 64^th Regiment of Foot, Josh Houff and James Anderson.  At table, next to them, Michael Zatarga of His Majesty’s 33^rd Regiment of Foot, was enjoying his breakfast with his wife and child, Michaela McNamara and Michaela Zatarga, both camp followers.  Noticing my arched brow, Ms. McNamara hastened to give me new insight into the term, explaining that ‘camp followers’ included anyone not a soldier, from the winning wives to the many repairmen needed to support any march.  

Winning wives?  Apparently, there was a limit to the number of wives and children the officers could bring to the Colonies.  With His Majesty’s 33^rd Regiment of Foot, the limit was six wives and their children.  Before leaving England, women drew lots to be considered for not only following their mates but also receiving camp follower payments.  Wives were paid one-half of their husband’s wages and each child was paid one-quarter. Upon her husband’s demise, the wife and children would be sent back to England, so it was not uncommon for a Monday widow to segue into a Tuesday bride, thus continuing her allotments and avoiding the next boat home.  

To my left, enjoying the last crumbs of pre-battle fortitude, sat Rich Garritson, Ralph Collier, and David Lightowler (all of Fairfax County, Virginia), Greene’s Rifle Company of the Continental Army’s 1^st Virginia Regiment.   What was going on? 

Turns out, it was January 15^th and just two days before the 225^th Anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens; that’s what.  I had walked smack-dab in the middle of reenactors of one of the most incisive battles of the American Revolution. 

At the Cowpens, on January 17, 1781, Continentals and backwoods militia, led by Colonel Daniel Morgan, were able to achieve a brilliant victory over Sir Banastre Tarleton’s British Regulars in a frontier pastureland just north of Spartanburg, South Carolina. 

According to Scott Winthrow, Park Ranger at Cowpens National Battlefield, the Battle of Cowpens was a turning point of the war in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. The decisive winning of this battle was a part of the events leading to an additional victory at Yorktown. Online article: http://www.nps.gov/cowp/batlcowp.htm 

Two Great Leaders Fight for Their Country

The Battle of Cowpens actually brought together two of the finest military leaders both countries had to offer: General Nathaniel Greene of the Continental Army and Sir Banastre Tarleton, who came to the Colonies with Lord Cornwallis under Sir Peter Parker’s Squadron in May of 1776. 

Having first met Nathaniel Greene in Boston, George Washington felt Greene was the best of his generals capable of succeeding him in case of death or capture.  Greene’s admiration of Washington was such that he named his firstborn in honor of his Commander-in-Chief.  Greene took command of the city, after the British evacuated Boston, and remained in command until July of 1780 when he disagreed with Congress’s new policy for supply requisitioning from the individual states. 

A month after presiding over the military court’s conviction of treason against Major John Andre, the British officer connected with Benedict Arnold, Washington gave Greene command of West Point.  Almost immediately, Greene was then appointed the new Southern Commander, after the defeat of Major General Horatio Gates by the British at the Battle of Camden on August 16, 1780. 

According to Nathaniel Greene’s biography, “When Greene learned of Tarleton’s pursuit, he wrote to Morgan, ‘Colonel Tarleton is said to be on his way to pay you a visit.  I doubt not but he will have a decent reception and a proper dismission.’”  The result was the Battle of Cowpens.  Morgan soundly defeated Tarleton in the greatest patriot victory of the war of the South, rivaled only by the repulsion of the British forces at Charleston in 1776.  Then, Morgan reunited with the main force and the flight to the Dan River began in earnest.  When Greene learned that Cornwallis was in pursuit, he exclaimed, “Then he is ours!”  More online at: http://www.members.aol.com/JonMaltbie/Biography.html. 

British General Charles Earl Cornwallis has been quoted as saying, “Greene is as dangerous as Washington. I never feel secure when encamped in his neighborhood.  He is vigilant, enterprising, and full of resources.”  

Colonel Tarleton’s 64^th Regiment of Foot was formed in 1758 and is credited with drawing the first blood of the American Revolution in Salem, Massachusetts.  This Regiment never lost a battle or its colors and is believed to have seen more action than any other British Regiment during the war. 

The Brown Bess Musket vs German Yeager Rifles

The reenactors that I spoke with were using muskets and the new long rifles.  The 64^th Regiment of Foot was using the fully functional Short Land Service Musket, later known as the “Brown Bess.” A smoothbore .75 caliber design weighing approximately 10 pounds and expected to fire one shot every 15 seconds – a feat not often accomplished under the stress of live combat.  Soldiers were drilled in tight formation, primarily to send forth a volley of bullets, hoping to inflict injury but knowing that the bayonet was what won their battles. 

Inspector General Robert Jackson, who oversaw the army hospitals, wrote: “Such explosions may intimidate by their noise; it is mere chance if they destroy by their impression . . .noise intimidates, platoon firing strikes only at random; the charge with the bayonet decides the question.”  

Soldiers were expected to roll their own paper cartridges holding the six or eight drams of powder and one-ounce lead ball.  It must have been frightening, indeed, to watch the enemy advancing forward as you bit the end off the next cartridge, shook a priming charge of powder into the musket pan, poured the balance down the muzzle, dropped in a ball, added the paper, then tamped it all down into tight wadding with the ramrod – all in under fifteen seconds! Not an easy task, at all.  And, the firer was usually enveloped in an intense amount of smoke at each firing! 

Greene’s Rifle Company was using the heavier and shorter German “Yeager’s” (hunters), which also needed reloading after each firing.  The biggest difference was the inside of the barrel that was cut with spiraling grooves and the ball was either the same size or slightly larger than the “bore” of the barrel.  Forcing the ball down the barrel pressed it against the sides of the “rifling” and, when the rifle was fired, the ball didn’t wobble but spun on its axis, coming out of the muzzle straight.  They, of course, were more reliable than the Brown Bess because the soldier could actually site down the barrel and have an approximate idea of where the bullet would hit. 

However, the Yeager was much slower to load than the musket and, because of the weight and size of the lead ball, the number of balls one could carry was limited to 17.  Reloading could take up to a minute and a half.  Depending on what model of Yeager was being used, balls could range from .50 caliber to .62 caliber.  Most initial firing took place at the edge of the battlefield and, then, any defense that followed would be hand-to-hand, using bayonets and the soldier’s wits.  

The current Battle of Cowpens was scheduled to start at two o'clock in the afternoon at the Cowpens National Battlefield and would be finished around four o'clock.  In addition to watching the reenactment, booths selling the foods, souvenirs, and historical memorabilia that usually accompany these events is available for all visitors. 

Is Re-enacting for you?

Being a reenactor can take over your life, if you’re not careful.  Most of those I spoke with had been involved with reenactments from between five to eight years and expected to continue doing the same for many years to come.  To be a regular part of a company requires considerable investment of time, research, and money, as does any avocation, and it’s not easy to change your battles once you become a part of one company; but, there are still those who will choose to rotate their skills at a variety of battlefields.  Brad Allen of the 6^th Massachusetts Regiment said this was his first Battle of Cowpens and that he had been working at Yorktown and Pennsylvania in recent years.  He wanted to expand his knowledge of that period of American History and he felt reenactments made research more vital and alive to him. 

Becoming involved in the reenactment of historical battles could become a wonderful way for families to enjoy their summer seasons, whilst learning about all the customs of their chosen period.  There are many programs across the country needing volunteers for all levels of presentation at these sites.  Most only require a few hours (under ten) per week and give liberal training courses to performers actually interacting with the public. 

The Battle of Cowpens took place in and around Spartanburg, South Carolina; but, there are many other North Carolina Historical sites needing docents and volunteers.  Check the sidebar for upcoming events and locales.  

It’s an ill wind that blows no good, at all. In the end, after all my worrying about what I could write about, my step back in time solved the dilemma.  But, for an unstoppable ill wind on the night of the 14^th, I might have forged ahead and missed a wonderful opportunity to discover such an exciting lifestyle. Moral of the story? When life gives you lemons, make lemonade; when life gives you Atlantean winds, stop at the Super-8 and enjoy the Continental breakfast! 

Sharlene Thomas is enjoying all of her creative interests in her retirement – writing, theatre, music, and art.  Visit her website at http://www.thepenmanship.com 

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For more information about the battles of the American Revolution and where you might wish to become a part of reenactment events, check out these online sources: 

Want to join an American Revolution reenactment group?  http://www.brigade.org/   

Does the other side interest you? Try the British Brigade:  http://www.britishbrigade.org/ 

The Continental Line recreates units of the Continental Army, The Continental Artillery, The Continental Navy, the Continental Marines, colonial militias, and units in service of the French King during the American Revolution:   http://www.continentalline.org/en/ 

The Northwest Territory Alliance (NWTA) is an American Revolutionary War reenactment organization located in the Midwestern United States:  http://www.nwta.com/ 

Historic Rural Hill Farm, historic homestead of Major John and Violet (Wilson) Davidson. As a signer of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and patriot of the American Revolution, John Davidson risked life and property to support American independence. http://www.ruralhillfarm.org/servlet/Main 

French and Indian War Program and Reenactments. See this year’s reenactment Saturday, April 16-Sunday, April 17 at Ft. Dobbs State Historic Site near Statesville in this free, public program "War for Empire: On the Frontier with Waddell's Rangers 1755."   http://www.fortdobbs.org/press.htm 

Reenactments of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse will take place March 18 and 19 at the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Greensboro, NC. See a listing of all their upcoming special events: http://www.nps.gov/guco/pphtml/events.html 

For an historical chronology of the Guilford Battle Ground Company: http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/nc/ncsites/greensbo/guilf1.htm 

The Regulators of North Carolina: Outraged Oppressors http://www.studyworld.com/regulators_of_north_carolina.htm 

Battle of Alamance (May 16, 1771) "He gave the Regulators a choice—to return peacefully to their homes or be fired upon. They had one hour to decide. After the hour was up, Tryon sent an officer to receive their reply. 'Fire and be damned!' was their answer. The governor then gave the order, but his men hesitated. Rising in his stirrups, he shouted, 'Fire! Fire on them or on me!' The militia obeyed, the Regulators responded in kind, and the battle of Alamance was on." —from The War of the Regulation and the Battle of Alamance by William S. Powell.   http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/alamance/alamanc.htm 

A great resource for all of North Carolina's Historic Sites and offerings: http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/sites.htm  and http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/horsesho/horsesho.htm  

If you are looking for a good online bibliography that covers the entire scope of the War of American Independence, then try the US Army Center of Military History Bibliography of the Revolutionary War.  This is an online version of The Continental Army by Robert K. Wright, Jr. 

Whatever you choose, observer or participant, make this the year you discover your history by attending any one of these reenactments with family and friends.