The Battle at Cowpens, Decisive Military Victory in the American Revolution
At more than six feet, Daniel Morgan was a big man. He was loud, animated, and intimidating as he moved among his troops from fireside to fireside in the chill of the January air. Far from the picture of the colonial gentleman and officer, he loved to fight with his fists and drink in excess. By that winter of 1781, he was a living legend. The stories, the battles, the scars. He spoke to the men about their homes and their sweethearts. He removed his shirt and showed them the old wounds. His candor and presence were a much-needed morale boost, as the Continental Army was dealing with the fallout of a series of devastating blows in the spring and summer of 1780. Morgan encouraged his men not to give up the fight – he had a trick up his sleeve. One that would bring about the defeat of the British.
and,
In early 1756, on assignment moving supplies with the army, Morgan somehow irritated a British Lieutenant. The officer struck Morgan with the flat of his sword. Ever the brawler, Morgan retorted with his fist, knocking the officer to the ground. Facing court martial, Morgan received the sentence of 500 lashes as punishment, one that was generally a death sentence. Morgan not only endured the beating but maintained throughout his life that they had miscounted and only given him 499 strikes. Morgan carried the scars and disdain for the British from that point on.
later on after he joined, quit and rejoined the Continental Army,
Morgan knew that a battle loomed. He just had to choose an arena.
The frontiersman chose an unassuming area of South Carolina known by locals as the “Cowpens.” It was a small clearing in a wooded area where local cattle farmers gathered and grazed their herds before market. The site granted Morgan a clear view and a slightly sloped hill on which to engage Tarleton. Continental militia also tended to break ranks and flee when pressed by the British regulars. The Broad River, located about six miles behind Morgan’s now-gathered forces and swollen with recent rain, discouraged the likelihood that the militia would run. In essence, Morgan put them in a do-or-die situation.
and,
Following Cowpens, Morgan’s failing health made continued service nearly impossible. Extreme sciatica made riding unbearable. He returned home to Virginia and continued to serve in the militia as needed. In 1797, he was elected as a representative of Virginia to Congress. In 1799, he retired again because of his health and eventually died in 1802 at the age of 67. Buried in Winchester, Morgan was the larger-than-life image of the American frontiersman. His leadership and ability to think outside the norms of warfighting carried the day at Cowpens and helped create a new nation. As Morgan was quoted to say while rallying the militia at Cowpens, “Old Morgan was never beaten!”
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