What Battle?

[[GG] SeaDogg]

What 18th century engagement resulted in the following casualties?

Side 1 (side one won )
12 killed
&
61 wounded

Side 2 ('tother side lost)
110 killed ( including one major,13 captains, 14 lieutenants, & nine ensigns)
&
830 prisoners(including 200 wounded)

Captured items for the victor included two stands of colors, two 3-pounders, 800 muskets, 35 wagons with baggage of the (xx)th ..., 60 Negro slaves, 100 cavalry horses, one traveling forge, a large quantity of ammunition and "All the enemy's music."

( I love that line)

How 'bout it boys?

GG SeaDogg

[[GG] SeaDogg]

STILL no answer here? I'll give you a hint- it happened in the Colonies and George Washington and Lord Cornwallis were not present. Now you also have to tell me who the field commanders were or 'NO SOUP FOR JYOU!"

[[GG] SeaDogg]

AKKKKK!! deliquents. Another pathetic hint- Not in the north.

[[GG]Lord von Döbeln]

LOL I personally have NO idea so you Americans out there - COME ON!!! ;D

[GG]LvD

[[GG] SeaDogg]

Selective amnesia rides the waves!

[[GG]Buxford]

Just saw this today.

And the answer's obvious to anyone familiar with the American Revolution - The Battle of Cowpens.

EDIT: Sorry, forgot to mention the commanders - yanks under Gen. Daniel Morgan, and the brits under Col. Banaster (sp?) Tarleton.

[[GG]Lord von Döbeln]

There was a revolution in America?!?!


[GG]LvD

[[GG] SeaDogg]

Very good Bux.

This was a great little scrap and a key event in the downturn of fortunes for Cornwallis's army (who i have come to have more of both respect and sympathy for than I used to, considering what he had to deal with.)

[[GG] SeaDogg]

The Battle of Cowpens 1781
Battle: COWPENS

War: American Revolutionary War

Date: 17th January 1781

Place: South Carolina on the border with North Carolina, United States of America

Combatants: Americans against the British and loyalist Americans

Generals: Colonel Daniel Morgan against Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton


Size of the armies: The Americans had around 1,000 men and the British around 1,100.

Uniforms, arms and equipment: The British wore red coats and headgear of bearskin caps, leather caps or tricorne hats depending on whether the troops were grenadiers, light infantry or battalion company men. The two regiments of light dragoons serving in America, the 16th and 17th, wore red coats and leather crested helmets.

Tarleton’s legion had a uniform of green and the cavalry wore light dragoon helmets. The American continental regiments were largely clothed in blue.

The militia of each side wore what they could get. The British fought with musket and bayonet as did the American Continental troops. Some of the militia from the back country of Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia carried rifles and in many cases the Pennsylvania small calibre long rifle developed by the German gunsmiths of that colony. It was these riflemen who at the beginning of the battle shot down so many British officers and destroyed the proper control of the British line.
Winner: The Americans, overwhelmingly.

British Regiments:
17th Light Dragoons
7th Foot the Royal Fusiliers now the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
a battalion of 71st Fraser’s Highlanders (disbanded after the war)
Royal Artillery with two 3 pounder guns
“Tory” militia

American Regiments:
William Washington’s dragoons
Maryland Continentals
Delaware Continentals
Virginia Militia
North Carolina Militia
Georgia Militia

Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton of the 17th Light Dragoons, British commander at the Battle of Camden and commander of the notorious Tarleton’s Legion

Account:
The war in the southern colonies had become something of a stalemate, neither side having sufficient strength to hazard full out offensive operations. The fighting was conducted by raiding columns and guerilla activity. Both sides behaved with unrestrained ferocity.

Tarleton had made his reputation in the southern colonies as a ruthless and impetuous commander. Pursued by Tarleton, Morgan determined to make a stand by the Broad River. He selected a simple position on two low hills in open woodland in the expectation that Tarleton would make a headlong attack without pausing to devise a more subtle plan. Morgan was correct in his assessment of Tarleton’s actions.


Morgan placed the Georgia and North Carolina militia in front of his line with a further screen of riflemen to their front. His main line was on the first and higher hill and Washington’s dragoons were placed behind the hill. He had no guns.
Morgan’s men had a night’s sleep and breakfast in their positions.

Tarleton marched his force onto the battlefield and attacked immediately. His first move was to send the 17th Light Dragoons to disperse the riflemen. The dragoons were driven back by accurate fire.Tarleton formed his infantry line and began the advance; the Light Infantry on the right, the infantry of his legion in the centre and the 7th Royal Fusiliers on the left. Troops of light dragoons flanked the foot. The reserve comprised the 71st Highlanders and the cavalry of Tarleton’s legion.
Morgan’s riflemen opened fire on the British line and made a point of shooting down the “epaulettes” (the officers), before falling back behind the main American line.

A troop of light dragoons pursued the riflemen and were attacked and driven back by Washington’s dragoons.
As the British foot attacked, the 71st Highlanders extended the line to the left, outflanking the Americans. The American line withdrew but in good order. The British line lost its cohesion as it hurried to pursue the Americans who halted and gave fire before Washington’s dragoons again attacked, this time in the rear of the British line.

The Americans went onto the offensive and the British line was overwhelmed. The 71st continued to fight until finally forced to surrender. Only the Royal Artillery gunners fought until they were all killed or wounded.


This is a lovely little park and preserved just as Hannah's Cowpens was said to appear at that time.
An excellent visitor's center and a cool flik in the theater as I remember. Always try to support these parks when you can. Too many people out there look at them and see "housing developement."