Long, Obstinate, and Bloody by Lawrence E. Babits

Banastre Tarleton’s Loyalist dragoons leading the way. On March 15, Cornwallis approached Greene’s well-designed positions from the New Garden Quaker meetinghouse eight miles to the southwest, with Lt. In short, Greene intended to use almost identical tactics to those used so well by Morgan at Cowpens. Finally, near the courthouse, Greene deployed his Continental regulars from Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, with Continental cavalry in reserve. The second line consisted of Virginia troops, many of whom were veterans. He deployed his army in three lines: the North Carolina militiamen, supported on both flanks by Continentals and dragoons. Daniel Morgan, Greene decided to employ the same defense in depth strategy and tactics employed so successfully at Cowpens two months earlier.

Greene had more than 4000 Continentals, militiamen and cavalry, meaning that his army outnumbered Cornwallis’ by more than twice their strength.Īfter consulting with Brig.

After several weeks of skirmishing with Loyalist militiamen and a great deal of maneuvering Greene assumed a defensive position around Guildford Courthouse (near modern Greensboro, North Carolina) on March 14, 1781. Lord Charles CornwallisĪfter receiving both the expected supplies and reinforcements, and after an opportunity to rest his command, Greene soon marched back into North Carolina to face Cornwallis’ tired and poorly supplied army, which now numbered less than 2000 men. Frustrated, Cornwallis withdrew to Hillsborough, North Carolina. Cornwallis and his weary soldiers arrived at the rain-swollen river on February 15, too late to catch Greene’s army, which had finished crossing earlier that day.

The British chased Greene to the Dan River, near the Virginia border, but Greene wisely put the river between his army and the enemy. Nathanael Greene, the Southern Department commander, retreated northeastward from Salisbury, North Carolina toward the Virginia state line, where he hoped that additional militia troops would reinforce his army and he would receive supplies. Knowing that he was too weak to face Cornwallis in a pitched battle, Maj. Charles Lord Cornwallis set his army out in a determined pursuit of the American army. Part Three (click here for first two installments)ĭetermined to avenge his embarrassing defeat at Cowpens, Lt.

Long, Obstinate, and Bloody by Lawrence E. Babits