Category: South Carolina

Cowpens National Battlefield

On By nationalparkswithtIn South Carolina3 Comments

NPTC Southeast Convention Road Trip➤

My friend Patty and I travelled to Asheville, North Carolina for the 2023 National Park Travelers Club Convention. The convention rotates to a different region each year. For 2023, it was in the Southeast region. On the way down, during the convention and on the way home we visited nine National Park Service units and some other parks. On the fourth day of our road trip we took the club’s Revolutionary War Bus Tour. The tour stopped at Kings Mountain National Military Park and Cowpens National Battlefield.

Revolutionary War Campaigns in the South ➤

Often, when we think about Revolutionary War historic sites, we recall the battles in the North, like Bunker Hill and Saratoga. But the National Park Service maintains several Revolutionary War sites in the South. These sites played a pivotal role in the American victory at Yorktown. These sites include Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Kings Mountain National Military Park, Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, and Cowpens National Battlefield.

After France allied itself with the Patriots, the British shifted their strategy to the southern colonies. They planned to bolster their numbers by recruiting loyalists and reclaiming their profitable colonies. Under General Cornwallis, their strategy enjoyed success initially. But the engagements at King’s Mountain, Cowpens, and Guilford Courthouse shifted the tide of war in the south and made the victory at Yorktown possible.

Cowpens➤

The Battle of Cowpens took place on January 17, 1781. This battle was a significant turning point in the Southern Campaign of the the American Revolutionary War. Ultimately it contributed to the American victory over British forces.

The Battle of Cowpens was a decisive American victory led by General Daniel Morgan, whose tactics of using militia forces alongside regular troops played a crucial role in defeating the British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. The battle boosted American morale and set the stage for further successes in the Southern Campaign, ultimately leading to the British surrender at Yorktown later in 1781.

The battlefield covers an area of about 845 acres and includes a visitor center, interpretive trails, and monuments. Our group toured the battlefield with a park ranger. This is a pretty level terrain as it was once a farm.

Southeast Convention Posts➤

Location: 4001 Chesnee Hwy, Gaffney, SC
Designation: National Battlefield
Date designated/established: March 4, 1929
Date of my visit: August 4, 2023