Loosely Based Historical Fluff

Rating: 5/10 (19 December 2006)

Having lived in South Carolina near the site of the battle of Cowpens, I can appreciate how the screen writer tried to come close to actual historical events. Tavington is based on Bannister Tarleton, a ruthless British Colonel Cornwallis appreciated having in his army, even though he found him arrogant and self-centered. The Mel Gibson character is more of symbolic figure of the typical militia patriot found in the Carolinas, the majority of whom did not want to get involved. Of course, the film could have adhered closer to the actual time-line and battle sequences and had an even more dramatic effect. The final battle in the movie is the Battle of Cowpens, which did not take place until January 1781. It was not fought in a large open field as depicted in the movie and was won because of the ground chosen for the battle and the strategy used by General Daniel Morgan. The Colonials under the command of General Horatio Gates suffered a horrendous defeat at Camden. Gates was relieved of command and replaced with General Nathaniel Green, Washington's most trusted General. General Green was considered the Command-n-Chief of the southern army. General Green placed General Daniel Morgan in charge of the Colonial Army and militia that faced a British force of 1,000 men under the command of Colonel Tarleton. General Cornwallis was not at the Battle of Cowpens. It was General Morgan that came up with the strategy of the militia firing two shots into the British line and then retreating back behind the Colonial line. Daniel Morgan chose the battle spot because of its terrain and the natural borders of a river and swamp, which were used to trap the British. Utilizing the militia, Colonial Regulars, and the light calvary under William Washington, Morgan struck a heavy blow to Tarleton's men. Tarleton escaped Cowpens and was actually at Yorktown with Cornwallis. He later returned to England and reached the rank of General in the British army and had a seat in Parliament. Morgan resigned soon after Cowpens because of health reasons. It has been widely accepted by many historians that if Cornwallis had been the Commanding General of the entire British Army in America, we would have been defeated early on, but because of William Howe's arrogance and unwillingness to pursue Washington after each victory and later, because of Henry Clinton's insistence on staying put in New York and paranoia and fear of losing his command to Cornwallis, Washington was able to escape after several defeats, benefit from an alliance with France, and prolong a war that should have ended before 1780.
The British's defeat at Cowpens led to the forced march of Cornwallis' troops to Virginia as he chased Green's army out of the Carolinas. With the arrival of the French Fleet at Yorktown and Washington's siege, Cornwallis surrendered.
The French Officer was another symbolic figure as many French Officers fought for the Colonials, most for glory and acclaim, but others because they believed in America's cause. Read about The Marquis De Lafayette.
This movie is mostly fluff with predictable Hollywood fare. I'm reminded of an earlier film about a Scottish Patriot: family member killed by a British Aristocrat, man seeks revenge in the guise of fighting for a cause, man wins battle, only this time he isn't beheaded and quartered. If you want know the actual historical events that took place in South Carolina, visit Kings Mountain Battlefield and Cowpens Battlefield. They are both worth the time, unlike this movie.