The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-12


serve. During the execution Of these
arrangements, the animation Of the off.
GERS and alacrity of the soldiers afforded
the most promising assurances of success.
The disposition being completed, the.
front line received orders to advance; a
fire from some of the recruits of the 9TH
regiment was suppressed, and the troops
moved on in rs good line as troops
could move at open files. The militia
after short contest, were dislodged, and
the British approached the continentals.
The fire ON both sides was we'll support
ed, and produced much slaughter. The
cavalry on the right were directed to
charge the enemy's left. They executed
the order with great gallantry, but we're
driven back by the fire of the reserve,
and by charge of Colonel Washington's
cavalry.
AS the contest between the British
infantry in the front line and the cont.
nentals seemed equally balanced, neither
retreating, Lieut.-Col. Tarleton thought
the advance of the list into line, and
the movement of the cavalry in reserve
to threaten the enemy;s right flank,
would put a victorious period to the
action. No time was lost in performg
this maneuvre. The list were desired
to pass the 7th before they gave their
fire, and were directed not to entangle
their right flank with the left of the
other battalion. The cavalry were or.
dered to incline to the left, and to form
line, which would embrace the whole
of the enemy's right flank. Upon the
advance of the list, all the infantry
again moved on. The continentals and
backwoodsmen gave ground. The Brit
ish rushed forward. An order was dis
patched to the cavalry to charge. An
unexpected fire at this instant from the
Americans, who came about as they were
retreating, stopped the British and threw
them into confusion. Exertions to make
the advance were useless. The part OF
the cavalry which had not been engaged
fell likewise into disorder, and an unac-
countable panic extended itself along the
whole line. The Americans, who before
thought they had lost the action, taking
advantage of the present situation, ad-
vanced upon the British troops, and
augmented their astonishment. A gen.
eral fight ensued. Tarleton sent direc-
tions to his cavalry to form about four hun.
dred yards to the right of the enemy, in
order to check them, while be endeavored
to rally the infantry to protect the guns.
The cavalry did not comply with the
order, and the effort to collect the infant.
ry was Intellectual. Neither promises nor
threats could gain their att ention; they
surrendered or dispersed, and, abandoned
their guns to the artillery men, who de-
Tended them for some time with exem.
plary resolution. In this last stage of
defeat Lieut. Col. Tarleton made another
struggle to bring his cavalry to the
charge. The weight of such an attack
might yet retrieve the day, the enemy
being much broken by their late rapid
advance; but all attempts to restore
order, recollection of courage, proved
fruitless. Above two hundred dragons
forsook their leader, and left the field of
battle. Fourteen officers and forty horse
men were, however, not unmindful of
their own reputation, OF The sltuhtlOu VI
their commanding officer. Col. Wash
ington's cavalry were charged and driv.
en- back into the continental infantry by
this handful of brave men. Another
party of the Americans who had seized
upon the baggage of the British troops
on the road from the late encampn,ent,
were dispersed, and this detachment re-
tired towards Broad river unmolested.
On the route Tarleton heard with infinite
grief an astonishment, that the main
army had not advanced beyond Turkey
creek. He therefore directed his course
to the southeast, in order to reach Ham
ilton's ford, near the mouth of Bullock
creek, whence he might communicate
with Earle CORVALLIS.
The number of the killed and wound :
ed in the action at Cowpens, amounted
to near three hundred on both sides,
officers and men inclusive. This loss
was almost equally shared, but the Amer.
leans took two pieces of cannon, the col
ors of the 9TH regiment, and near four
hundred prisoners.