The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1881-05-12
The Centenary of Cowpens.

The Centenary OF COWpens.
| Yesterday, in and near the town of |
Spartanburg, was commemorated the |
hundredth anniversary of one of The |
most memorable of the minor battles |
of the American Revolution.
During the winter of 177S-79, the |
| war, whose brunt had for nearly four
years fallen ON the Northern and Mid
die States, began to tend southwark.
The first marked sign of this move
ment, outside of the desultory opera
tions in Florida, was the capture of |
Savannah, Dec. 20, 177S, by British |
oxpeditionary force from New York |
under Lieut.. Col. Campbell. The re-
ducti0n of all Georgia followed in the |
spring while WasblDgton's attempt 10
recover Savannah by the combined
American and French forces of Linz |
coin and D'Estaing was bloodily re-
pulsed III October, 1873. Lincoln re-
Jrealed to Charleston, and this city was
soon besieged by Sir Henry Clinton,
who eagerly seized the opportunity to
wipe out the memory of his repulse
from Fort Moultrie earlier in the war.
On the 10th of April, 1850, Clinton
summoned the city 10 surrender; it
obey d May 10, after miserable de-
tense. A panic seized the people of
the State upon this event, and the
BRUSH columns for months marched
almost uuopposed wherever they
| chose.
Congress, Fastening to repair these
disasters, gave the command of the
4 remnants OF the Southern army to
) Gates, the hero of Saratoga, and re-
enforced it. Gates immediately press
ed southwark to Camden, and there,
b Aug. 16, 1880, was totally routed by
t. the British forces under Lord Corn
"a wallis. The conquering General lie
tinued his march into North Carolina,
= arming and organizing the lori S, and
If conhscaling the property of loyalsts.
v He received, however, a severe check
: in the defeat f an independent raiding
party under Ferguson at Kings Nouns
d tain, Oct. Z, 1851. This victory was
q the prelude to the battle of the Cow
# pens.
e On the defeat Of Gates at Camden
-s he was succeeded by Gen. Greene,
Washington's previous choice for the
u same command. Gen. Daniel Morgan
" was already brigadier in Gates.
81 army, With detached commauG and
he continued his career under Greene,
~ by defeating, Dec. 80, 1880. large
nc party of Georgia tories, with severe
In .oss. Lord orngallis, chatting under
If this Anne lean success, put his army in
H., motion to cut .off Morgan's retreat
- Morgan quickly saw the danger int,
SY which hIs adventurous spirit had lee
MS him, as Iacleton vas pressing hin
/ xxTifh
~ marching 10 intercept his retreat to-
ward Greene's main body. Morgan
ISL had been warned by Greene to b,
list cautious, and his own officers, whom
as he consulted inclined to the opinion
~ that he must avoid battle. But Tarle
ton pressed him closely, and Morgan
IKE resolved to try conclusions at ono
ton with this smaller body of the enemy
a | command.
O. broad plain, near the norther
10 boundary of South Carolina, and som.
his what more than a dozen miles frol
= Spartanburg, where yesterdays Gel
'Ple brstion took place, the people OF tn
and region were wont TO let their coz
Craze; the place was known az the coz
CITY pens. On The morning of Jan. II 17s
not lar from this spot, Morgan's fore
we've sBcamped, when TarletOn, after
march OF a dozen miles, came up. II
IRIS. British commander had about elev,
OWN hundred men and couple OF guI
Morgan, a rather smaller force. Tar
'te- ton charged as soon as his line W
the formed, with his customary impetuosli
a, and fanked the Americans, who
NE treated a short distance. The groun
urst however, soon favored them, and I
M. Bntish pressing on hastily, were cang
his in turn by flank fire from the rail-
very Americans, and completely routed.
. NJ
e"e troops were captured, while. the emit
ting loss OF Morgan was set at twelve Kill
vu;.h and sixty wounded.
Though on a small scale, as we reck
nerl- battles in these days, this battle OF Co
love pens was OF great service to the pair
cause. TarletoD was one OF the best
posi- Cornwalrs' subordinates, and had r
waa aged the Carolinas until his name h
become terror. With a force Sigh
party Interior Morgan had almost annlhila
him him, capturing his two field pieces ;
all his baggage, W hich latter was prom
is OF ly burned, lest Lord CORVALLIS, '
Her was only twenty miles distant at Tur
Creek, should hurry forward and
Inc capture II.
eein0 Morgan, however, was not moles
He made his way 10 safety across
- IN Catawba, and he and the officers
70 she men under him received the spe
thanks Of Congress. a victory ACHE
i"- under Esnch circumstances 10
Is sim worthy of centennial celebration.
erred, Of ths commsmorattye u csl puss1 !
Ius of pally designed for Jan. IL, 1881; bul
-. local eptJuhiasm has probably not lli
gns' isbed, and the memory OF Morgan
receive the bonors IL 80 well merits,
'lwart -
before "A Pr9mm r Tagny oI1nE morse mas
y re- mske him iasl:--Erchaage. That m
vt the taxi our chancas on package go OF II
} shall h9De1E hsaIty sn S1" v,sas, as =.
tYttnn miriam ia saaaantia for ANU ~