The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-19

ANDEI
COWPENS.
THE BATTLE MONUMENT UNVEILED
] AT SPARTANBURG.
| Correspondence Columbia Register.
SpARTANBURe, s. c., May 10, 1881.
| Spartanburg is all alive TO- clay, and her
people, as we'll as the visitors who are
pouring in from all directions, are filled
with enthusiasm in anticipation of the
celebration to take place tomorrow. The
monument stands in the public square,
| in front of the Court House, and between
| it and che Court House is the stand from
which the speaking is to take place. The
stand is substantial wooden covered
platform, with a tier of seats back of the
speakers. East of the monument and
stand is frame work of seats for the
ladies, capable of accommodating several
hundred persons. The drapery for the
monument is the same which was used
to veil the Farragul monument, at WASH
ington, and consists of two naval flags.
so arranged as to fall gracefully around
| the statue, and To come away readily at
the proper time. A number of gas jets
are placed around the monument, 80 as
to display, when lighted, the names Of
Morgan, Pickens, Washington and How.
ard, one on each of the four sides. Over
the public square is suspended large
eagle, made entirely of immortelles, and
presented for this occasion by friends in
New York, of Gel. J. 81. Hunt, of Spar
tanburg.
The monument and stand are tasteful
ly decorated with evergreens and United
States flags, and flags are displayed in
various buildings. An immense United
States flag is suspended across the public
square by wire stretched from the Mer.
chants Hotel to the Central Hotel.
THE BATTLE OF CowPENs
was fought on January II, 1881, In the
latter part of 1880 the condition of South
Carolina was truly lamentable. The
State was overrun by the British and to.
ries, and there was no organized resis
tance to the British arms in the lower
part of the State, except such as was
offered by the persistent attacks of the
followers of Marion and Sumter. The
cause of the Americans seemed to be
waning, and the British and tories were
grow ing more and more bold and cruel
until the tide of war was turned by the
decisive battle at Kings Mountain in
October. Late in December, General
Morgan was sent to operate between
Pacoet and Broad Rivers and strike
where he could du the most good. Being
in camp at Grindall Ford on the Pacolet
on the 18th, he received intelligence that
CORVALLIS and Tarleton were in motion
co dislodge him; he abandoned that po-
sition and on the evening of the 18th
went into camp at the Cowpens, called
Hannah's Cowpens, because man by
the name of Hannah kept his COWS there.
I am informed that the surrounding sec
ton of country formerly partook Of the
character of the Western prairies, the
young growth Of timber being frequently
destroyed by fires, and grass being abun.
dant, so that it was q favorite grazing
place for cattle.
Tsrleton supposed that Morgan was
retreating, followed him eagerly and
anticipated all easy victory. About sun
rise on the 17tl he attacked the Ameri-
can camp, and found out his mistake.
The action lasted about an hour, and re.
suited in the famous and decisive victory
we are now celebrating. The muster
rolls of the American army are SO i'm
perfect, and the militia were collected so
hurriedly that it is impossible to get at
the number engaged on their side. The
most reasonable estimate is $50 men,
more than half of whom were un,liscip.
lined militia. The British had LOO, all
IF whom were choice and trained troops.
They had a superior force of cavalry and
two pieces of artillery. Their loss was
at least 80 killed, $50 wounded and 600
prisoners, together with their two pieces
of artillery, IS wagons, IS negroes, 100
horses, and most of their baggage. Our
loss was about IL killed and 80 wounded.
The Cowpens is in the upper edge of
Spartanburg County and very near the
North Carolina line. The battle field is
sixteen miles Northeast of Spartanburg.
1t has never been cleared since the bat
tile, and good many of the old trees
which were there when the battle was
fought are there still; but dense under.
growth has sprung up so that one cannot
see through it now, whereas the view was
comparatively unobstructed then.
THE NEW MONUMENT.
The public square in Spartanburg,
where the monument stands, will here
after be known as Morgan Square"
This granite column is erected by the
old Thirteen States and Tennessee, and
cost, with foundation and erection, about
$1,000. Ex Captain Courtenay, of the
Washington Light Infantry, now Mayor
of Charleston, undertook the chairman
ship Of the committee of construction in
January, 1890, aud has voluntarily un-
dergone an amount of labor the past 6f-
teen months in correspondence and
arranging general details which could
not have been compensated in money.
The motive for this gratuitous service
was the reunion of the "Old Thirteen"
on the soil of South Carolina, the promo
tion OF kindly feeling among all sections
of the Union, and the public recognition
Of the patriotic and successful services of
Daniel Morgan, one Of the first in and
| the last out of the war for Independence.
whose merits have been strangely over
looked in the past, and as we'll, doing;
honor to the gallant Howard, of the old
Maryland Line, the great cavalry leader,
William Washington, and the inaexible
Andrew Pickcns, the leader of the up
country South Carolina Rebels, and re.
viving in the public miud the gIo-
ries of this field and the patriotism of