The Battle of Cowpens: A Documented Narrative and Troop Movement Maps was first printed for the National Park Service by Historian Edwin C. Bearss in October 1967, 186 years after the battle occurred. Originally written as a study document for the National Park Service, the book has since been used by other researchers, historians, and lay persons as they attempt to learn more about this battle.

What key ingredients are necessary to set the stage for dramatic results in battle? Thorough research is the best way of determining the factors which led men like Morgan and Tarleton to make the decisions they did.

Who were these men and what life experiences led them to this spot in the back country of South Carolina in January 1781? Who were the men under their command? Composed of the regular Continental line, sharpshooters, militia, dragoons, well-seasoned veterans, and raw recruits, they all shared a common interest that cold morning, of defeating their enemy. The defeat of the British heralded a resounding shout throughout the camps of the patriot cause for freedom. It was a victory much needed by a struggling nation.

The name "Cowpens" has been a part of the National Park Service since March 9, 1929. However, it was the push of our nation's upcoming bicentennial in 1976 that led to the expansion and protection of the battlefield proper in the early 1970s.

We are pleased The Overmountain Press has decided to reprint this manuscript; and I am proud to be associated with this acknowledgment of the role Historian Ed Bearss played in documenting the story. It is a fitting tribute to the battle story and to the author, but most of all to the men who fought this battle on a bitter Wednesday morning, January 17, 1781.

Patricia A. Ruff
Chief Ranger, Cowpens NB