Although it was a defeat for the Americans, the Battle of Guilford Court house, March 15, 1781, was a significant landmark on the road to victory at Yorktown. The determined assaults by Lord Cornwallis' army on the American lines at Guilford Courthouse finally led Gen. Nathanael Greene to abandon the field and concede victory to his opponent. But the assaults hurt Cornwallis so badly that he was forced to abandon the offensive and give up his plans for conquering the South. The British Army withdrew from North Carolina and ultimately established new positions at Yorktown, where Washington, with the aid of the French Fleet, compelled Cornwallis to surrender the following year.

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park contains 148 acres (Web Edition Note: now over 220 acres), including the most important parts of the battlefield and the site of the historic courthouse. Twenty-nine monuments and markers honor the participants and identify points of interest. A museum interprets the action and its significance.