Last updated: September 30, 2026
Place
Cowpens Audio Tour Stop 1 Prelude to Victory
NPS
Welcome to Cowpens National Battlefield! The Visitor Center is a great place to begin your day of discovery. It offers an information desk where you can get a battlefield map and brochures, as well as a bookstore and gift shop, a museum, and two theaters. The park orientation film on the Battle of Cowpens is shown at the top of the hour. Park Rangers and Volunteers are available for questions and conversations about The Battle of Cowpens and South Carolina’s role in the American Revolution.
Prelude to Victory
On the morning of January 17, 1781, Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and approximately 1,000-1,500 American patriots fought a pivotal battle in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution at Cowpens. Morgan’s adversary was a British Army officer, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, with a powerful force of 1100 men.
In less than one hour, General Morgan and his patriot army changed the course of the American Revolution. Tarleton’s army was nearly wiped out in a classic “double envelopment” maneuver. The British army sustained 85% casualties, with over 600 men captured. The Americans' losses were relatively light, with around 24 men killed, around 105 wounded, and a handful of troops captured.
General Morgan’s signal victory at Cowpens sent shockwaves through the colonies and gave new hope to the patriot cause. North Carolina General William Davidson told Morgan,“In my opinion, you have paved the way for the salvation of this country.”
Often overlooked in battles from the American Revolution, Cowpens is now regarded by historians as a crucial victory in the American march to Independence.
Prelude to Victory
On the morning of January 17, 1781, Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and approximately 1,000-1,500 American patriots fought a pivotal battle in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution at Cowpens. Morgan’s adversary was a British Army officer, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, with a powerful force of 1100 men.
In less than one hour, General Morgan and his patriot army changed the course of the American Revolution. Tarleton’s army was nearly wiped out in a classic “double envelopment” maneuver. The British army sustained 85% casualties, with over 600 men captured. The Americans' losses were relatively light, with around 24 men killed, around 105 wounded, and a handful of troops captured.
General Morgan’s signal victory at Cowpens sent shockwaves through the colonies and gave new hope to the patriot cause. North Carolina General William Davidson told Morgan,“In my opinion, you have paved the way for the salvation of this country.”
Often overlooked in battles from the American Revolution, Cowpens is now regarded by historians as a crucial victory in the American march to Independence.