rected them to charge the British cavalry
with drawn swords. A sharp conflict ensued, but it was not of long
duration. The British were driven from the ground with considerable
slaughter, and were closely pursued. Both Howard and Washington
pressed the advantage they had respectively gained, until the
artillery, and great part of the infantry had surrendered. So sudden
was the defeat, that a considerable part of the British cavalry had
not been brought into action; and, though retreating, remained
unbroken. Washington, followed by Howard with the infantry, pursued
them rapidly, and attacked[58] them with great spirit; but, as they
were superior to him in numbers, his cavalry received a temporary
check; and in this part of the action he sustained a greater loss than
in any other. But the infantry coming up to support him, Tarlton
resumed the retreat.[59]

[Footnote 58: In the eagerness of pursuit, Washington advanced near
thirty yards in front of his regiment. Three British officers,
observing this, wheeled about, and made a charge upon him. The officer
on his right aimed a blow to cut him down as an American sergeant came
up, who intercepted the blow by disabling his sword arm. The officer
on his left was about to make a stroke at him at the same instant,
when a waiter, too small to wield a sword, saved him by wounding the
officer with a ball from a pistol. At this moment, the officer in the
centre, who was believed to be Tarlton, made a thrust at him which he
parried; upon which the officer retreated a few paces, and then
discharged a pistol at him, which wounded his horse.]

[Footnote 59: The author has received statements of this action from
General Morgan and from Colonels Howard and Washington.]

In this engagement upwards of one hundred British, including ten
commissioned officers, were killed; twenty-nine commissioned officers,
and five hundred privates were made prisoners. Eight hundred muskets,
two field pieces, two standards, thirty-five baggage wagons, and one
hundred dragoon horses, fell into the hands of the conquerors.

Tarlton retreated towards the headquarters of Lord Cornwallis, then
about twenty-five miles from the Cowpens.

This complete victory cost the Americans less than eighty men in
killed and wounded.

Seldom has a battle in which greater numbers were not engaged, been so
important in its consequences as that of the Cowpens. Lord Cornwallis
was not only deprived of a fifth of his numbers,