20, and claimed to
have defeated him. Tarleton was a dashing cavalry officer, given to
overrating his own achievements. His troops were few and weary, and at
best he escaped defeat; but Sumter's band dispersed, for its leader was
wounded and disabled for a while from further action.[156]

[Sidenote: _BATTLE OF THE COWPENS._]

In December Greene, a general of far greater ability than Gates, took
the chief command in the south. Cornwallis found the enemy on both his
flanks. On the east Marion, then in common with Sumter holding a
commission from congress, Henry Lee, and Greene himself endangered his
communications with the coast, and penetrated as far as Georgetown, and
on the west another division under Morgan threatened Ninety-six.
Disaffection was spreading rapidly through the province. Believing that
his one chance of conquering from south to north lay in pushing forward,
he determined to march into North Carolina. Leslie joined him in
January, 1781, and Clinton sent Arnold and Phillips with a large force
to take Leslie's place in Virginia. On setting out for North Carolina,
Cornwallis detached Tarleton to deal with Morgan. He brought him to bay
at the Cowpens, near King's Mountain, on the 17th. Tarleton's force,
numbering about 1,100, was slightly superior to that of the enemy, but
he engaged while his men were weary after a hard night-march. Some of
his troops behaved badly; he was utterly defeated, and lost nearly 800
men. This defeat was a severe blow to Cornwallis, for it deprived him of
the best part of his light troops, which were specially necessary for
his march through a wooded and thinly populated country where much
foraging had to be done. He determined to advance, hoping to get between
Greene and Virginia, and force him to fight before he received
reinforcements. He burnt his superfluous baggage and crossed the Catawba
river. The two divisions of the American army retreated hastily through
North Carolina, succeeded in forming a junction, and crossed the Dan
into Virginia before the British could come up with them. Having thus
cleared the province of the revolutionary troops, Cornwallis encamped at
Hillsborough, and on February 20 summoned the loyalists to join him.
Some were coming in when, on the 23rd, Greene, who had received
reinforcements, recrossed the Dan. Any further loyalist movement was
stopped by an act of revolting barbarity; 200 loyalists were caught by
Lee's horse on their way to the British