The Battle Of Cowpens

üeíore daylight on thu morning of ie 17t.li the Americana were roused 'rom their refreshing sleep and placed n order of battle. Back in the camp, nd unprotected by the hillock nto hich the rid.e rose, stood Washington i h his cavalry, increased to a hundred □ d tvventy men by voiunteers uiider VIcGall and Jolly. ' The poaition of Vashington was four handred yards 'rom the front line. The arrangement í the men having boen compluted a ittle before sunrise, they wero ordered o stand ut oase. Meanwhile Tarleton, after crossing ie Pacolet, and finding the bird flown, )it bis lips in vexation, and lost all his jrudence. Having heard nolhing from JornwalJis for two days, ho feit sure hat his lordebip was at lenst twenty miles beyond Morgan, viih divisioDB cattered at proper intorvals to entrap ie prof. On tha night of the lGt.h he made a hort pause, but pursuedonat 3 o'clock, nd at daybreak encountered a smal) ompuoy of mounted mon who fled bebro him. But whut was his surprise when a short time aftorwards, he disovered his prey'imprudently drawn up o receive him - the sun shining upon leir faces - breakfasted, slapping their rms across their sides to keep themelves warm, and their commander moving among them, and haranguing them in a jocular style. Aloud shout rang forth: ''Huzzah for King George!" bui'dt from the English troopa. "They give us the English halloo, boys," exelaimed Morgan, "give them the Lidian war whoop !" Then did the woods of the Cowpens resound with the discordant shouts ! But quietly along the militia lines, as every man stepped back with his right foot, and clicke'd his gunlook, a whisper went from tree to tree, "Mark the epai'let men." Tarleton's forces, consisting of 1,000 men, are hastily arranged. An attempt at reoonnoitering was repulsed by the videttcs ; and the battle was commenced by Tarleton's ordeiïng the cavalry to charge them. Delivering the fire, they retreated to the front line, after unhorsing fifteen of their assailants. Evay man, who was. seen waving his sword ia commtind, instantly dropped dead from his saddle The artillery then opened, and the whole line of iufantry, followed by the reserves, advanced. The riflemen of Piokens commenced their havoc ámong the offices, and when tho enemy. de prived of their eoinmanders pursued in great disorder. This battlo was through ta phases with Ruch rapidity that it is almost impossib'.e to describe them as they oucurred. The militia retreated, "marking the epaulet men" and firing by com panies. The movement was obliquely to the left, so as to got clear of liow ard's División. Whun thuy accornplished this the whole line of the veterans poured in such a destruclive fire that Tarleton had to order McArthur to the front. This enabled the British line to threaten tho American right flank. The command was therefore given to Maj. Tripltt to fall back with his QomptHiy:tj line, but misunderstand ing the order the whole div ision lo the right about and receded. This mistake beitig construod into retreat caused the British infantry to rush ahead ot their artillery and therebv render it useless. Tho draoons were cliarging the broken militia. At this moment Col. Brandon galloped up to the rear, waving his sword tu Wa.shing ton. He undorstood tiie signal and in a moment was flying to the reacue of Pickens. He burcst thiMugh the disor dered ranks, and tho swords of Tarleton's draguons, raited to fall upon the backs of' the fugitives, werereceived upon the blades of Washington's men. Dcz3ns of the famous logiou e;e niihorscd by the shock and astounded bv " I such an unexpected enoouutor - the rest fled. Washington nade terrible havoo among thetn, and gairïed the rear of the advancing infantry. Pereeiving their disorder, he dispatchod a troop to Howard, with the massage : '! have guinod their rear - they are coming on liko a rabblo - turn and charge them with bayoneta !" It was done - their wcapons wefo locked for a moment, and the wholo British line engaged with the Marylandera threw down their anns. Not only did they surrender but prostrated thenitfelves upon thoir faces; f'or tho cry of "Tarleton's quarter" was reiterated from right to left, and the miiskot drawo for tlio bayonet thrust that was to revenga a murdered father, an insultad sister, or property destroyed. But Howard with hands outstretched, ran aiong before his men ezqlaiming : "Come, men, they aro on their faces - take pity on theiu and give them quarters !" The viotory waa partly achioved ; but the battle was yet fiercely rattling on the right, where MoArthur, with excusable recklessness, seemed determined 10 wash out some of the day's disfrace with tha blood of hia battulion. frilett niaintamed his ground against birri, and Pickens waa hasteningon with the ralhed militia to his aasistance. He attacked the foe on his left flank and rear, while Howard, after securing his priüoners, wheeled upon his right. - McArthur was then comploiely envelotn-A, and after being made prisonor by Major Jackson of Georgia, hia men suiTendered at tho pitying request of Colonel Hownrd. During this timo Washington was closely ngaged vvith the cavaírv in the rour and tho artiifery. TaiTeton, in vain, attornpted to go to McArthur's rescue, but charged by the American horse and barrasaed by tho riñes of Pickens' men, he was forcêd back. He then made an atteinpt to recover his cannon, and in his repulso occurred that celebrat.ed encounter. It happenfd in this way. Washington, catching sigbt oi'Tarleton, made a dagh at him to capturo or elay him. The latter eeeing that the venturous Arnenoah was alooe ; and that he was aidod by two of his men turned to meet Iiiin. Thoir eabera clashed, but Washingtonj snapped off close to the bilt, One of Tarletoa'a troopers raised himself ín his slirrup to dispatch the unlucky antagonist of his Colonel, but was prevented by the ball írom a pisto] in the hand ot a lad named Oolin, who folr lowed his ccmmander evurywhere like a page. The other took to'flight, and Tarloton, after firing at his ad verf a ry without eflect, made good his escape. The viotory was complete. The loss of the Americans was only 1 1 killed and 61 wounded, whilo the ênemy had 150 killed, 200 wounded and 500 were taken prisoners. The proportion of of ficera aniong the killed and wounded was rernarkable. They all !ay where the ritlemen dolivered their tire, and Howard, whon he carao forward to view the field, acknowledged that the battle was won through the carnage among the British officers. The plan of "markingthe epaulet men" originated with Morgan, and he defended it by saying that the poorsoldr.r Who fights for sixpence a day, ought tobe spared as much as possible, and those who reoeive the chiei honors ought to encounter the chief danger. TarletoQ fled across Broad Rver,and found Cornwallis still on Turkey Creek. To cover his disgrace, he ropresented Morgan's forco at 2,000 men, which so amazed Cornwallis that he hesitatej whether he should advanco or retreat ; and it was not until he heard of his lucky viclim having crossed the Cataw ba at Ranisour's Mills that hc eommenced his pursuit! Then commenced that celebratod hantering retreat, which enticed Cornwallis away írom South Carolina and eealed his doom at Guilford Court House under the delusion of a victory.