Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
"Another such victory would destroy the British Army."
--Charles James Fox
- Introduction
- The Southern Campaign
- Sweep Through Georgia
- Siege of Charleston
- Battle of Camden
- Battle of Kings Mountain
- Greene Appointed Southern Commander
- Battle of Cowpens
- Race for the River Crossings
- The Battle of Guilford Courthouse Begins
- American Lines
- British Lines
- Attack on the First Line
- Attack on the Second Line
- Attack on the Third Line
- American Withdrawal
- The Road to Yorktown
- Guide to the Area
- The Guilford Battle Ground Company
- Establishment of the National Military Park
The Battle of Guilford Courthouse, fought March 15,
1781, marked the beginning of the end of the Revolutionary
struggle. It was a British victory, but a victory which left
the enemy so weak that it caused them to lose the campaign in
the Southern Colonies--a victory that started the armies of Cornwallis on the road to Yorktown and surrender.
Inscribed on the Nathanael Greene monument in the park is
this statement on the significance of the battle by C. Alphonso
Smith:
In the maneuvering that preceded it, in the strategy that compelled it, in
the heroism that signalized it, and in the results that flowed from it, the Battle of Guilford Court House is second to no battle fought on American soil.
Over the brave men who fell here their comrades marched to ultimate victory
at Yorktown, and the cause of constitutional self-government to assured
triumph at Philadelphia. To officer and private, to Continental soldier and
volunteer militiaman, honor and award are alike due. They need neither defense nor eulogy but only just recognition. . .
The campaign climaxed by the Battle of Guilford Courthouse began more than 2 years earlier. In 1778, with the war approaching
a stalemate in the North, the British authorities adopted a new plan to transfer operations to the South, an area relatively
untouched by the war up to that time. They planned to overrun
the Southern Colonies successively from Georgia northward in the
belief that little more than a parade of British might would be
necessary to restore those Colonies to normal relations with the
Crown.
Accordingly, an expeditionary force sent to Georgia under Sir
Archibald Campbell captured Savannah during the last week of
1778. With the assistance of Gen. Augustine Prevost, who had
marched northward from Florida with 2,000 men, Campbell completed the conquest of Georgia during the first half of 1779. In
April, Prevost entered South Carolina and devastated it; but, failing
to take Charleston, the key city of the region, he was compelled to
return to Georgia. In September, the Americans, aided by a French
fleet, attempted to retake Savannah, but they were repulsed with
severe losses.
In December Sir Henry Clinton, commander in chief of British
forces in America, sailed south from New York with 8,000 men.
He landed at Tybee Island at the mouth of the Savannah River.
After obtaining reinforcements from Prevost, he proceeded against
Charleston. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, the American commander,
should have abandoned Charleston, but instead he collected all the
troops (150k) he could and shut himself up in the city, where he surrendered on May 12, 1780, after a brief siege.
Having obtained his objective, Clinton returned to New York,
leaving the Earl of Cornwallis in command, with the task of consolidating the gains in the South and continuing the conquest.
Cornwallis established a series of military posts throughout South
Carolina, but he was constantly annoyed and harassed by guerrilla
raids led by such famed partisan leaders as Francis Marion, Thomas
Sumter, Andrew Pickens, and Otis Williams. Charleston remained
the British base of operations and supply depot, while activity in
the interior centered at Camden.
In June, Gen. Horatio Gates was appointed commander of patriot
troops in the South. He determined to liberate the South, beginning with a move in force against the British stronghold at Camden. This was, strategically and tactically, a sound conception, but
in its execution Gates failed completely. His defeat at Camden
on August 16, 1780, was one of the most disastrous battles in
which an American army has ever been engaged. This defeat terminated all organized opposition to British control in South Carolina and cleared the way for further advances. In September, Cornwallis moved his main army from Camden to Charlotte. Simultaneously, a flank column, under Maj. Patrick Ferguson, was marching
from Fort Ninety-Six through the Piedmont;, carrying the war into
the upcountry. This column was expected to join Cornwallis at
Charlotte.
Ferguson's advance aroused the back-country mountaineers, hitherto
not particularly concerned with the war. Separated by time and
distance from the more thickly populated coastal plains, these settlers had their own problems and their own troubles--notably the
Indians. Ferguson's appearance in their own region was, however,
of vital concern to them. They forthwith assembled in small
bodies, each under its own leader, for the purpose of repelling the
invasion. Eventually, about 2,000 of them gathered from the frontiers of the four southernmost States and at once set out in pursuit of the invader who had learned of the gathering and had
turned toward Charlotte. Ferguson took position on Kings Mountain to await reinforcements and there was discovered and immediately attacked by about 1,000 backwoodsmen on October 7.
The position Ferguson chose for his stand was almost ideally
suited to the type of fighting at which his adversaries were most
adept. As a result, at the end of approximately an hour Ferguson
was dead, about 400 of his men were slain, and more than 700
captured. On learning the news of this disaster, Cornwallis fell
back from Charlotte to Winnsborough to await reinforcements.
A few days after Cornwallis withdrew from North Carolina, the
Continental Congress made an important move affecting the war
in the South. The fiasco at Camden had caused that body to lose
faith in Gates, and Gen. George Washington was requested to nominate a successor. Nathanael Greene was Washington's choice, and
Congress accordingly appointed him commander of the Southern
Department.
Greene reached Charlotte early in December. There he found
the remnant of Gates' force which had been joined by some additional militia. The men were low in morale and poorly equipped.
Obviously, the Americans were in no condition to encounter the
main British force. Therefore Greene decided to wage guerrilla-type warfare against Cornwallis' exposed western outposts. Dividing his army, Greene sent Gen. Daniel Morgan with about half
of the men to the southwest toward Fort Ninety-Six. Meanwhile
Greene conducted the remainder to a position on the Peedee River
near the present site of Cheraw, S.C. This move was undoubtedly
dangerous and violated the basic rule of strategy which forbids the
division of a force in the face of a superior enemy; but it forced
Cornwallis to act, for the Americans were distributed in a way
that endangered his entire forward line. That line ran from
Georgetown through Camden, Winnsborough, and Fort Ninety-Six
to Augusta.
The British commander's answer to this threat was to divide his
own army. He sent Col. Banastre Tarleton with a strong column to operate against Morgan, while he intended to move into position to intercept the Americans whom he expected Tarleton to
drive northward. Unfortunately for Cornwallis' plan, Morgan
roundly defeated Tarleton in a battle at Cowpens, and then escaped
because Cornwallis had delayed about 48 hours in moving the
main British force northward. The Battle of Cowpens took place
in mid-January 1781, and in it the British suffered a reverse almost
as serious as that of Kings Mountain 3 months earlier.
Morgan began a rapid retreat northward and eastward immediately
after Cowpens, with Cornwallis in close pursuit. The two armies
were then about 25 miles apart. Twenty-three days later, after the
Americans had marched about 125 miles airline distance, they had
gained 3 miles. When he began to retreat, Morgan sent news of
his victory and of his future plans to Greene. Thereupon, Greene
set his force in motion northward under Gen. Isaac Huger, while
he, himself, with a small escort, joined Morgan near Beatty's Ford
on the Catawba River near the present site of Moorseville, N.C.
The Yadkin River was crossed a few miles from Salisbury at the
Trading Ford, where an overnight rise of 2 feet in the stream prevented the passage of the pursuing British. From that point the
Americans continued to Guilford Courthouse, where they were
joined by the other half of the army from Cheraw, and whence
the retreat was continued toward Virginia.
Cornwallis, unable to use the Trading Ford because of the high
water, ascended the Yadkin River to the Shallow Ford, several
miles west of the Moravian settlement at Salem.
By this time Greene's plans were fairly evident. He wished to
avoid battle, to draw the British as far as possible from their base,
and to be able to retire into Virginia if the necessity should arise.
To prevent Greene from escaping and in the hope of forcing an
engagement, Cornwallis continued the pursuit which developed into
a race for the river fords.
The Dan River was deep and could be forded only on its upper
reaches; therefore the Englishman interposed his army between
Greene and these fords in the expectation that he might compel
the Americans to fight. Greene, however, had prepared for just
such a contingency and at his direction boats had been built and
collected on the south bank of the Dan. In them the Americans
safely crossed the river. Cornwallis gave up the chase and marched
back to Hillsborough, where he raised the Royal Standard and issued a proclamation calling upon all loyal subjects to rally to his
assistance. The results, however, were so disappointing that within
a few days his army was again on the march, partly from the necessity of securing food.
Meanwhile, Greene collected reinforcements and rested his army (143k)
in Virginia. His main object had been to draw Cornwallis away
from his base, and, fearing now that he might return to it, Greene
recrossed the Dan about March 1. For about 2 weeks he kept on
the move, playing for time and position, and avoiding decisive
action until he could be joined by the last of the summoned militia reinforcements. These reinforcements arrived in camp on March 13 and 14, and the whole American force immediately marched to
Guilford Courthouse where battle stations were taken. Cornwallis
was informed of this on the 14th, and early on the next morning
he marched from his camp on Deep River to the engagement he
had so long sought.
Lt. Col. Henry Lee opened the battle with an advance guard action
against the British near the Quaker settlement of New Garden, 3 miles west of the American position. This skirmish resulted in
no advantage to either side. The Americans retired, and the
British continued to advance along the New Garden Road toward
the courthouse.
Greene's troops were drawn up in three lines, approximately 400
yards apart, facing west. The first two lines extended north and
south across the New Garden road; the third line was entirely
north of the road, following the crest of a low hill. Heavily
wooded terrain limited the effectiveness of cavalry. The woods
likewise reduced the effectiveness of artillery since the field of fire,
particularly for the attacking force, was poor. Approximately one-half mile in front of the position was a small stream from which
the ground rose steadily, though rather gradually, to the crest of
a hill where the first line was drawn up. Three cultivated fields,
one to the north and two to the south of the road, provided an
excellent field of fire for parts of that line, and the rail fences enclosing the cultivated land afforded the troops some protection.
The second line was entirely in the woods, and the third was near
the eastern edge of a good-sized clearing.
Both flanks of the first two lines and the right flank of the third
were unprotected. But the heavy woods dictated a direct frontal attack by the British; therefore these exposed flanks were not a disadvantage for the Americans. The left flank of the third line
rested on the New Garden Road and was protected by artillery
during the later stages of the battle.
The First Line consisted of two brigades of North Carolina Militia,
almost all of whom were wholly untrained and entirely without
battle experience. On the left flank were stationed Lt. Col. Henry
Lee's Legion and Col. William Campbell's Riflemen. The former
were regulars and the latter were frontiersmen from the Virginia
and North Carolina mountains who had had appreciable campaign
experience, including participation in the Battle of Kings Mountain. The right flank detachment was composed of Lt. Col. William Washington's regular cavalry, the remnant of the Delaware
regiment of Continentals, and Col. Charles Lynch's Riflemen, comparable in experience and capacity to Campbell's. In the center on
the road, a section of artillery, two 6-pound guns, commanded the
stream-crossing below.
The Second Line was made up entirely of Virginia Militia, the majority of whom were as untrained and inexperienced as were the
North Carolinians in the front line. The Virginia officers, however, were largely men who had served in the Continental Army,
and a number of them had had some battle experience. Also in
the ranks of the Virginians were a few men who had had previous military service. Thus the second line was somewhat stronger
than the first by virtue of this leaven of experience. Finally, Brig.
Gen. Edward Stevens, in command of one brigade, placed sentinels
a few yards in the rear of his line to insure against any break by
his men.
The Third Line was composed of Greene's two small brigades of
Continental troops. Of the four regiments, one, the 1st Maryland,
was a veteran unit. The 2d Maryland and the two Virginia regiments were recently reorganized, had excellent officers, and contained
a good proportion of veterans in the ranks. The total force, regular and militia, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, numbered about 4,400.
Of this total possibly 1,500 to 1,600 of all arms were regulars, but
many of these fell into the recruit classification.
British Lines
Lord Cornwallis commanded an army, numerically inferior to
Greene's; but it was vastly superior in organization, discipline,
training, and experience. Engaged in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse were about 2,000 of the very flower of the British forces in
America. There were two battalions, a grenadier, and a light infantry company of the Guards; the 23d and 33d Regiments of foot,
the former, the famous Welsh Fusiliers; the 71st Highlanders, the
King's Own Borderers; the Regiment of Bose, one of the best of
the Hessian units; some Hessian Yagers (riflemen); Tarleton's Legion Cavalry; and a detachment of the Royal Artillery. All were
veterans, thoroughly schooled in the business of war, and commanded by able, experienced officers.
Advancing toward the east from the scene of the opening skirmish along the New Garden Road, the attacking force crossed the
stream at the foot of the hill in front of the American position,
and formed for action. Meanwhile, the American artillery had opened
fire in an attempt to delay the crossing, and to harass the formation of the line, but with little result. The British artillery replied with an equally useless expenditure of ammunition.
Attack formation was a single line with a small reserve. The
right wing consisted of the Highlanders and the Regiment of Bose
with the 1st Battalion of Guards in support. In the left wing the
23d and 33d Regiments were in line and the 2d Battalion and
Grenadiers of the Guards in support. The small reserve consisted
of the artillery, confined by the woods to the road in the center
the Yagers and the Light Infantry of the Guards, stationed to the
left in the woods; and the cavalry, on the road in column behind
the artillery.
Their formation now completed, the British troops waited for the
command to attack. At its word they moved almost directly east
toward the brow of the hill held by the Americans. Brisk fighting
ensued on the two flanks, where Greene had stationed his experienced troops. This flank resistance forced the commander of each
of the two British wings to commit his small support to the battle in its earliest stages. Gen. Alexander Leslie, on the right,
brought up the 1st Battalion of the Guards to assist in opposing
the American left, and thus extended his own line. On the British left Lt. Col. James Webster caused his whole line to incline to
the left, while his support, the 2d Battalion and Grenadiers of the
Guards, moved into the center to maintain contact with the right
wing and fill the interval caused by Webster's swerve to the left.
The Light Infantry and Yagers were brought up from the reserve
and posted on the extreme left flank. Many casualties were suffered by the British, especially by the flank units, but the center
encountered little resistance, for that part of the American line, in
large measure, broke at the first onset.
The American left flank detachment under Lee and Campbell retired toward the southeast under pressure from the Regiment of
Bose and the 1st Battalion of the Guards. Continuing their struggle, these units became completely detached from the main course
of the engagement, conducting what amounted to a separate conflict of their own. This battle within a battle was finally broken
off by the Americans at about the same time that the main engagement ended.
The exact course of the American right flank detachment is unknown. It seems most probable that it briefly took position on
the flank of the second line; and, upon the retirement of that body,
moved thence to the flank of the third.
The break in the center permitted the attack to proceed east along
the road and through the woods about 400 yards, where it struck
the second line. There the Virginians gave a good account of
themselves, inflicting further casualties upon the attackers. Superior
British discipline, organization, and experience, however, were too
much for the militia, who were forced to retire to the rear. The
second line withdrew in a distinctly more orderly fashion than had
the first line.
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