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JJDESIGNS NEWS UPDATE 18[SUP]th[/SUP] SEPTEMBER 2023
THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 1775 – 1783
THE BATTLE OF COWPENS, JANUARY 17[SUP]th[/SUP], 1781.
The Battle of Cowpens was an engagement during the American Revolutionary War fought on January 17[SUP]th[/SUP] 1781, near the town of Cowpens, South Carolina, between American forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, and British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, as part of the campaign in the Carolinas.
The battle was a turning point in the American reconquest of South Carolina from the British.
Tarleton’s force of 1,000 British troops were set against 2,000 troops under Morgan. Morgan’s forces suffered casualties of only 25 killed and 124 wounded. Tarleton’s force was almost completely eliminated with almost 30% casualties and 55% of his force captured or missing, with Tarleton himself and only about 200 British troops escaping.
Morgan’s forces conducted a double envelopment of the British forces, the only double envelopment of the war.
THE 71[SUP]st[/SUP] REGIMENT OF FOOT
The final figure will be released for the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] Regiment in November.
The 71[SUP]st[/SUP] Regiment of Foot was a regiment of infantry raised in 1775, and unofficially known as Fraser’s Highlanders. It was disbanded in 1786.
The regiment was raised at Inverness, Stirling and Glasgow by Lieutenant- General Simon Fraser of Lovat as the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] Regiment of Foot in 1775.
It was specifically intended for service in the American Revolutionary War.
After service in the northern colonies, the regiment was sent south in December 1778. From that time forward all parts of the regiment were involved in most actions of the southern campaign. The 71[SUP]st[/SUP] was to incorporate numerous colonial recruits, though the morale of the unit as a regular regiment was high.
The 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Battalion under Major Archibald McArthur was assigned to Tarleton’s command to pursue Daniel Morgan’s Flying army until the clash at Cowpens. The only men to escape the Cowpens debacle were those few left guarding the baggage train in the rear. As a result of the defeat the regiment thereafter wore no uniform facings. The officers of the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] petitioned Cornwallis that the regiment never again serve under Tarleton’s command, and Cornwallis honoured the request.
The remnants of the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] would fight on, and surrendered at Yorktowm.
After the final figure for the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] Regiment will be released in November, the releases for two other British units will start to be available
7[SUP]th[/SUP] ROYAL FUSILIERS
The 7[SUP]th[/SUP] was formed as an escort to the Royal artillery.Based in Canada prior to the Revolution, the regiment was essentially destroyed in the 1775-76 American invasion. Re-formed in late 1776 from exchanged prisoners, the regiment fought in the northern colonies until sent south in 1779. The Fusiliers formed part of the Charlestown garrison before being moved to Winnsboro. Like many units, “the Regiment was not at the highest state of efficiency. It had suffered heavily from disease, and the few men who represented it were almost entirely recruits.”
At Cowpens this was apparently evident when men fired prematurely, or broke ranks to pursue the “fleeing” American militia. Tarleton laid part of the blame for the Cowpens debacle on the “inexperienced” 7[SUP]th[/SUP], but as quoted in the history of the Fusiliers, an American officer present at Cowpens said, “the Fusiliers… had served with credit in America from the commencement of the war, and under an excellent officer, General Clark, had attained the summit of military discipline.”
The 7[SUP]th[/SUP] must have fought well, as disproportionate numbers of patriot casualties were suffered by formations who faced the 7[SUP]th[/SUP] Fusiliers.
THE BRITISH LEGION
The British Legion was a British provincial regiment established during the American Revolutionary War, composed of British loyalist American infantry and dragoons. It was known as Tarleton’s Raiders after the British officer who led most of its day to day activities, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, and the green uniform coats. It was an unit the size of a regiment consisting of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and able to operate independently.
The unit was raised in New York in July 1778 by Sir Henry Clinton in order to merge combined infantry and cavalry forces and a battery of light artillery.
The regiment was commanded by William Lord Cathcart, as colonel.
Once the unit left New York, Banastre Tarleton was commissioned as Lieutenant colonel, and took full operational command.
The Legion’s peak operational strength was approximately 250 cavalry and 200 infantry.
CONTINENTAL LINE INFANTRY
THE DELAWARE COMPANY.
The main core of Morgan’s flying Army was a battalion of veteran Continentals. Three companies of the Maryland Line, and one company from Delaware. These were highly trained and disciplined, and formed the main line commanded by John Eager Howard. They were the best troops to engage in prolonged close combat with British regulars.
The Delaware Company was especially highly regarded, and most were survivors from the Battle of Camden. Their commander, Captain Robert Kirkwood, was also well regarded.
Their full regimental issued uniforms were dark blue with red facings, cuffs and turn backs. Waistcoats were white and more durable buckskins replaced the white cotton breeches, and they wore cocked hats trimmed with yellow braid.
A black metal cannister which held forty extra cartidges was also added.
In October 1780, North Carolina, from its meagre stores, furnished the men of the Delaware company with new shoes, a hunting shirt, and blue striped ticking overalls. This was the uniform worn at Cowpens and subsequent actions, at Guilford Court House, Hobkirk’s Hill, the Siege of Ninety Six and Eutaw Springs.
The first of the Continental Line figures will be available from December.
Best wishes and many thanks
john jenkins
THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 1775 – 1783
THE BATTLE OF COWPENS, JANUARY 17[SUP]th[/SUP], 1781.
The Battle of Cowpens was an engagement during the American Revolutionary War fought on January 17[SUP]th[/SUP] 1781, near the town of Cowpens, South Carolina, between American forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, and British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, as part of the campaign in the Carolinas.
The battle was a turning point in the American reconquest of South Carolina from the British.
Tarleton’s force of 1,000 British troops were set against 2,000 troops under Morgan. Morgan’s forces suffered casualties of only 25 killed and 124 wounded. Tarleton’s force was almost completely eliminated with almost 30% casualties and 55% of his force captured or missing, with Tarleton himself and only about 200 British troops escaping.
Morgan’s forces conducted a double envelopment of the British forces, the only double envelopment of the war.
THE 71[SUP]st[/SUP] REGIMENT OF FOOT
The final figure will be released for the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] Regiment in November.
The 71[SUP]st[/SUP] Regiment of Foot was a regiment of infantry raised in 1775, and unofficially known as Fraser’s Highlanders. It was disbanded in 1786.
The regiment was raised at Inverness, Stirling and Glasgow by Lieutenant- General Simon Fraser of Lovat as the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] Regiment of Foot in 1775.
It was specifically intended for service in the American Revolutionary War.
After service in the northern colonies, the regiment was sent south in December 1778. From that time forward all parts of the regiment were involved in most actions of the southern campaign. The 71[SUP]st[/SUP] was to incorporate numerous colonial recruits, though the morale of the unit as a regular regiment was high.
The 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Battalion under Major Archibald McArthur was assigned to Tarleton’s command to pursue Daniel Morgan’s Flying army until the clash at Cowpens. The only men to escape the Cowpens debacle were those few left guarding the baggage train in the rear. As a result of the defeat the regiment thereafter wore no uniform facings. The officers of the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] petitioned Cornwallis that the regiment never again serve under Tarleton’s command, and Cornwallis honoured the request.
The remnants of the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] would fight on, and surrendered at Yorktowm.
After the final figure for the 71[SUP]st[/SUP] Regiment will be released in November, the releases for two other British units will start to be available
7[SUP]th[/SUP] ROYAL FUSILIERS
The 7[SUP]th[/SUP] was formed as an escort to the Royal artillery.Based in Canada prior to the Revolution, the regiment was essentially destroyed in the 1775-76 American invasion. Re-formed in late 1776 from exchanged prisoners, the regiment fought in the northern colonies until sent south in 1779. The Fusiliers formed part of the Charlestown garrison before being moved to Winnsboro. Like many units, “the Regiment was not at the highest state of efficiency. It had suffered heavily from disease, and the few men who represented it were almost entirely recruits.”
At Cowpens this was apparently evident when men fired prematurely, or broke ranks to pursue the “fleeing” American militia. Tarleton laid part of the blame for the Cowpens debacle on the “inexperienced” 7[SUP]th[/SUP], but as quoted in the history of the Fusiliers, an American officer present at Cowpens said, “the Fusiliers… had served with credit in America from the commencement of the war, and under an excellent officer, General Clark, had attained the summit of military discipline.”
The 7[SUP]th[/SUP] must have fought well, as disproportionate numbers of patriot casualties were suffered by formations who faced the 7[SUP]th[/SUP] Fusiliers.
THE BRITISH LEGION
The British Legion was a British provincial regiment established during the American Revolutionary War, composed of British loyalist American infantry and dragoons. It was known as Tarleton’s Raiders after the British officer who led most of its day to day activities, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, and the green uniform coats. It was an unit the size of a regiment consisting of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and able to operate independently.
The unit was raised in New York in July 1778 by Sir Henry Clinton in order to merge combined infantry and cavalry forces and a battery of light artillery.
The regiment was commanded by William Lord Cathcart, as colonel.
Once the unit left New York, Banastre Tarleton was commissioned as Lieutenant colonel, and took full operational command.
The Legion’s peak operational strength was approximately 250 cavalry and 200 infantry.
CONTINENTAL LINE INFANTRY
THE DELAWARE COMPANY.
The main core of Morgan’s flying Army was a battalion of veteran Continentals. Three companies of the Maryland Line, and one company from Delaware. These were highly trained and disciplined, and formed the main line commanded by John Eager Howard. They were the best troops to engage in prolonged close combat with British regulars.
The Delaware Company was especially highly regarded, and most were survivors from the Battle of Camden. Their commander, Captain Robert Kirkwood, was also well regarded.
Their full regimental issued uniforms were dark blue with red facings, cuffs and turn backs. Waistcoats were white and more durable buckskins replaced the white cotton breeches, and they wore cocked hats trimmed with yellow braid.
A black metal cannister which held forty extra cartidges was also added.
In October 1780, North Carolina, from its meagre stores, furnished the men of the Delaware company with new shoes, a hunting shirt, and blue striped ticking overalls. This was the uniform worn at Cowpens and subsequent actions, at Guilford Court House, Hobkirk’s Hill, the Siege of Ninety Six and Eutaw Springs.
The first of the Continental Line figures will be available from December.
Best wishes and many thanks
john jenkins
