“Has thee become a macaroni[[2]], John, that thee has such a fine cloak?” queried Peggy as she relieved Drayton of his beaver and roquelaure.
“With these clothes?” asked the youth quizzically. For the removal of the cloak exposed a very shabby uniform to view. “That roquelaure became mine by what you might call impressment, and ‘thereby hangs a tale’ which you shall hear anon. But now for Cowpens.”
“Yes; let us hear about Cowpens,” cried Peggy eagerly. “Oh! I can scarce wait the telling.”
“It happened after this fashion,” began Drayton settling himself with a sigh of satisfaction in the chair Mrs. Owen had brought. “Lord Cornwallis began again his march toward North Carolina with the first of the year. So General Greene detached Brigadier-General Morgan to harass the left flank of the British, and to threaten Ninety Six. We annoyed Cornwallis so much that he sent Colonel Tarleton with the light infantry and some cavalry to push us to the utmost.
“Colonel Tarleton advanced up the west side of the Broad River, while his lordship proceeded up the east side; the plan being for him to fall upon us should we attempt to recross and retreat into North Carolina. Well, I am bound to say that Colonel Tarleton did press us hard. So much so that we fell back before him until we reached the Cowpens, so called because the cattle are here rounded up and branded. It lies about midway between Spartanburg and the Cherokee Ford of the Broad River. The position was both difficult and dangerous, and though General Morgan didn’t want to fight, he knew that the time had come when he had to.
“Well, what did the man do as we camped there the night before the battle? Why, he went among the men as they sat about the camp-fires, and told them he was going to fight and just what he wanted them to do. The result was a glorious victory the next day.
“We rose early and breakfasted quietly, and then prepared to fight. About eight o’clock the enemy came in sight and drew up in line of battle. No sooner were they formed than they rushed forward shouting like a lot of demons. ’Tis Colonel Tarleton’s way of attack, and ofttimes it scares the militia so that they become panic stricken, and break and run. This was the time when they didn’t.
“The militia received the first onslaught, fired two volleys and then fell back, according to instructions. As they did so the British yelled and shouted, and advanced in a run. And then you should have seen how Pickens’ sharpshooters got in their work. ‘Wait until they are within fifty yards,’ they had been told, ‘and then fire.’ They followed their orders to the letter, and picked off the men with the epaulettes until the ranks of the British were demoralized by the loss of officers. Then the second line cleared, and we regulars advanced, and charged. The next thing any of us knew the British infantry threw away their arms, and began to cry for quarter.
“Colonel Tarleton then ordered his dragoons to charge while he attempted to rally the infantry, but the rout was too complete. When he found that he could do nothing with the infantry, he made another struggle to get his cavalry to charge, hoping to retrieve the day, but his efforts proved fruitless. They forsook him, and went flying from the field of battle. Colonel William Washington pursued them until evening, and on his return drove before him a number of prisoners which he had collected on the route.
“There were six hundred men captured; ten officers and more than a hundred men killed, but Tarleton, I am sorry to say, escaped. All the cannon, arms, equipage, music and everything fell into our hands, while our loss was but twelve killed and sixty wounded. Oh, I tell you we were jubilant! We crossed the river, making a détour to escape his lordship, and brought our prisoners and booty safe to a junction with the main army. General Greene was delighted over the victory, for the destruction of Colonel Tarleton’s force will cripple Cornwallis severely. After a few more such victories I think his lordship will realize that he no longer hath a Gates to deal with.”