225^th Anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens

By Joe Harris , North Carolina Society

“Come to the Cow-pens,” and on January 14, 2006, thousands braved the cold, windy and damp elements of a winter day to pay tribute to the patriots of that great American victory – The Battle of Cowpens.  During his speech, the Honorable John O. Marsh, Jr. (former Secretary of the Army during the Reagan Administration) remarked how the victory was like a ripple caused by a stone thrown into a pond.  In the case of this particular battle the stone was a huge rock with ripples stretching across the sea.  The world was changed by the outcome at the Cowpens.  

The Honorable John O. Marsh, Jr. – former Secretary of the Army

The battle occurring on January 17, 1781 is quite possibly the most reviewed among students of American military science and tactics, as it was one of only a few successful double envelopments in our Army’s history.  Brigadier General and patriot Daniel Morgan understood the natures of the men under his command and employed them skillfully against arguably the best trained and most disciplined ground force of that time – the British Regular Army.  Coming on the heels of the remarkable Overmountain Men victory atop Kings Mountain , the battle at the Cowpens was the second decisive defeat for the British Army in the Southern Campaign.  Following the race across North Carolina to Virginia ’s Dan River , the American Army would select the terrain at Guilford Courthouse for the next major battle of the American Revolution.

South Atlantic States District Vice President General C. D. Williams

presents the District Wreath at the Cowpens Federal Monument .  

Lynwood Jordan, a member of the South Carolina Society, for the eleventh year in a row, coordinated the national society’s wreath laying event.  George Thurmond, Vice Chairman of the National Historic Sites and Celebrations Committee, presented Dr. Jordan the society’s Meritorious Service Medal (first Oakleaf Cluster) for his years of faithful service.  Ten state societies were represented and ninety-three wreaths were presented before a composite state society color guard.  Hundreds of men, women and children viewed in reverence as each wreath was presented with honor and dignity to those men who fought here.

Composite SAR Color Guard

Joe Harris is the current President of the North Carolina Society.  He is the National Chairman of the ROTC/JROTC/Service Academy Committee and serves as a member on numerous other national committees.