BGuthrie Photos: NC -- Guilford Courthouse Natl Military Park -- Visitor Center

NC -- Guilford Courthouse Natl Military Park -- Visitor Center:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. GUILVC_150322_001.JPG: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park On March 15, 1781, the crackling of musket fire, the clamor of headlong cavalry charges, and the cries of the wounded disturbed the serenity of these woods and fields. Coming late in the war, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse was a climatic episode in the struggle for American independence. To follow the progress of the fighting, take the 2�-mile auto/bicycle tour road and see where thickets and stream valleys broke soldiers' orderly ranks into an unpredictable struggle. Foot trails lead deeper into the battleground to other sites and monuments. The national park preserves the historic landscape much as it appeared at the time of the battle. Beyond its boundaries, there are many other recreation opportunities. The visitor center near the American first line offers exhibits, a film, a battle map program, and information about special programs. Tannenbaum Historic Park interprets life before, during, and after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Greensboro Country Park has picnic shelters, hiking and biking trails, and fishing lakes. Jaycee Park provides tennis courts and team athletic fields.
2. GUILVC_150322_007.JPG: Guilford Courthouse "I never saw such fighting since God made me. The Americans fought like demons." -- Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis The Battle of Guilford Courthouse Thursday, March 15, 1781 A rebel army of 4,400 Americans led by Major General Nathanael Greene made its stand here to contest the invasion of North Carolina by a veteran force of 1,900 British soldiers commanded by Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis. The high-water mark of the Southern Campaign, the battle signified the beginning of the end of the Revolutionary War.
3. GUILVC_150322_011.JPG: The Battle of Guilford Courthouse Thursday, March 15, 1781 A rebel army of 4,400 Americans led by Major General Nathanael Greene made its stand here to contest the invasion of North Carolina by a veteran force of 1,900 British soldiers commanded by Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis. The high-water mark of the Southern Campaign, the battle signified the beginning of the end of the Revolutionary War.
4. GUILVC_150322_014.JPG: "I never saw such fighting since God made me. The Americans fought like demons." -- Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis
5. GUILVC_150322_017.JPG: Life in the Backcountry Seeking land, thousands of settlers began arriving here in the 1740s. When Guilford County formed in 1771, this was still backcountry. Guilford settlers typically owned small farms. Corn and pork were dietary mainstays, supplemented by hunting and fishing. For income, settlers sold cattle, hogs, and wheat, but making a profit was hard without large cities for markets. When court was in session, farmers traded and sold their produce. Alcohol flowed freely, and finely-dressed citizens danced late into the evenings.
6. GUILVC_150322_020.JPG: Life in Guilford No Peace for the Friends: Three miles west of Guilford Courthouse, the Society of Friends established the settlement of New Garden. The Friends, or Quakers, believed in simple speech and dress, and rejected religious rites and ordained ministers. The Quakers opposed war, but they could not escape the American Revolution. Men were required to pay triple taxes to escape military service. On the morning of March 15, 1781, the Friends Meeting House grounds became a bloody battlefield. Twenty-five miles west of Guilford Courthouse, about a half-day's ride, was the larger Moravian community of Salem. The Moravians were German-speaking Protestants who lived in a church-centered trading commune. Slavery: A Cruel Response: In the American colonies, land was more plentiful than hands to work the land. Slavery was a cruel response to this labor shortage. In colonial North Carolina, most slaves lived and worked in the Eastern coastal plain. Backcountry settlers generally lacked the funds to buy slaves, and the corn and wheat grown here required less labor than the rice, tobacco and naval stores raised in the East. Royal Governor William Tryon observed that slaves worked in the woods and field, sowing and gathering. He also noted that many slaves were skilled craftsmen, producing barrels, hoops, staves, shingles, rails, posts and pails, "all which they do to admiration..." Dutiful Women: Early accounts refer to Carolina women as being "bred to the Needle and Spinning" as well as "to the dairy and domestick affairs," while standing "ready to help and assist their Husbands in any Servile Work..." Most could not read or write. North Carolina was sparsely settled in the late 1700s. A visitor in 1783 noted that married women observed "a monastic seclusion" and total "submission to their husbands." They divorced themselves "from all intimate friendships" and devoted themselves "entirely upon the care of their house and family." Unmarried women could own and manage their own property. There was, however, tremendous social pressure to marry and have families. Few women chose to remain single.
7. GUILVC_150322_025.JPG: No Peace for the Friends: Three miles west of Guilford Courthouse, the Society of Friends established the settlement of New Garden. The Friends, or Quakers, believed in simple speech and dress, and rejected religious rites and ordained ministers. The Quakers opposed war, but they could not escape the American Revolution. Men were required to pay triple taxes to escape military service. On the morning of March 15, 1781, the Friends Meeting House grounds became a bloody battlefield. Twenty-five miles west of Guilford Courthouse, about a half-day's ride, was the larger Moravian community of Salem. The Moravians were German-speaking Protestants who lived in a church-centered trading commune.
8. GUILVC_150322_027.JPG: Salem, NC, 1787
9. GUILVC_150322_033.JPG: Slavery: A Cruel Response: In the American colonies, land was more plentiful than hands to work the land. Slavery was a cruel response to this labor shortage. In colonial North Carolina, most slaves lived and worked in the Eastern coastal plain. Backcountry settlers generally lacked the funds to buy slaves, and the corn and wheat grown here required less labor than the rice, tobacco and naval stores raised in the East. Royal Governor William Tryon observed that slaves worked in the woods and field, sowing and gathering. He also noted that many slaves were skilled craftsmen, producing barrels, hoops, staves, shingles, rails, posts and pails, "all which they do to admiration..."
10. GUILVC_150322_036.JPG: A Revolution is Born The lack of representation in Parliament and the imposition of taxes spurred many Americans to take up arms to assert their "rights as Englishmen." On April 19, 1775, American and British soldiers fired on each other at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. In July 1776, this civil war became a revolution when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. No longer aggrieved "Britons," the representatives of the colonies declared themselves "free and independent" citizens of the United States of America. The Revolutionary War: Seven years of bitter conflict were required to convince the British government to accept the Declaration's bold statements of principle and recognize American independence. From 1775 to 1778, active campaigning was concentrated in the region between Massachusetts -- where the first shots were fired -- and Pennsylvania -- where the Declaration of Independence was adopted. British arms enjoyed great success. American defeats at Long Island, White Plains, and along the Hudson were disastrous. The tide began to turn decisively in September 1777, when American troops forced the surrender of a great British army at Saratoga, New York.
11. GUILVC_150322_041.JPG: King George III, 1779, by Benjamin West
12. GUILVC_150322_042.JPG: Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, 1776. This pamphlet fueled the fires of the revolutionary movement.
13. GUILVC_150322_049.JPG: The Turning Point: The unexpected American victory at Saratoga prompted France to join forces with the new United States in 1778. The French alliance broadened the American Revolution into a world war. British arms, already spread thin in America, would now be required to defend the British Isles and valuable colonies stretching from India to the West Indies against French forces. How could the British fight on so many fronts? The British believed that in the South there redcoats would be welcomed by thousands of loyalists, or tories, who would take up arms to defeat the rebels. In 1778, the British launched their offensives in Georgia and the Carolinas. Thereafter, the South would be the Revolutionary War's decisive theater of operations.
14. GUILVC_150322_053.JPG: Canteen of a pattern used by Continental soldiers during the Revolutionary War, carried by John Ward in the New York area.
15. GUILVC_150322_056.JPG: Powder horn, used by AR Niles in the New York area
16. GUILVC_150322_061.JPG: Taking the South: The new British strategy was a brilliant success. Their armies first captured Georgia with the fall of Savannah in December 1778. The redcoats eulted they had taken "the first star and stripe from the rebel flag." Charleston, South Carolina, and her 5,000 American defenders surrendered May 12, 1780. Victorious British commander-in-chief Sir Henry Clinton returned to New York, entrusted the Southern theater to Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis. Cornwallis had his orders, first secure South Carolina then carry the campaign north.
17. GUILVC_150322_070.JPG: Gentlemen and Common Men: Revolutionary War soldiers might be professional or "regular" soldiers, as well as part-time soldiers. Among them were idealists, the civic-minded, the destitute, and slaves. Criminals and rogues often found refuge in the army. Strict discipline was necessary. In 18th century society, army officers were usually titled persons and gentlemen in high standing. Common men with leadership skills could become noncommissioned officers. The men in the ranks were usually made up of common men and men of lower classes.
18. GUILVC_150322_076.JPG: Food and Spirit: Army food was usually issued in raw form. It was up to the soldiers to cook it in pots, kettles, Dutch ovens, grills, and broilers. A soldier had to supply his own utensils -- a spoon, cup, fork, knife, and wood or metal plate. Staples consisted of flour, corn meal, or bread, and beef, pork, or fish. Sometimes beans or peas could be had. At Guilford Courthouse the Virginia militia were supplied with bacon, beef, mutton, flour, corn, and corn meal. Strong spirits were usually furnished. During his Southern Campaign, Nathanael Greene wrote, "Without spirits the men cannon support the fatigues of a long campaign." In the Guilford area the citizens of North Carolina and Virginia supplied Greene's men with brandy and rum.
19. GUILVC_150322_080.JPG: Keeping Up Appearances: The appearance of the Revolutionary War soldier was based on European fashion. Each soldier was required to be clean-shaven, with hair neatly trimmed. However, the merits of personal cleanliness were little known in the 18th century. Each soldier wore shoes, shirt, waistcoat (vest), and breeches, trousers, or overalls. * British regiments wore red coats with facings (lapels, collar, and cuffs) of a certain color and lace. * Continental regiments wore blue or brown coats with facings of red, white, or other colors. * Musicians of both armies traditionally wore coats reverse in color of the infantry to which they were attached. This allowed officers to quickly locate these signalmen during the smoke and confusion of battle. * Hessian infantry wore blue coats and Jaegers wore green. * Artillery uniforms for both armies were both with red facings. Musicians of both armies often wore uniforms of reverse color. * British cavalry wore either red or green coats, while the American cavalry wore blue, green, or white. * Militia regiments usually did not have a uniform and wore a variety of clothing from home or state stores.
20. GUILVC_150322_088.JPG: On the March: On the back roads of Carolina in 1781, it was easy for travelers to lose their way. A compass was an essential tool for anyone venturing far from the established larger settlements. Rogues, outlaws, and highwaymen took advantage of the unrest. Armies also found it difficult to navigate through the backcountry. Engineers provided maps and data on routes, rivers, and fords. Officers were required to report distances covered each day of a campaign. When the army intended to stay in one place for a time, the soldiers laid out camps, felled trees, erected defenses, and built huts and kitchens.
21. GUILVC_150322_096.JPG: Leisure Hours: The Revolutionary War consisted of long encampments, with campaigns of marching and fighting. When a soldier completed drilling and duties for the day, he might find time for hunting, fishing, reading, writing, playing games, drinking, smoking, telling stories, sewing, or repairing equipment. A British officer might treat other officers or civilian visitors to tea in the afternoon or dinner in the evening. Soldiers celebrated holidays with parades, gun salutes, and spirits.
22. GUILVC_150322_100.JPG: Life in Camp: "Pay no Regard to any terrible stories... of camp life -- it agrees perfectly with me. God bless you my love -- Remember me to the Girls & Kiss our children..." -- Major St. George Tucker The soldier's life could be hard on both sides. On a campaign the men often slept on cold or wet ground, with only their blanket. If a soldier had a knapsack, he sometimes wrapped his coat around it for a pillow. During the Revolutionary War, families often accompanied their men into the field. Women assisted with cooking, sewing, washing clothes, and tending sick. Children carried firewood or water.
23. GUILVC_150322_103.JPG: Pipe tongs, used to retrieve hot coals from a fire for lighting a pipe
24. GUILVC_150322_107.JPG: Soldiers Redcoats: The British regulars were excellent soldiers, among the best in the world. They were called "redcoats" because most of them wore red uniform coats. Redcoats were typically 25 to 35 years of age. Many came from farms and textile mills. In the army they found a life of relentless drill, harsh discipline, and monotonous duty, punctuated by exposure to disease and the dangers of enemy action. Pay was low, but job security was high. Many redcoats in the Revolution had been in the army ten years or more. Long years of service refined their skills and built regimental pride. The army became their home, and comrades-in-arms their brothers. In America, many runaway slaves joined the British army. Continentals: In 1775 the Continental Congress first used the term "American Continental army." Soon American regular soldiers became known as "Continentals." The Continentals comprised about one-third of the American soldiers who served in the Revolutionary War. They enlisted to support the new nation, earn a living, accompany friends, or find refuge. Most were young, unmarried men with no property. Freed slaves were also recruited. Continentals enlisted for three years -- or the duration of the war. When the war began their arms, equipment, and training were lacking, but that improved by 1779. Continental officers were mostly American-born and upper class. Few started as military geniuses. They learned by experience, good sense and dogged endurance; enabling them to lead their men to one of history's most significant victories. Hessians: At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Great Britain had armies dispersed throughout the empire. To fight the rebellion in America, King George III turned to his German allies for more troops. These German soldiers were called "Hessians" because most of them came from Hesse-Cassel and Hesse-Hanau. The British paid for their service and equipment. The Hessians were veteran soldiers known for their skill and ferocity. The most distinguished regiments, like the Regiment Von Bose at Guilford Courthouse, were identified by their red neck-stocks. Officers were mostly career professionals. Some had served in armies of other countries to gain experience and reputation. When the Revolutionary War ended, more than 5,000 Hessians remained to settle in the United States. Militia: Most Americans in the War were in the militia. All men sixteen to fifty years of age were required to arm themselves and appear at regular drills. Their governor would call them to three-month tours of duty. Free African Americans were also subject to militia service. Their large numbers often made up for their lack of training and discipline. Their appearance was unmilitary and sometimes shabby, but many of these citizen soldiers were skilled shooters and able fighters. Lord Cornwallis credited their effectiveness: "I will not say much in praise of the Militia of the Southern Colonies, but the list of British officers and Soldiers killed or wounded by them since last June, proves but too fatally that they are not wholly contemptible."
25. GUILVC_150322_110.JPG: Race to the Dan River: In the weeks leading to Guilford Courthouse, Greene eluded and frustrated Cornwallis. Green retreated across North Carolina toward Virginia to consolidate and strengthen his army. He wrote the march was "the most painful imaginable." Soldiers' bloody feet stained the ground. With expert planning and decoy tactics, Greene kept Cornwallis off balance. Greene's engineers collected boats to expedite river crossings. When Greene's army floated safely across the Dan River into Virginia, they left no boats behind for Cornwallis. The Americans had won the "Race to the Dan." Cornwallis, with only 2,400 men, could not invade powerful Virginia, so he remained in North Carolina. Moving to Hillsborough, he tried to rally loyalists and "restore order," but with little success. Greene, on the other hand, strengthened his army with provisions and reinforcements. Now he was ready to challenge Cornwallis in North Carolina.
26. GUILVC_150322_115.JPG: Battle of Cowan's Ford: After the British defeat at Cowpens, American General Daniel Morgan retreated into North Carolina with Cornwallis at his heels. Cornwallis was so intent on overtaking the rebels he burned his army's baggage wagons to speed the pursuit. As Morgan maneuvers through central North Carolina, 800 militia under Brigadier General William Lee Davidson came to his aid. At Cowan's Ford on the rain-swollen Catawba River, February 1st, 1781, the Americans ambushed Cornwallis. As the British moved into the river, rifle fire raked them, and currents swept away the fallen. However, Davidson was shot dead from his horse, causing the American militia to flee. Tarleton's British cavalry charged the remnants of the militia, and later at Torrence's Tavern, killed ten of them. It would now be up to General Nathanael Greene, arriving from South Carolina, to save the retreating Americans from their desperate situation.
27. GUILVC_150322_123.JPG: One of two pistols recovered from General William Lee Davidson's saddle holsters following his death at Cowan's Ford. They are engraved with his name.
28. GUILVC_150322_126.JPG: Relentless Pursuit: "Without baggage, necessaries, or provisions of any sort for officer of soldier, in the most barren, inhospitable, unhealthy part of North America, opposed to the most savage, inveterate, perfidious, cruel enemy, with zeal and bayonets only, it was resolved to follow Greene's army to the end of the world." -- British General Charles O'Hara
29. GUILVC_150322_128.JPG: Weapons of the War Musket, Bayonet and Sword: Revolutionary War period smoothbore muskets were inaccurate by later standards. Soldiers lined up in long lines and fired massive amounts of lead balls at each other. Commanders hoped these deadly volleys would break holes in the enemy line. Once the enemy line was breached, soldiers with bayonets could rush in to create panic and break the enemy's formation. Cavalry could then ride in and hack at the panic-stricken opponents. At that point, demoralized soldiers might ask for quarter and surrender their weapons.
30. GUILVC_150322_132.JPG: Edged Weapons: Edged weapons played a critical role in the Revolutionary War. Battles like Guilford Courthouse were decided in bloody hand-to-hand combat where bayonets, swords, and even axes became the weapon of choice. Riflemen, having no bayonets, often relied on knives and tomahawks. Swords were widely used during the war. Infantrymen used hangers, while their officers carried short sabers. Cavalrymen carried heavier and longer sabers. Officers' small swords were light, straight, and slender. Hunting swords were short, cut-and-thrust weapons used by the German Jaegers, American riflemen, and officers of both sides. Pole arms served both as combat weapons and symbols of rank. The bayonet was the most widely used edged weapon of the war. It transformed the musket into a spear. It was a terrifyingly effective weapon when used by an experienced soldier. Inexperienced troops often fled in the face of bayonet charges.
31. GUILVC_150322_144.JPG: Artillery: Revolutionary War cannon were essentially very large muskets. Instead of one-ounce musket balls, they fired iron cannonballs weighing several pounds. Cannon were identified by the weight of the solid shot they fired. In the battle of Guilford Courthouse, the American army was armed with four six-pounder cannon. The British had two three-pounders and four six-pounders. Solid shot cannon balls were most useful against distant targets. They would ricochet along the ground removing feet, legs or whatever was in their path. Cannon could also fire grapeshot against troops at close range. Also called "case shot," these were packages of smaller iron balls that sprayed out, much like a giant shotgun. Rounds of grapeshot were terrifying and lethal.
32. GUILVC_150322_146.JPG: Firearms The flintlock musket was the most important weapon of the Revolutionary War. It represented the most advanced technological weapon of the 18th century. Muskets were smooth-bored, single-shot, muzzleloading weapons. The standard rate of fire for infantrymen was three shots per minute. "A soldier's musket... will strike the figure of a man at 80 yards; it may even at a hundred; but a soldier must be very unfortunate indeed who shall be wounded by a common musket at 150 yards, PROVIDED HIS ANTAGONIST AIMS AT HIM; and as to firing at a man at 200 yards with a common musket, you may just as well fire at the moon..." -- Major George Hanger The flintlock rifle was much more accurate than the musket. "... an expert rifleman... can hit the head of a man at 200 yards. I am certain that provided an American rifleman was to get perfect aim at 300 yards at me standing still, he most undoubtedly would hit me, unless it was a very windy day..." -- Major George Hanger Riflemen were at a great disadvantage in close-quarters fighting against disciplined infantry armed with muskets and bayonets. Cavalrymen and officers used pistols. Pistols were effective only at close range.
33. GUILVC_150322_149.JPG: Field Musick
34. GUILVC_150322_154.JPG: Field Musick Music to Command or Console: The drum and fife regulated the Revolutionary War soldier's life. By commands of music, the soldier was notified when to awake in the mornings, when to attend drill, when to stop for meals, when to report for pay, and all aspects of military duty. While on the march, music assisted with cadence and order, helping men to march in time. Music encouraged soldiers to press a march or attack with vigor. In addition to the drum and fife, orders were given using whistles, blowing horns, and bagpipes. Music and songs in camp lifted soldiers' spirits following exhausting duty, and helped build fellowship in the regiments. Drum and Fife: Use of the drum for conveying commands dates to ancient times. It provided distinct sounds that could be heard for great distances. It was "the very voice and tongue of the commander." After the adoption of firearms, the fife came into use. Its peculiar piercing sound transcended the noise of men and gunfire, and added melody to the drumbeats. By the Revolution, armies had adopted a system of commands given by the drum and fife which could rapidly communicate orders to whole armies at one time.
35. GUILVC_150322_164.JPG: Redcoats at Deep River: On the afternoon of March 14, 1781, British commander Cornwallis received some critical intelligence. 4,400 American soldiers were encamped at Guilford Courthouse. His 2,000 redcoats were bedding down along the Deep River, just twelve miles to the southwest. After two taxing months chasing the rebels, Cornwallis was anxious to strike a blow. The redcoats were told to be ready to march at 5:30 the next morning. Lieutenant-Colonel Banastre Tarleton. In this portrait Tarleton conceals his maimed right hand, a wound received at the Battle of New Garden. This was one of two wounds he received at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
36. GUILVC_150322_167.JPG: Greene's Plans: American commander General Greene had plans of his own on March 14, 1781, the afternoon before the battle. He had his men cooking their provisions and getting ready to march against the British. About 2:30 the next morning, Lt. Col. Henry Lee reported activity in the British camp. Greene ordered Lee forward to determine if the entire enemy force was in motion. The sounds Lee heard in the darkness that rainy night were British supply wagons being moved off to the southeast where they would be beyond the reach of the rebels. By 5:30am, the British troops began their march toward Guilford Courthouse. Giving Tarleton Hell: The Battle of New Garden: The morning of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, a hotly contested engagement unfolded near the New Garden Meeting-house and along the Old Salisbury Road (New Garden Road today). The encounters involved elements of the British advanced guard under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton and Lieutenant Colonel "Light Horse" Henry Lee's troops. The metallic ring of clashing sabers and the sharp cracking of muskets and pistols amid smoke marked the scene as the action shifted back and forth along the road. A musket ball shattered Tarleton's first and middle fingers on his right hand. Elijah Coffin, a local Quaker, recalled, "a soldier came in great haste to my mother at the dwelling, having two fingers shot off and bleeding, which she kindly dressed him as well as she could, and he hastened back to the conflict."
37. GUILVC_150322_170.JPG: British cavalry pistol, .65 caliber
38. GUILVC_150322_173.JPG: Action of New Garden:: "The action became very sharp and was bravely maintained on both sides." -- Lt. Colonel Henry Lee
39. GUILVC_150322_183.JPG: Facing the British Army The Battle of Guilford Courthouse March 15, 1781... "The day seems nearly at hand that will render North Carolina perfected happy or completely miserable." -- Richard Harrison, the morning of the battle Long before dawn Nathanael Greene's American headquarters at Guilford Courthouse had been busy. Intelligence reports indicated the whole British army was advancing toward Guilford Courthouse. Greene, lacking confidence in his militia, and concluding that attacking would be too risky, determined to let Cornwallis come to him. Greene deployed his troops in defensive postures that took advantage of the terrain along New Garden Road. The advancing redcoats would have to face strong American positions on three ridgelines -- the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Lines. The militia faced the fury of the first attacks, the Continentals taking over after the British had been bloodied and exhausted. To a degree, Greene's plan threw away the overwhelming American advantage of numbers. Instead of encountering 4,400 Americans in a body, the 1,900 British would face smaller aggregations of 1,500, 1,200, and 1,700 men. Greene seemed intent on crippling -- rather than conquering -- the redcoats.
40. GUILVC_150322_187.JPG: The British Army: The British Army was one of the best in the world. Lord Cornwallis' army that fought here was composed of tough, hard-fighting veterans, who had fought most of the major battles of the war. British-Allied Regiments that Fought at Guilford Courthouse Foot Guards Battalion: Organized as early as 1650, the Foot Guards acted as the King's personal guard. 7th Regiment of Foot, Royal Fusiliers: Formed in 1685, the regiment had been captured at Cowpens, but a few fought here. 23rd Regiment of Foot, Royal Welsh Fusiliers: This renowned regiment compiled an impressive battle record prior to Guilford. 33rd Regiment of Foot: This was the training regiment for the British army and Lord Cornwallis' own. 71st Regiment of Foot, Frazier's Highlanders: The 1st Battalion was captured at Cowpens, and the 2nd Battalion fought here. Royal Artillery Regiment: The artillery regiment served in almost every action of the war. Musketeer Regiment Von Bose: Formed in 1701, this experienced German regiment arrived in America in 1776, and fought several battles before Guilford. Ansbach-Beyreuth and Hesse-Cassel Jaeger Corps: Considered an elite corps, Jaegers fought in many Revolutionary War actions. 17th Light Dragoons: Formed in 1759, this cavalry regiment had one troops that fought in the Southern Campaign. British Legion: Raised in 1778, its quick and savage attacks earned it a fierce reputation.
41. GUILVC_150322_191.JPG: Haldane Map: This is the only contemporary map of the area, believed to have been sketched just after the battle by Lieutenant Henry Haldane of the British Engineers. Its accuracy has been verified by eyewitness accounts and archaeological evidence.
42. GUILVC_150322_197.JPG: 1st American Line: On March 15th, 1781, about 12:30 in the afternoon, through the forest about three hundred yards to your left the North Carolina Militia were posted across the Great Salisbury Road (New Garden Road) in expectation of the advancing British Army. Following a thirty-minute artillery duel, the redcoats changed the militia who fired one volley before fleeing through the woods.
43. GUILVC_150322_200.JPG: Fleeing Militia: The afternoon of the battle about 1:15, North Carolina militiamen from the 1st line of action fled through the woods in front of you. They came from your left and retreated to your right. Some in their hurry dropped their weapons and equipment on the ground. Behind them came the redcoats in hot pursuit. However, 300 yards to your right, the redcoats would collide with the American 2nd line.
44. GUILVC_150322_205.JPG: 2nd American Line: About 1:30 that Thursday afternoon the British troops encountered the Virginia militia at the 2nd line about 300 yards to your right. After blind fighting in dense forests, complicated by thick white smoke and the confusion of battle, the Virginians stubbornly yielded their ground to the British. Scattering sounds of gunfire indicated there were still pockets of resistance.
45. GUILVC_150322_208.JPG: 3rd American Line: About 2:30 in the afternoon, the rattling of heavy gunfire coming from your right about a half a mile away announced the action at the 3rd line. Following destructive exchanges of musket and cannon-fire and savage, bloody, hand-to-hand combat, came bursts of cannon-fire. Except for occasional shots in the distance, the battle was ended. Greene's American army retreated, leaving the British in control of the field.
46. GUILVC_150322_211.JPG: Deadly Terrain: As the engagement at the 1st line developed, two more severe actions took place. Ahead of you in the dense old growth forest of 1781, about a half-mile away, the red and green colors of the British charged the blue and white colors of Washington's legion posted in the rolling hills. Four intense engagements of musket-fire sounded before the British were able to dislodge Washington's tough veterans. Behind you, about 300 yards away, more redcoats and Hessians were trying to maneuver through the thick gray woods. Blazing musket volleys and crackling rifle shots clipped tree branches and tore holes through flesh and bones. Fending off the repeated attacked with sometimes back-to-back musket-fire and angry bayonet charges, the British blindly pushed forward until they occupied a hill about a half-mile south of the courthouse. Eventually, Tarleton's green-coated British cavalry appeared. The charging horsemen furiously swinging their heavy sabers down on the American riflemen who fired the last shots of the battle, then disappeared into the woods.
47. GUILVC_150322_215.JPG: American rifleman. Riflemen from Joseph Winston's Surry County militia fired some of the last shots of the battle.
48. GUILVC_150322_220.JPG: The Continental Army The Continental Army begun in 1775 as a militia army surrounding the British in Boston. George Washington, its Commander-in-Chief, held the army together. The Continental system had its basis in organizing regiments according to states. Each state, when called, was required to send regiments of men. Baron Von Steuben improved the army's organization in the winter of 1777-1778 when he regulated each regiment's size and established a regulation system of drill. American Regiments that Fought at Guilford Courthouse: First Maryland Regiment: Founded in 1776, it was described as "the finest battalion in the American Army." Second Maryland Regiment: It consisted of new recruits and fought its first action at Guilford Courthouse. Delaware Regiment: This regiment served with distinction in Washington's Army, and some survived the Battle of Camden. William Washington's Legion: This unit included dragoons and light infantry, as well as the North Carolina Light Horse. Henry Lee's Legion: "Light Horse" Henry Lee commanded this hard-fighting veteran unit established in 1778. It had three horse companies and three companies on foot. First Continental Artillery: This unit served with Washington's Army and was captured at the fall of Charleston. The remnants here had two 2-gun detachments. Virginia State Regiments: These veteran militiamen enlisted for eighteen months. Their performance at Guilford was as strong as the Continental regulars. North Carolina Militia: These were inexperienced men from Butte, Edgecombe, Guilford, Granville, Halifax, Orange, Rowan, and Surry counties. Virginia Militia: The two brigades that fought here were from fourteen Virginia counties. Riflemen: The three experienced rifle units fought admirably in Guilford -- one from North Carolina, and two from Virginia.
49. GUILVC_150322_238.JPG: Those Who Fought Here Nathanael Greene: A brilliant strategist whose appointment to the southern campaign changed the outcome of the war. William Washington: A kinsman of George Washington, this active cavalryman demonstrated his courage and skill in several battles prior to leading the decisive cavalry charge stopping the British advance at the third line of Guilford. Otho Williams: Demonstrating outstanding leadership abilities at Camden and the Race to the Dan, this commander performed brilliantly at Wetzell's Mill and Guilford. William R. Davie: Distinguishing himself at Stones [???] Ferry, and the Battle of Charleston, this officer served at Greene's Commissary General. John Eager Howard: Receiving the thanks of Congress for his performance at Cowpens, this commander led the charge of the First Maryland Regiment against the British Guards. Isaac Huger: One of Greene's most trusted officers, this South Carolinian was second-in-command at Guilford. Joseph Winston: A veteran of the Moore's Creek and Cherokee campaigns and a commander tat the Battle of King's Mountain, this officer and his rifleman fought valiantly until forced to retire at the end of the action. Henry Lee: One of the most integral and daring leaders of the war, this officer fought a [???] action that stunned [???] the main attack of two British regiments at the third line. Charles, 2nd Earl, Cornwallis: A professional and aggressive soldier who was called "the modern Hannibal." Charles O'Hara: This aggressive commander of the Guards Brigade, wounded twice in the battle, demonstrated the finest skills of the British officer corps with his performance at Guilford. Frederick Von Scheer: A veteran of long service, this Hessian officer led a charge which dislodged the American attack upon the rear of his regiment. Alexander Leslie: Figuring prominently in several battles of the war, this Major General commanded the British right wing at Guilford. Banastre Tarleton: Perhaps the most spirited [???] and hated soldier of the war, wounded twice [???] on the day of the battle, this enterprising and [???] cavalryman was [???].
50. GUILVC_150322_239.JPG: In American Words: "My brave boys, your lands, your lives and your country depend on your conduct this day. I have given Tarleton hell this morning and I will give him more of it before night... You hear damnation roaring over all these woods, but after all they are no more than we." -- "Light Horse" Henry Lee addressing the militia "He was placed in the front line... about 200 yards to the right of an open field, and when the British made their charge he saw the disgraceful retreat of that portion of the militia which was placed behind the fence of the field..." -- James Collins, Butte County Militia "... he had the mortification to see his men fly at the approach of the enemy; and although this applicant endeavored to rally them, it was impossible and many even retreated to their homes." -- Captain Henry Connelly, Guilford Militia In British Words "After the brigade formed across the open ground, the colonel rode on to the front, and gave the word, 'Charge...' When arrived within 40 yards of the enemy's line, it was perceived that their whole force had their arms presented, and resting on a rail fence... Col. Webster rode forward... and said, with more than even his usual commanding voice... 'Come on my brave Fuzileers' ... They rushed forward amid the enemy's fire; dreadful was the havoc on both sides... At last the Americans gave way..." -- Sergeant Roger Lamb, 23rd Royal Welsh Fusilers "In the advance we received a very deadly fire, from the (Scots-) Irish line of the American army, composed of their marksmen lying on the ground behind a rail fence. One half the highlanders dropped on that spot." -- Captain Dugald Stuart, 71st Regiment of Foot
51. GUILVC_150322_245.JPG: Cannon balls
52. GUILVC_150322_247.JPG: In American Words: "While we were advancing to execute [our] orders the British had advanced & having turned the flank... we discovered them in our rear; this threw the militia into such confusion that without attending in the least to their officers who endeavored to halt them & make them face about & Engage the Enemy, Holcome's Regt. and ours instantly broke off without firing a single Gun and dispersed like a Flock of Sheep frightened by Dogs." -- Major St. George Tucker, Prince George County Militia In British Words: "Here the conflict became still more fierce.... I observed an American officer attempting to fly. I immediately darted after him, but he... fled with the utmost speed. I... was gaining on him, when, hearing a confused noise on my left, I observed several bodies of Americans drawn up within the distance of a few yards... Seeing one of the guards among the slain... I stopped and replenished my own pouch with the cartridges that remained in his... several shots were fired at me; but not one took effect." -- Sergeant Roger Lamb, 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers
53. GUILVC_150322_250.JPG: Powder horn used by a Virginia militiaman in the battle
54. GUILVC_150322_253.JPG: The Action: "Leaping a ravine, the swords of the horsemen were upon the enemy, who were rejoicing in victory and safety; and before they suspected danger, multitudes lay dead." -- Philemon Holcomb, Virginia Dragoons "This conflict between the brigade of Guards and the first regiment of Marylanders was most terrific, for they fired at the same instant, and they appeared so near that the blazes from their guns seemed to meet." -- Nathaniel Slade, North Carolina Militia "[Capt. John 'Jack' Smith of the 1st MD] and his men were in a throng, killing the Guards and Grenadiers like so many Furies. Colonel [James] Stewart [2nd Batt. Guards], seeing the mischief Smith was doing, made up to him through the crowd, dust and smoke, and made a violent lunge at him with his small sword... It would have run through his body but for the haste of the Colonel, and happening to set his foot on the arm of a man Smith had just cut down, his unsteady step, his violent lunge, and missing his air brought him down to one knee on the dead man. The Guards came rushing up very strong, Smith had no alternative but to wheel around and give Stewart a back-handed blow over, or across the head, on which he fell." -- letter by Samuel Mathis, 26 June, 1819 to William R. Davie, Greene's Army
55. GUILVC_150322_257.JPG: Deadly Terrain Fight to the North "Colonel Washington's Light Infantry on the right flank was attacked by three British regiments, in which they behaved with almost incredible bravery, obliging the enemy to retreat in three different attacks, the last of which they pursued them up a very steep hill, almost inaccessible, till observing the enemy, who lay concealed in ambush, rise up, and pouring in a very heavy fire on them, in which they were obliged to retreat, having suffered very much by the last fire of the enemy. By this time General Greene drew off the army..." -- William Seymour Fight to the South: "Soon the enemy appeared to us; we fired on their flank, and that brought down many of them; at which time Capt. Tedford was killed. We pursued them about 40 poles [660 feet] to the top of a hill, where they stood, and we retreated from them back to where we formed..." "We were deceived by a reinforcement of Hessians, who we took for our own, and cried to them to see if they were our friends, and shouted Liberty! Liberty! and advanced up till they let off some guns. [P]resently... we were obliged to run, and many were sore chased, and some cut down..." -- Samuel Houston, Virginia militia The Hessian View: "The enemy [1st line] retreated back into the bushes which were behind them. The small arms fire from the enemy and us began in earnest... During this excitement the von Bose Regiment pulled out of the battle line and pursued the enemy, but before we knew it, the enemy attacked us again, in the rear. The regiment therefore, had to divide into two parts. The second commanded by Major [Frederich Heinrich] Scheer, had to attack toward the rear against the enemy who were behind us, and forced them once again to take flight." -- Sgt. Koch "... I advanced with the three companies of the right wing, giving the Guards time to form and advance. Hereupon the enemy, except for a few sharpshooters, abandoned the place and withdrew deeper into the thick woods. Lt. Col. Tarleton, who had been sent by Lord Cornwallis to discover our situation, approached for the purpose of putting the flying enemy fully to rout." -- Major Johan Chrisian DuBuy, Musketeer Regiment Von Bose
56. GUILVC_150322_264.JPG: Peter Francisco A Legendary Soldier: A hero of the Revolutionary War and perhaps the best-known enlisted man in the American army may have been Peter Francisco. Believed to have been born in the Portuguese Azores in 1760, he was found abandoned on a wharf in Virginia in 1765. The Winston family of Hunting Tower, Virginia, took him in. Francisco joined the 10th Virginia Continental Line as a sixteen-year-old. An officer noted Francisco "never entered battle without distinguishing himself eminently." Fellow soldiers testified he did the fighting of six or eight men. At Camden in 1780, he saved the life of his colonel by running his assailant through with a bayonet. He was wounded in the leg at Brandywine, received a nine-inch stomach wound at Stony Point, and was hit by a British musket ball in the right thigh at Monmouth. At Guilford Courthouse he killed four men in the presence of Colonel Washington, and suffered a bayonet wound that ran from his knee to his hip. Founder, Farmer, and Father: After the war, Francisco founded the community of Curdsville, Virginia. He became a farmer, married three times, and fathered eight children. In his later years he was sergeant-at-arms of the Virginia House of Delegates, a post he held until his death in 1831. Blacksmith and Leatherworker: Early in life, Peter Francisco learned the skills of a blacksmith, and after the war he set up a shop. In the 1700s and early 1800s, blacksmiths often repaired saddles, shoes, boots, belts and other leather items. Francisco used several of the items exhibited here in his leatherworking. Peter Francisco From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Peter Francisco (July 9, 1760 – January 16, 1831), known variously as the "Virginia Giant" or the "Giant of the Revolution" (and occasionally as the "Virginia Hercules"), was an American patriot and soldier in the American Revolutionary War. Biography Peter (Pedro) Francisco, born July 9, 1760. Birth Certificate from the church at the town of Porto Judeu, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal Francisco's origins are shrouded in mystery. It is believed he was born on July 9, 1760 at Porto Judeu on the island of Terceira, in the Archipelago of the Azores. According to the traditional version of his biography, he was found at about age five on the docks at City Point, Virginia, in 1765, and was taken to the Prince George County Poorhouse. Not speaking English, he repeated the name "Pedro Francisco". The locals called him Peter. They soon discovered the boy spoke Portuguese and noted his clothing was of good quality. When able to communicate, Pedro said that he had lived in a mansion near the ocean. His mother spoke French and his father spoke another language which he did not know. He and his sister were kidnapped from the grounds, but his sister escaped, while Francisco was bound and taken to a ship. Historians believe it is possible that the kidnappers intended to hold the children for ransom or that they had intended to sell them as indentured servants at their destination port in North America, but changed their minds. The Azorean legend says the Francisco family had many political enemies and set up Peter's abduction to protect him from accident or death by his parents' foes. Peter was soon taken in by the judge Anthony Winston of Buckingham County, Virginia, an uncle of Patrick Henry. Francisco lived with Winston and his family until the beginning of the American Revolution and was tutored by them. When he was old enough to work, he was apprenticed as a blacksmith, a profession chosen because of his massive size and strength (he grew to be six feet and eight inches in height, or 203 centimeters, and weigh some 260 pounds, or 118 kilograms, especially large at the time). He was well known as the Virginian Hercules or the Virginia Giant. American Revolution At the age of 16, Francisco joined the 10th Virginia Regiment in 1776, and soon gained notoriety for his size and strength. He fought with distinction at numerous engagements, including the Battle of Brandywine in September. He fought a few skirmishes under Colonel Morgan, before transferring to the regiment of Colonel Mayo of Powhatan. In October, Francisco rejoined his regiment and fought in the Battle of Germantown, and also appeared with the troops at Fort Mifflin on Port Island in the Delaware River. Francisco was hospitalized at Valley Forge for two weeks following these skirmishes. On June 28, 1778, he fought at Monmouth Court House, New Jersey, where a musket ball tore through his right thigh. He never fully recovered from this wound, but fought at Cowpens and other battles. He was part of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne's attack on the British fort, Stony Point, on the Hudson River. Upon attacking the fort, Francisco suffered a nine-inch gash in his stomach, but continued to fight; he was second to enter the fort. He killed three British grenadiers and captured the enemy flag. Francisco's entry into the fort is mentioned in Wayne's report on the battle to General Washington, dated July 17, 1779, and in a letter written by Captain William Evans to accompany Francisco's letter to the Virginia General Assembly in November 1820 for pay. Following the Battle of Camden, South Carolina, Francisco noticed the Americans were leaving behind one of their valuable cannons, mired in mud. Legend says he freed and picked up the approximately 1,100-pound cannon and carried it on his shoulder to keep it from falling into the hands of the enemy. In a petition Francisco wrote 11 November 1820 to the Virginia Legislature in his own words, he said that at Camden, he had shot a grenadier who had tried to shoot his Colonel (Mayo); he escaped by bayoneting one of Banastre Tarleton's cavalrymen and fled on the horse making cries to make the British think he was a Loyalist, and gave the horse to Mayo. Hearing that Colonel Watkins was headed on a march through the Carolinas, Francisco joined him, seeing action at Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina. He allegedly killed eleven men on the field of battle, including one who wounded him severely in the thigh with a bayonet. The feat is commemorated with a monument to Francisco at the National Military Park. Francisco in his own accounts claimed that he killed two men of the enemy -- including one who bayoneted him in the leg -- and mentions striking "panes" to others. Francisco was sent home to Buckingham to recuperate. He volunteered to spy on Tarleton and his horsemen, who were operating in the area. On this journey, he performed his best-known action, Francisco's Fight. He claims to have defeated a band of Tarleton's Raiders and escaped with their horses by his own actions. Legend has it that he killed or mortally wounded 3 of 11 raiders. One night, nine of Tarleton's men surrounded Francisco outside of a tavern and ordered him to be arrested. They told him to give over his silver shoe buckles. Francisco told Tarleton's men to take the buckles themselves. When they began to seize his shoe buckles, Francisco took a soldier's saber and struck him on the head. The wounded soldier fired his pistol, grazing Francisco's side; the American nearly cut off the soldier's hand. Another enemy soldier aimed a musket at Francisco, but the musket misfired. Francisco grabbed it from the soldier's hands, knocked him off his mount, and escaped with the horse. In later accounts, the numbers vary. In Francisco's petition in 1820 to the Virginia Legislature, he reported having killed one and wounded eight of the nine raiders, and captured eight of their nine horses. In his 1829 petition to the United States Congress, he claimed to have dispatched or killed three Tarleton raiders and frightened the other six away. Francisco was ordered by his commanding officer to join the army in 1781 at Yorktown; he did not fight but was witness to the British surrender. Post-war activities Following Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown, Francisco pursued his basic education. He went to school with young children, who were fascinated by his stories of the war. Legends of Francisco's strength abounded during his lifetime. Marriage and family In December 1784, Peter married Susannah Anderson of Cumberland County, Virginia. She was the daughter of Captain James Anderson and his wife Elizabeth Tyler Baker Anderson. The Andersons were of social distinction and owned a plantation called "The Mansion." Peter and Susannah had two children: a son, James Anderson, born in the log house in 1786; and a daughter, Polly, born in 1788. Peter sold the 250 acres on Louse Creek in 1788. His wife Susannah died in 1790. In December 1794, Peter married Catherine Fauntleroy Brooke, who was a relative of his first wife's, and they moved to Peter's home in Cumberland. Peter and Catherine had four children: Susan Brooke Francisco (born 1796), Benjamin M. Francisco (born 1803), Peter II, and Catherine Fauntleroy Francisco. After she died in 1821, he married in July 1823 for the third time, to Mary Grymes West. Death In his later years Francisco was poor, and petitioned Congress and the Virginia legislature for support. He spent the last three years of his life working as the Sergeant-at-Arms to the Virginia State Senate. He died of appendicitis, in January 1831; he was buried with full military honors in Shockoe Hill Cemetery in Richmond. The state legislature adjourned for the day, and many legislators attended the funeral.
57. GUILVC_150322_271.JPG: After the Battle
58. GUILVC_150322_274.JPG: The Cost of Battle "The cries of the wounded and dying who remained on the field of action during the night exceed all description. Such a complicated scene of horror and distress, it is hoped, for the sake of humanity, rarely occurs, even in a military life." -- Charles Stedman
59. GUILVC_150322_275.JPG: Stained with Blood: The aftermath of the battle was incredible. Dead and dying lay across over a thousand acres of ground. Shortly after the last shots were fired, a torrential rain fell. The rain complicated locating and caring for the wounded. With the help of neighboring Quakers and others, the British cared for both sides. A British surgeon amputated arms and legs, extracted lead balls, and set broken bones. Many wounded died from infections and blood poisoning. Guilford Courthouse and houses within an eight-mile radius were used as hospitals. Blood stains were everywhere. Quaker Mary Ann Thornburg later recalled that when the wounded solders wre being treated in the New Garden meeting house, large splotches of blood left indelible stains on the floor. Days and Nights of Misery: The British remained in the area for two nights and days. General Charles O'Hara remembered, "I never did and I hope that I never shall experience two such days and nights as those immediately after the battle. We remained on the very ground on which it had been fought, covered with dead, with dying and with hundreds of wounded, rebels as well as our own. A violent and constant rain that last above forty hours made it equally impracticable to remove or administer the smallest comfort to our wounded." A Few More Lives: After the British moved on, General Greene's army returned to Guilford. He assisted the community as best he could, but left to pursue Cornwallis. Citizens contributed livestock, food, and clothing to those injured by the hostilities. Then, another deadly enemy arrived. A smallpox epidemic broke out in the community, brought by some of the soldiers. The battle thus extracted a few more lives.
60. GUILVC_150322_277.JPG: Cupping glasses of blister cups
61. GUILVC_150322_283.JPG: Decisive Victory British Victory "On no occasion, in any part of the world, was British valor more heroically displayed." -- Lt. Colonel "Light Horse" Henry Lee, American The British won the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Cornwallis' army fought a pitched battle, against an enemy two and a half times larger than his force, and pushed them off the field. But if it was a British victory, it most certainly was a hollow one. Lord Cornwallis had lost one-quarter of his army, and almost one-third of his officer corps. These men could not be replaced. Also, with supplies depleted, Cornwallis was forced to withdraw to supply bases 200 miles away on the coast.
62. GUILVC_150322_287.JPG: Greene's Hot Pursuit and Cornwallis' Decision: Greene's army lost only six percent of his force at Guilford Courthouse. His men had faced the redcoats and survived. Elated and confident, Greene wrote, "I mean to fight the enemy again." He tried to catch Cornwallis at a river crossing, but was unable. After Guilford, Greene advanced to South Carolina, fought several battles -- and lost them all. As he put it, "We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again." Eventually, he drove the British from their outposts, until they occupied only the port cities. While his redcoats recuperated in Wilmington, Cornwallis may have considered three options: (1) Return to South Carolina -- which might be perceived as defeat. (2) Go back to North Carolina and fight Greene without additional troops -- and possibly lose the British campaign for the South. (3) Acquire more troops in Virginia, including those of British General Benedict Arnold, and resume the campaign there. Cornwallis decided on the latter. That decision affected the outcome of the war. Yorktown and the End: After entering Virginia and fighting a few engagements, Cornwallis set up winter quarters in the small port of Yorktown. The main American and French armies under George Washington and Rochambeau marched south and captured Cornwallis' Army. Cornwallis, claiming illness, delegated surrender duties to the gallant General Charles O'Hara, who had recovered from wounds received at Guilford. Yorktown did not end the Revolutionary War, but it was the last major battle. By late 1782, the British public and its leadership in Parliament no longer wanted to prosecute the "offensive war" which cost them British lives and high taxes. In Paris, September 3, 1783, Great Britain and the United States signed a Treaty of Peace ending the eight-year struggle.
63. GUILVC_150322_296.JPG: Greene's Hot Pursuit and Cornwallis' Decision: Greene's army lost only six percent of his force at Guilford Courthouse. His men had faced the redcoats and survived. Elated and confident, Greene wrote, "I mean to fight the enemy again." He tried to catch Cornwallis at a river crossing, but was unable. After Guilford, Greene advanced to South Carolina, fought several battles -- and lost them all. As he put it, "We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again." Eventually, he drove the British from their outposts, until they occupied only the port cities. While his redcoats recuperated in Wilmington, Cornwallis may have considered three options: (1) Return to South Carolina -- which might be perceived as defeat. (2) Go back to North Carolina and fight Greene without additional troops -- and possibly lose the British campaign for the South. (3) Acquire more troops in Virginia, including those of British General Benedict Arnold, and resume the campaign there. Cornwallis decided on the latter. That decision affected the outcome of the war.
64. GUILVC_150322_298.JPG: Yorktown and the End: After entering Virginia and fighting a few engagements, Cornwallis set up winter quarters in the small port of Yorktown. The main American and French armies under George Washington and Rochambeau marched south and captured Cornwallis' Army. Cornwallis, claiming illness, delegated surrender duties to the gallant General Charles O'Hara, who had recovered from wounds received at Guilford. Yorktown did not end the Revolutionary War, but it was the last major battle. By late 1782, the British public and its leadership in Parliament no longer wanted to prosecute the "offensive war" which cost them British lives and high taxes. In Paris, September 3, 1783, Great Britain and the United States signed a Treaty of Peace ending the eight-year struggle.
65. GUILVC_150322_301.JPG: "Another such victory would ruin the British Army." -- Charles James Fox, addressing the British House of Commons when news of the battle reached London
66. GUILVC_150322_303.JPG: Road to a New Nation: When the Revolutionary War ended, the colonies had associated themselves under the Articles of Confederation. In 1790, Congress ratified the United States Constitution which endures today. It established three branches of government: the representative branch to make laws, the judicial branch to interpret laws, and the executive branch to enforce laws. The Constitution limited the powers of states, created a Bill of Rights for citizens, and established the office of President.
67. GUILVC_150322_308.JPG: A President, Not a King: Realizing the need for a strong president, Congress placed its hopes in George Washington. The country needed a man who would not abuse power. A few years earlier, Washington stepped down from his position as Commander-in-Chief of the army, when others might have declared themselves king. King George III had predicted, "If he does that, he will be the greatest man in history." With independence secured, and Washington as President, a new era began for the United States of America. Washington at Guilford Courthouse: To build confidence in the new government, President George Washington visited every state. He toured Revolutionary War battlefields in the South to see where so many had fought and died. On June 2, 1791, Washington arrived at Guilford Courthouse. He was greeted by the Guilford Light Horse and veterans of the battle, and was given an eyewitness account of the events. After dinner he rode over the lines of battle. He observed that if "the troops done their duty properly, the British must have been sorely galded in their advance, if not defeated." Washington left Guilford Courthouse on June 3rd and returned to his home at Mount Vernon. He was delighted the people were rallying in support of the new government.
68. GUILVC_150322_314.JPG: Cruelty at Home: The American Revolutionary War in the South was a savage civil war. Raids by bands of partisans on either side were cruel and often deadly. Torture was not unheard of. In addition, the lightning fast attacks by British and American Dragoon and Cavalry units on unsuspecting militia and soldiers were often savage. While the two armies were in the vicinity of Guilford Courthouse and the community of New Garden, local citizens suffered the horrors of war. Lawlessness followed the breakdown of authority. Robbers, deserters, and thieves disguised as soldiers plagued local inhabitants. Rebel Revenge: At the Battle of King's Mountain in October 1780, Patriot militia refused quarter (mercy) to the loyalists and disregarded a white flag of surrender. The militia yelled "Tarleton's Quarter" and "Remember Buford" and continued to fire at the defenseless loyalists even after they had dropped their weapons. Following the battle of King's Mountain, the Patriots tried and convicted thirty-six loyalist prisoners for crimes ranging from murder to stealing. Nine loyalists were hanged. Terror on Horseback: In May 1780, about 400 Virginia Continental soldiers under Colonel Abraham Buford retreated from the fallen city of Charleston. Lord Cornwallis sent Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton with a force of about 270 mounted troopers to intercept the rebels. On May 29th, after a chase covering 105 miles in 54 hours, Tarleton's corps overtook the Virginians in a forest near Waxhaws, South Carolina. Tarleton's men charged the Virginians who withheld their fire until the cavalry was only ten yards away, but the British descended on the Virginians with a savagery that nearly annihilated all of Buford's men. Realizing their doom, the Virginians tried to surrender by raising a white flag and calling out for "quarter" (a term of surrendering, seldom refused in 18th century warfare). But Tarleton's men continued to hack away. When the slaughter was over, 113 men were killed on the stop and 150 were badly wounded. British losses were light. Tarleton was vilified as "Bloody Tarleton" and "the Butcher." Soon the slogan "Tarleton's Quarter" became the rallying cry for Continental and Whig militia troops. Pyle's Hacking Match: Lord Cornwallis issued a proclamation calling for loyalists to support their King by joining his army. To protect the loyalists, Cornwallis sent Colonel Tarleton to the region between the Haw and Deep Rivers. Shortly before the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, 300 loyalists under Dr. John Pyle Sr., of Chatham County moved to join Cornwallis. Americans under "Light Horse" Henry Lee moved to intercept them. On the afternoon of February 24, 1781, Pyle's loyalists, seeing cavalry in green jackets, assumed they were Tarleton's British Legion. The deception completed, Lee's men descended on the loyalists, savagely killing over 90 men with their sabers as the confused loyalists begged for quarter. The brutality of "Pyle's Hacking Match" deterred potential loyalists from coming forward. Cornwallis would have no additional help at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
69. GUILVC_150322_318.JPG: Banastre Tarleton
70. GUILVC_150322_330.JPG: Leaders The Americans Nathanael Greene: Nathanael Greene was born in Rhode Island in 1742, the son of a Quaker iron-founder. Largely self-educated, he began the war as a private, but soon commanded the American army besieging British-held Boston. In 1775, Greene became the youngest Brigadier General in the Continental Army -- the only appointee who had never held a post in the British government. "He came to us, the rawest and most untutored being I ever met with; but in less than twelve months, he was equal in military knowledge to any General Officer in the army, and very superior to most of them." -- General Henry Knox Greene learned quickly, and displayed a talent for command. General George Washington grew to trust him, and Greene' confidence soared. In 1776, Greene was commissioned Major General. When the army's supply system foundered during the cruel Valley Forge winter. Washington turned to Greene. Although Greene preferred a field command, as Quartermaster General he wrought miracles in the army's supply service. Greene was outspoken, which made him few friends in Congress. After Charleston fell to the British, and Gates was routed at Camden, Congress instructed General Washington to appoint a successor in the South. He chose Nathanael Greene. The British Charles, 2nd Earl, Cornwallis: Charles Cornwallis was born in England in 1738. He attended military school at Turin, Italy. During the Seven Years War in Europe (1756-1763) he served with the elite British Regiment of Foot Guards. In Parliament he succeeded his father in the House of Lords as the Second Earl Cornwallis. In England Cornwallis served as aide-de-camp to King George III. Colonel of the 33rd Regiment of Foot, joint vice-treasurer of Ireland, and Constable of the Tower of London. As a Whig, Cornwallis disagreed with many of the "punishments" inflicted on the American Colonies. He voted against the infamous "Stamp Act." When the Revolutionary War began, Cornwallis was promoted to Major General and sent to America. He commanded British troops in numerous battles, and faced Nathanael Greene at the Battle of Monmouth. Cornwallis returned to England in 1778 to care for his ailing wife. After her death he returned to America and accompanied Sir Henry Clinton on the expedition against Charleston, South Carolina. Following the fall of Charleston, Cornwallis was given the task of restoring British authority in the South.
71. GUILVC_150322_347.JPG: Battle of Moores Creek Bridge
72. GUILVC_150322_350.JPG: Cunne Shote, a Cherokee Warrior
73. GUILVC_150322_353.JPG: A New Commander: As Cornwallis' sickly redcoats retraced their steps into South Carolina, General George Washington called upon Major General Nathanael Greene. Greene took command of the southern army at Charlotte, North Carolina, December 3, 1780. He described his new army as "but the shadow of an army in the midst of distress." Needing time to refit and strengthen his army, Greene divided his inferior force, sending Brigadier General Daniel Morgan to the western Carolinas to annoy the enemy and "spirit up the people." In response, Cornwallis' sent a thousand men against them commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. The disastrous defeat of Tarleton by Morgan at the Cowpens, January 17, 1791, was an unexpected setback for Lord Cornwallis.
74. GUILVC_150322_357.JPG: Cannon ball, from the Battle of Charlotte, September 1780
75. GUILVC_150322_360.JPG: The King's Loyal Citizens: In early 1776, the British thought North Carolina had the largest loyalist population of all the rebellious colonies. North Carolina's Royal Governor Josiah Martin organized a Loyalist army of 1,600 men to assist a planned British invasion. On February 27, 1776, rebel General James Moore crushed the loyalists at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, ending their hopes for success. With the loyalists subdued, North Carolinians sought to neutralize another of Britain's allies -- the Cherokee Native Americans. In late summer of 1776, militia from the Carolinas and Virginia under General Griffith Rutherford launched an expedition against the Cherokee. This scorched-earth campaign against Cherokee villages, crops, and storehouses eliminated Native American assistance to the British in the South.
76. GUILVC_150322_365.JPG: Success and Failure: Cornwallis planned to restore Royal authority in South Carolina, then do the same in North Carolina. He established a series of armed outposts stretching from near the coast, to Ninety-Six on the western frontier. Cornwallis was interrupted by the appearance of a new Continental army led by Major General Horatio Gates, the "hero of Saratoga." However, Gates was defeated in a humiliating battle near Camden, South Carolina, on August 16, 1780. Gates fled the battlefield on horseback. With little opposition, Cornwallis moved into North Carolina. The British invasion was halted by an outbreak of "camp fever" at Charlotte, North Carolina, and by the destruction of a 1000-man loyalist army at Kings Mountain, South Carolina, on October 7, 1780.
77. GUILVC_150322_369.JPG: Several Loyalists were hanged after the Battle of King's Mountain
78. GUILVC_150322_374.JPG: The Southern Campaign
79. GUILVC_150322_391.JPG: Descriptions of Guilford Courthouse (1774-c 1795) are fragmentary, and no drawings of it are known to exist. In 1857, illustrator David Hunter Strother ("Porte Crayon") visited the battlefield and made this sketch depicting the remnants of the courthouse's chimney.
80. GUILVC_150322_395.JPG: Guilford Courthouse: The simple building that gave its name to the community and the battle was constructed by 1774. The county's Court of Pleas sat a Guilford Courthouse. Citizens traveled there to register deeds, pay taxes, and attend militia musters. Criminals, debtors, runaway slaves, and loyalists were detained in its neighboring jail. During the Revolutionary War, Continental troops used the area for a supply depot. In 1787, a young Andrew Jackson (later a US President) practiced law at the courthouse. Evidence suggests that deterioration may have caused a new courthouse to be built around 1793. In 1809, the county seat was relocated to Greensboro, named in honor of Major General Nathanael Greene. By the 1850s, all that remained were the crumbling remains of the courthouse chimney and a few abandoned houses.
81. GUILVC_150322_413.JPG: This gallery displays a selection of artwork depicting various scenes of the Revolutionary War's Southern Campaign. In the 1970s, the National Park Service commissioned over forty color paintings from artist Don Troiani to illustrate the 1975 park film, Guilford Letters. As a collection, they convey the courage, determination, drama and brutality of the campaign that determined the outcome of the war for American independence. Individually, they tell their own story. "The more accurate the presentation, the clearer our image will be of our heritage." -- Don Troiani, artist Don Troiani is a renowned and respected military artist. Born in New York City in 1949, his extensive training in art began early in life. Encouraged by his father, an accomplished commercial artist, and his mother, a successful antiques dealer, he recognized the importance of having a three-dimensional view of history. His historical artwork, a unique blend of action and authenticity, presents and outstanding artistic skill with an uncompromising standard of accuracy. His artwork has been featured at a multitude of museums, including the West Point Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, and at many National Park Service sites. An avid historian and collector, Mr. Troiani has published several books and has assisted museums, collectors, scholars and enthusiasts with his extensive knowledge of American military history. This special exhibit has been made possible through the generosity of Mr. John Forbis of Greensboro, North Carolina.
Wikipedia Description: Battle of Guilford Court House
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Battle of Guilford Court House was a battle fought on March 15, 1781 inside the present-day city of Greensboro, North Carolina, during the American Revolutionary War. 1,900 British troops, under General Lord Cornwallis, fought an American force, under Rhode Island native General Nathanael Greene, numbering 4,400.

Despite the relatively small numbers of troops involved, the battle is considered one of the most decisive of the Revolutionary War. Prior to the battle, the British appeared to have successfully reconquered Georgia and South Carolina with the aid of strong Loyalist factions, and that North Carolina might be within their grasp. In the wake of the battle, Greene moved into South Carolina, while Cornwallis chose to invade Virginia. These decisions allowed Greene to unravel British control of the South, while leading Cornwallis to Yorktown and surrender.

The battle is commemorated at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.

Prelude"

Following the Battle of Cowpens, Cornwallis was determined to destroy Greene's army. However, the loss of his light infantry at Cowpens led him to burn his supplies so that his army would be nimble enough for pursuit. He chased Greene in the Race to the Dan, but Greene escaped across the flooded Dan River to safety in Virginia. Cornwallis established camp at Hillsborough and attempted to forage supplies and recruit North Carolina's Tories. However, the bedraggled state of his army and Pyle's massacre deterred Loyalists.

On March 14, 1781, while encamped in the forks of the Deep River, Cornwallis was informed that General Richard Butler was marching to attack his army. With Butler was a body of North Carolina militia, plus reinforcements from Virginia, consisting of 3,000 Virginia militia, a Virginia State regiment, a Corps of Virginian eighteen-month men and recruits for the Maryland Line. They had joined the command of Greene, creating a force of some nine to ten thousand men in total. During the night of the March 15, further reports confirmed the American force was at Guilford Court House, some 12 miles (20 km) away. Cornwallis decided to give battle, though he had only 1,900 men at his disposal. He detached his baggage train, 100 infantry and 20 Cavalry under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton to Bell's Mills further down the Deep River, then set off with his main force, before breakfast was able to be eaten, arriving at Guilford at midday. Meanwhile, Greene, having received the reinforcements, decided to recross the Dan and challenge Cornwallis. On March 15, the two armies met at Guilford Court House, North Carolina (within the present Greensboro, North Carolina).

Battle:

The advance guards met near the Quaker New Garden Meeting House. Banastre Tarleton's Light Dragoons were briefly engaged by Light Horse Harry Lee's Dragoons about 4 miles (6 km) from the Guilford Court House. The British 23rd Regiment of Foot sent reinforcements forward and Lee withdrew, ordering a retreat to Greene's main body.

Cornwallis found the Americans in position on rising ground about one and a half miles (2.5 km) from the court house. He was unable to gain much information from his prisoners or the local residents as to the American disposition. To his front he saw a plantation with a large field straddling both sides of the road, with two more further over on the left separated by 200 yards or so of woodland. To his right beyond the fields the woodland extended for several miles. On the far side of the first field was a fenced wood, 1 mile (1.6 km) in depth, through which the road passed into an extensive cleared area around the court house. Along the edge of this woodland was a fence forming the American first line of defense and a 6-pound cannon on each side of the road.

Greene had prepared his defense in three lines. North Carolina militia formed the first line, with backwoods riflemen on the left and right flanks to snipe advancing British. In the second line, he placed the Virginia militia. His regulars comprised the last line. Two more 6-pound cannon were sited in the center of the line. His third and strongest line consisting of his Virginian Regiment, Delaware infantry, and the 1st and 5th Maryland regiments was a further 400 yards further on, though placed at an angle to the west of the road. While superficially resembling the deployment successfully used by Daniel Morgan at Cowpens, the lines were hundreds of yards apart and could not support one another.

Since the east side of the road was mostly open, Cornwallis opted to attack up the west side and, following a short barrage of cannon shot on the cannon positions of the first line, at 1:30 p.m., Cornwallis moved his men forward. When they were about 150 yards short of the fence, a volley was fired from the Americans, whose long guns had a greater range than British muskets, but the British continued until they were within musket shot then fired their own volley in return. On a command from Webster, they then charged forward, coming to a halt 50 paces from the American lines because the North Carolina Militia, as noted by Sergeant Lamb of the 23rd Regiment "had their arms presented and resting on the picket fence...they were taking aim with nice precision". Urged onwards by Lieutenant Colonel James Webster of the 33rd Regiment of Foot, the British continued to advance. The North Carolina Militia, to the west of the road, fired their muskets then turned and fled back through the woods, discarding their personal equipment as they ran. The British advanced on the second line. Heavy resistance was shown, but Webster pushed around the flank and on to the American 3rd line. The woodland was too dense to allow practical use of the bayonets. The British army forced its way through the first two lines with significant losses.

The 71st Regiment, Grenadiers and 2nd Guards moved up the center, following the musket shots from the 33rd and 23rd Regiments to their left. To the right, the 1st Guards and Hessians were being harried by Lee's Legion. The British guns and Tarleton’s Light Dragoons moved forward along the road keeping pace. The 2nd Guards in the centre found themselves coming out into open ground around the court house to the left of the Salisbury road. They spotted a large force of Continental Infantry and immediately attacked them and captured two 6-pounders. They then pursued the Continentals into the wood and were repulsed by Colonel Washington’s Dragoons, and the 1st Maryland Regiment, abandoning the two guns they had just captured. Lieutenant Macleod, in command of two British 3-pounders, had just arrived and was directed to fire on the Dragoons.

While many British soldiers were killed from friendly fire, the Americans broke off and retreated from the field. Cornwallis ordered the 23rd and 71st Regiments with part of the Cavalry to pursue the Americans, though not for any great distance. Tarleton and the remainder of the Dragoons were sent off to the right flank to join Bose and put an end to the action from Washington.

During the battle, Cornwallis had a horse shot from under him. American Colonel Benjamin Williams was later decorated for his personal bravery at Guilford Courthouse.

Aftermath:

The battle had lasted only ninety minutes, and although the British technically defeated the American force, they lost over a quarter of their own men. The British casualties consisted of 5 officers and 88 other ranks killed and 24 officers and 389 other ranks wounded, with a further 26 men missing in action. Webster was wounded during the battle, and he died a fortnight later.

The British, by taking ground with their accustomed tenacity when engaged with superior numbers, were tactically victors. Seeing this as a classic Pyrrhic victory, British Whig Party leader and war critic Charles James Fox echoed Plutarch's famous words by saying, "Another such victory would ruin the British Army!" .

In a letter to Lord George Germain, delivered by his aide-de-camp, Captain Broderick, Cornwallis commented:"From our observation, and the best accounts we could procure, we did not doubt but the strength of the enemy exceeded 7,000 men [Greene's accounts put this closer to 4,400].... I cannot ascertain the loss of the enemy, but it must have been considerable; between 200 and 300 dead were left on the field of battle.... many of their wounded escaped.... Our forage parties have reported to me that houses in a circle six to eight miles around us are full of others.... We took few prisoners".

He further went on to comment on the British force:"The conduct and actions of the officers and soldiers that composed this little army will do more justice to their merit than I can by words. Their persevering intrepidity in action, their invincible patience in the hardships and fatigues of a march of above 600 miles, in which they have forded several large rivers and numberless creeks, many of which would be reckoned large rivers in any other country in the world, without tents or covering against the climate, and often without provisions, will sufficiently manifest their ardent zeal for the honour and interests of their Sovereign and their country."

After the battle, the British were spread across a large expanse of woodland without food and shelter, and during the night torrential rains started. 50 of the wounded died before sunrise. Had the British followed the retreating Americans they may have come across their baggage and supply wagons, which had been camped up to the west of the Salisbury road in some old fields prior to the battle.

Greene, cautiously avoiding another Camden, retreated with his forces intact. With his small army, less than 2000 strong, Cornwallis declined to follow Greene into the back country, and retiring to Hillsborough, he raised the royal standard, offered protection to the inhabitants, and for the moment appeared to be master of Georgia and the two Carolinas. In a few weeks, however, he abandoned the heart of the state and marched to the coast at Wilmington, North Carolina, to recruit and refit his command.

At Wilmington, the British general faced a serious problem, the solution of which, upon his own responsibility, unexpectedly led to the close of the war within seven months. Instead of remaining in Carolina, he determined to march into Virginia, justifying the move on the ground that until Virginia was reduced he could not firmly hold the more southern states he had just overrun. This decision was subsequently sharply criticized by General Clinton as unmilitary, and as having been made contrary to his instructions. To Cornwallis, he wrote in May: "Had you intimated the probability of your intention, I should certainly have endeavoured to stop you, as I did then as well as now consider such a move likely to be dangerous to our interests in the Southern Colonies." For three months he raided every farm or plantation he came across, from whom he took hundreds of horses for his Dragoons. He also converted another 700 infantry to mounted duties. During these raids he freed thousands of slaves, of which 12,000 joined his own force.

The danger lay in the suddenly changed situation in that direction; as General Greene, instead of following Cornwallis to the coast, boldly pushed down towards Camden and Charleston, South Carolina, with a view to drawing his antagonist after him to the points where he was the year before, as well as to driving back Lord Rawdon, whom Cornwallis had left in that field. In his main object—the recovery of the southern states—Greene succeeded by the close of the year, but not without hard fighting and repeated reverses. "We fight, get beat,rise, and fight again," were his words.

See also:

* 33rd Regiment of Foot
* Peter Francisco

Re-enactments:

Every year, on or about March 15, re-enactors in period costumes present a tactical demonstration of Revolutionary War fighting techniques on or near the battle site.

The Battle on Film:

The final battle at the end of the 2000 historical epic The Patriot drew its inspiration from two specific battles from the American Revolution: Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse. The Americans used the same basic tactics in both battles. The name of the battle, as well as the winning side, were taken from the Cowpens battle. However, the size of the armies, as well as the presence of Generals Greene and Cornwallis, come from the Guilford Courthouse battle. The scene where Cornwallis orders his artillery to "concentrate on the center," killing both continentals and his own troops, actually took place at Guilford Courthouse.
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