On March 15, 1781 the largest, most hotly-contested battle of the Revolutionary War's Southern Campaign was fought at the small North Carolina backcountry hamlet of Guilford Courthouse.
Major General Nathanael Greene, defending the ground at Guilford Courthouse with an army of almost 4,500 American militia and Continentals, was tactically defeated by a smaller British army of about 1,900 veteran regulars and German allies commanded by Lord Charles Cornwallis. After 2 1/2 hours of intense and often brutal fighting, Cornwallis forced his opponent to withdraw from the field. Greene's retreat preserved the strength of his army, but Cornwallis's frail victory was won at the cost of over 25% of his army.
"I never saw such fighting since God made me. The Americans fought like demons." ~General Charles Earl Cornwallis
When word reached London and Parliament regarding the "victory," Charles James Fox exclaimed "Another such victory will be the ruin of the British army!"
Guilford Courthouse proved to be the highwater mark of British military operations in the Revolutionary War. Weakened in his campaign against Greene, Cornwallis abandoned the Carolinas hoping for success in Virginia. At Yorktown, seven months after his victory at Guilford Courthouse, Lord Cornwallis would surrender to the combined American and French forces under General George Washington.
A people who intend to be Free will be so - the threat of Death or defeat cannot conquer them.
These United States are desperately in need of men and women such as these.
For those who are interested, the reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse is this weekend at Guildford Courthouse National Battlefield Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is always a good time - and you can stand on hallowed ground where lived and died men who would not be ruled.
Major General Nathanael Greene, defending the ground at Guilford Courthouse with an army of almost 4,500 American militia and Continentals, was tactically defeated by a smaller British army of about 1,900 veteran regulars and German allies commanded by Lord Charles Cornwallis. After 2 1/2 hours of intense and often brutal fighting, Cornwallis forced his opponent to withdraw from the field. Greene's retreat preserved the strength of his army, but Cornwallis's frail victory was won at the cost of over 25% of his army.
"I never saw such fighting since God made me. The Americans fought like demons." ~General Charles Earl Cornwallis
When word reached London and Parliament regarding the "victory," Charles James Fox exclaimed "Another such victory will be the ruin of the British army!"
Guilford Courthouse proved to be the highwater mark of British military operations in the Revolutionary War. Weakened in his campaign against Greene, Cornwallis abandoned the Carolinas hoping for success in Virginia. At Yorktown, seven months after his victory at Guilford Courthouse, Lord Cornwallis would surrender to the combined American and French forces under General George Washington.
A people who intend to be Free will be so - the threat of Death or defeat cannot conquer them.
These United States are desperately in need of men and women such as these.
For those who are interested, the reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse is this weekend at Guildford Courthouse National Battlefield Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is always a good time - and you can stand on hallowed ground where lived and died men who would not be ruled.