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Battle of Cowpens: January 17, 1781

Trevor2905 mins

The troops I have the honor to command have gained a complete victory over a detachment from the British Army, commanded by Lt. Colonel Tarleton. the Action happened on the 17th inst. about sunrise at a place called the Cowpens...
In the early morning of January 17, 1781, in South Carolina, American troops under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan defeated a force under British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton in one of the more decisive victories for the Americans in the south during the Revolutionary War

In late 1780, the American commander-in-chief of the southern theater, Nathanael Greene, made the daring decision to split his already limited number of troops in the face of a superior force under British Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis. Accordingly, part of Greene’s force was given to Daniel Morgan. The British saw Morgan’s troops as a threat to some crucial posts, so Cornwallis sent troops under up-and-coming commander Banastre Tarleton to take on Morgan.

When word reached Morgan of Tarleton’s approach, he decided to face his enemy in a cow pasture called Cowpens rather than risk being overrun while trying to cross the Broad River. Knowing Tarleton favored frontal attacks, Morgan deployed his infantry troops into three lines—meant to exhaust the energy and resources of the British—with his dragoons positioned in reserve behind the third line.

When Tarleton’s men arrived, they were met by fire from riflemen in Morgan’s first line, who after a few shots withdrew to join the second line, composed of militia. Morgan had instructed the militia to fire two volleys at the approaching British and then retire, which they did. Seeing the American militia appearing to flee, Tarleton sent dragoons after them, but they were met by the American dragoons, led by Lieutenant Colonel William Washington.

The British infantry had been stunned by the fire from the American’s first two lines and now faced the third line, predominately composed of experienced Continental troops overseen by Lieutenant Colonel John Howard. Meanwhile, Tarleton sent his reserve infantry and additional dragoons to try to outflank their opponents on the Americans’ right. The Americans on that side were commanded to turn to face the British, but the order was misunderstood, and they instead began marching to the rear, triggering a retreat in neighboring parts of the line. The confusion was corrected, however, and they turned to face the British in time. Those Americans were joined in the fight by the militia of the first and second lines, who had circled around the back of the American position.

Morgan‘s near-genius plan worked, and the Americans decimated the British. Although the two forces were relatively evenly matched, with roughly 1,000 men each, the British sustained 110 killed and 830 captured or wounded, while the Americans had 12 killed and 61 wounded. The battle wiped out nearly all of Tarleton’s force, striking a serious blow to Cornwallis’s army.

Did you have an ancestor who fought in the Battle of Cowpens? Tell us about them! Or learn more about the battle on Fold3.

290 thoughts on “Battle of Cowpens: January 17, 1781”

  1. Yes, indeed! My husband’s seventh great uncle was Daniel Morgan himself! Spartanburg, SC has a statue of General Morgan in a square named for the hero. Coincidentally, our nephew, General Morgan’s eighth great nephew, is the current mayor of Cowpens.

    2. You must be very proud! I have visited Cowpens a few times. My late brother-in-law was a direct descendant of the Scruggs family who at one time owned much of the land that the battlefield is on. Richard Scruggs acquired much of it through military grants for his own service in the Revolutionary War.The sites of two of the original cabins are marked on the battlefield maps. One was where Richard Scruggs, the original settler who was from Virginia, settled. It is marked and the fireplace/chimney is all that still stands. He had also served in the Revolutionary War but I don’t believe he was at Cowpens. The cabin that has been restored is the one his son, Robert, built.

    5. I never understood why cowpens is named cowpens to began with when I has no connection to the actual event.

      For those who read this: The current town of Cowpens tries to capitalize on the name by relating it to this battle. They even have murals painted of the event on the buildings in their little town. In realty, Cowpens is no where even close to where the battle took place.

      However, Chesnee, SC is literally minutes down the road. They should be the ones who try to capitalize on a connection.

    6. How is your husband related? Daniel Morgan would never discuss his family even to his children. There is no indication if he had any siblings and even the names of his parents are in question as is the place of his birth which is generally accepted as New Jersey but not proven. There is a story that Morgan is related to Daniel Boone’s mother but there is no proof of that. Literally any history on Morgan prior to him showing up in Winchester, Va. around 1753 at age 17 is speculation. I have researched Morgan fairly extensively and do Rev. War Interpretation as him. Suggest you read Graham’s book “Life of General Daniel Morgan of the Virginia Line of the Continental Army of the United States” published in 1856. He had access to Morgan’s papers and met with his Grandchildren.

    7. Would love to compare notes on General Morgan…. Bucks co Pennsylvania history by Davis claims him to be the son of James Morgan the “ironmaster” of Durham furnace (or the brother to my ancestress)… also later works identify the Durham land tract that this Daniel lived on with his family. Would be interesting to separate the group Also had contact with a Morgan researcher connected to the Boone connections.

    9. Hi. My name is Terry Morgan. I am the gggg grandnephew of Daniel Morgan. I have spent over 35 years researching him an d all of the leads that would potentially confirm his family. Now with the introduction of DNA I have developed solid evidence as to his roots.i would be interested in your husband’s family. My gggg grandmother lived in the Old Pendleton District and we believe raised his son Willoughby for a period of time. Would love to make contact.

    11. Yes. I am speaking of Daniel Morgan who married Abigail Curry and had two daughters and one illegitimate son. The jury is still out as to the location of his birth. It was likely Pennsylvania or New Jersey.

    12. The jury is still out on the illegitimate son also. Morgan never acknowledged a son eve in his will. I would be interested in the proof for this relationship.

    13. In 1868 Lyman Draper interviewed Winifred Neville Kouns, granddaughter of Daniel Morgan. She told him that Willoughby Morgan was indeed her mother’s half brother and that she visited him before his death in Prairie du Chien, Michigan Territory (now Wisconsin). Most accept this testimony as putting this issue to rest.

      From “What I Know About Winchester, Recollections of William Greenway Russell 1800-1891” Chapter VII “General Observations”, footnote 21, page 178, the following information is listed:

      “Willoughby Morgan, natural son of General Daniel Morgan, born in Winchester about 1785; reared in South Carolina and studied law there; returned to Winchester and began practice; raised a company in Winchester in War of 1812; distinguished himself at Fort George and rose to command of 12th regiment;………….died at Prairie du Chien in 1831.”

      Much more circumstantial evidence exists. Census records indicate that he was potentially raised in South Carolina by my gggg grandmother, who lived in the Old Pendleton District along 23 Mile Creek.

      Be happy to discuss any of this via regular email at tmorgan707.
      My research and dna indicates that Daniel Morgan was indeed Daniel Boone’s 2nd cousin and Nancy Morgan Hart’s first cousin.

      I have been to Winchester numerous times and presented my findings to the City and the Winchester Historical Society in the Spring of 2016.

    14. My internet is not working well. Unsure my original comment was posted so I thought I would do it again. Sorry if it is redundant.

      I’m 1868 Lyman Draper interviewed Dan Morgan’s granddaughter, Winifred Neville Kouns. She told him that Willoughby Morgan was in fact her mother’s half brother and son of Daniel Morgan. She also stated that she, being Ms Kouns, had visited Willoughby before his death in Prairie du Chien, Michigan Territory now Wisconsin. Most feel that these statements put this issue to rest.

      In “From What I Know About Winchester, Recollections of William Greenway Russell” Chapter VII, “General Observations”, footnote 21, page 178 is listed the following:

      “Willoughby Morgan: Natural son of General Daniel Morgan, born in Winchester about 1785; reared in South Carolina and studied law there; returned to Winchester and began practice; raised a company in Winchester in 1812;……………died at Prairie du Chien.”

      My gggg grandmother lived in the Old Pendleton District of South Carolina along 23 Mile Creek. Census records show a young man living in her household at the time Willoughby would have been there. This was not one of her sons.

      My research and DNA has show that Daniel Morgan was 2nd cousin to Daniel Boone and first cousin to Nancy Morgan Hart.

      This past spring I made a presentation outlining these findings, the methodology and reasoning to the Winchester Virginia Historical Society.

      I would be happy to discuss any of this via email at [email protected]

    15. We have a David Morgan who married a Sarah Boston, daughter of Major John Boston of Onslow NC. From that generation on, there has been a David Boston Morgan and or a James Boston Morgan. The John Boston family moved to Effingham County, GA in 1785. Wondering if this Daniel Morgan is one and the same or if it is his son. I am pretty certain they married around 1800. It is likely they knew each other in NC before the move to GA.

  2. My fifth great grandfather fought in the Battle of Cowpens. His name was Henry Guess. He was in the South Carolina militia. He served under Drury Pace and Hugh Middleton in Leroy Hammond’s Regiment. He lived in the Edge field/ Abbeville District.

    1. Yes and had a wife named Sophia…died April 18th 1818 was also at the siege of Augusta. …..

    2. Jim – Do you know if Henry Guess had a son, Benjamin Franklin Guest? One of my solid brick walls for over 35 years!

      Diane

    3. YES DEAR! AND BENJAMIN GUESS ENLISTED ON 4 NOVEMBER 1775….A ND MY RECORD OF HIS SERVICE was with the SECOND REGIMENT…..

    4. James –

      My Benjamin was a bit too young – I think I sent his dates of birth and death in a previous post – looking for a CSA soldier although a bit old at 55 for that!

      Thanks

    5. Dianne my information is on a BenJamin f Guess. ….not geust…although there’s a William and Thomas guest of note as well…..

    6. Jim –
      Do you have any dates for this Benjamin F Guess? I have been working on this brick wall for 35 years and am just about to move on and write the family history without knowing his parents’ names.
      He was born in 1807 in SC – was the first casualty of the Battle of Antietam, killed by a sniper the evening before the battle – and was 55 years of age, having been paid to take another’s place in the CSA. I have seen his name as Guest; Guess; Gist and if he played the name game, his father was possibly William and his mother Salina Jane – that is IF he played the game.
      Grasping for straws at this point.

    7. Henry and Benjamin guess…Sophia. ETC….died 1818……FIRST OFF…HENRY DIED 42 YEARS. BEFORE THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM M.D…….AND BEN ENLISTED IN 1775…..SO THAT’S 87 YEARS LATER FOR THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM M.D…..(he would have been at least a 100 years old antitam))…..WHAT AMUSES ME IS THE INFO HERE, THE SOPHIA ECT/ECT……BUT THE REVOLUTION WAS OVER IN 1781……AND THE CIVIL WAR (BATTLE OF ANTITAM) WAS 61 YEARS LATER….NO CSA. ..TILL.1861…..TWO DIFFERENT WARS HERE DEAR…..and if he was 55 in 62 (antitam) he would have been borned in 1807……26 YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE REVOLUTION. ……YOU ARE IDENTIFIED WITH A MUCH LATER GUESS…BUT IT WAS COMMON TO KEEP ON KEEP IN ON HAND IN DOWN THE SAME NAMES….BUT HERE’S THE PROblem.
      TWO DIFFERENT WARS.

    8. Post acript;
      But you are far better off dear researching a soldier from the civil war (especially the first recorded casualty of a major battle)is FAR EASIER THAN RESEARCH ON A SOLDIER FROM THE REVOLUTION. ..FAR FAR EASIER….SO MUCH IS OUT THERE…SO MANY “MY GRANPA’S (AND NOT TO THE 5×)PA’ FOUGHT IN THE CIVIL WAR THERE WERE THOUSANDS ALIVE IN THE 1930’AND 40’S ….I THINK THE LAST ONE DIED IN 1959….SO THERES A LOT OF DIFFERENCE THERE IN YEARS ANYWAY…..WE ACTUAL HAVE FILM OF THEM ….BUT NO POLAROIDS OF DAN MORGAN MARION OR PICKENS…….

    9. Jim –

      I have been doing this for over 35 years and I am well aware he was not born yet – just looking for a family link since I have been trying to break through this brick wall for almost as long! Grasping for straws!

  3. My fifth great grandfather Abner Timmons with his brothers fought at the battle of Cowpens. They were Horsemen with Morgan. Abner’s brother Samuel had three mounts shot out from under him. Brother John was there too. After serving with General Washington in Virginia The Timmons family traveled down to South Carolina to fight with Morgon in 1780.

  4. My ancestor, Joel Blackwell, lived 4 or 5 miles from the battlefield. His grandson, Sylvester Blackwell, said that his grandfather was there at Cowpens.

    I need the name of the unit and the officer in order to join DAR. They will not accept the word of Sylvester who made the statement in the Green Co. MO county history book in the 1880’s. Sylvester’s other grandfather, John Padgett, served as well and has papers because he didn’t die until 1839.

    If anyone has any documents where your ancestor references having served with a Joel Blackwell from Rutherford Co. NC who died in 1821, please contact me.

    [email protected]

  5. My ancestor John Duckworth from North Carolina was wounded in the shoulder at this battle. He put his arm in a sling and marched on with the other farmers in the militia. He fought bravely at the battle of King’s Mountain. Years later he had the lead ball removed from his shoulder. Politicians asked him to appear with them where he would talk about the battles and show people the lead ball.

    1. My Penland ancestors are mentioned with the Duckworth ,Alexanders in Drapers King Mtn .Parers “as active in persecution of Tories ” , if you read this the lads looked a little more than “active ” .

  7. My fifth great grandfather Thomas Camp, II provided medical care for those injured in the Battle of Cowpens. I would appreciate any info on Thomas Camp, II and his son Joseph Wilson Camp who was a Revolutionary POW by the British. Need proof for DAR. Thanks!

    1. My great Grand mother was Mary Jane Camp from Campobello S. C. She married W. W, Cook, had three daughters and died in child birth in 1899 in Laurens County S. C.

      I have more info that I would like to share.

    2. Mrs. Hughes, are your Camps descended from Thomas Camp, II or Joseph Wilson Camp of any of their brothers or sisters? My Camps lived on Island Ford on the Broad River. There is a cemetery there with several graves from the 1700’s of the Camps. It’s right near the river.

    3. Julia & Carroll

      I’m a Camp & have reached a brick wall at Benjamin Camp, My line back go like this. Starting with my Father back.
      Edwin Price Camp 1927-2003 married Ollie Maxine Thornton 1929-2013
      James Otho Camp Sr. 1898-1990 married Matilda Blanche Turner 1899-1985
      James Rambo Camp 1860-1938 married Mary Elizabeth Lippard 187-1954
      William T. Camp 1826-Nov1866 married Sarah Kassandra Lackey 1837-Sept1866
      Benjamin Camp 1792-1847 married Mary Goodwin 1791 or 1796-1850
      I don’t have sibling for Benjamin but I have them for the ones above him. If any of these are in your tree & you would like more info or would be willing to offer any help please contact me at [email protected] Thank you

    4. Dear Ms. Jelan: I will send more info on the first of the week. My wife amd are Baptist missionaries to the Native Americans in Arizona. We are from Simpsonville S. C.My GGGGG grandpa fought at Musgrove Mill during the siege of Ninety Six. He was John Sloan

      My phone # 520-235-9088 if you care to contact me by phone.

    1. I am not a descendant of Andrew Pickens but there are records of Andrew Pickens service in the Battle of Cowpens including in the Continental Congress Papers – Vol.4, Page 169a: “Presentation of Sword to Col. Andrew Pickens for his conduct at Battle of Cowpens.”

  9. My ancestor Adam Skains fought at the Cowpens alongside his two brothers. Unfortunately, one brother was lost that day being after being shot multiple times according to records on Fold3.

    1. Col. Benjamin Roebuck was my 4th great uncle. His brother George was my 4th great grandfather. They had another brother John. Their father was George Roebuck Sr. They were all in the revolution and served under Benjamin at different times, but I don’t know if they were at the Cowpens with Benjamin or not.

  11. My 5th great grandfather, Solomon Crocker a private in the 1st regiment of the SC rifleman, fought in the Cowpens. I’m a proud descendant of the Crocker family.

  12. My seventh great grandfather Robinson Ross was from Dorchester County Maryland. He had the rank of private and was at Cowpens.

  14. Then Major John Cunningham, Clarke’s Bn., my 5th great-grandfather, commanded the Georgia Sharpshooters in the first line. Told to aim for the epaulets the riflemen killed or wounded 28 officers and/or high ranking NCO’s, leaving the British leaderless in some sectors. They had a job to do, and they did it, returning to the battle after leading the dragoons into a trap as they ‘ran’ after discharging two rounds. Major (later appointed Lt. Col. of the Georgia militia) had begun his ‘military career’ not long after arriving in Charleston from N. Ireland, driving supply wagons, and remained in one capacity or another almost all of his life. I have found over 100 documents relating to his career on Fold3 and am looking forward to the day, when we move closer, that I can place a wreath in his name on the day of the battle. Oh, it was bitterly cold that day – clear and cold.
    When Morgan and Greene were honored by Washington, they said that the real heroes were the militia who faced the enemy and did their duty without flinching. I am not sure those are the exact words but the same idea.
    John Cunningham married Ann Davis at Clark’s Fort in 1781 and she wrote in her pension application that she then returned to the home of her parents while he returned to the war. John was also at King’s Mountain, Kettle Creek, among other battles.

    1. need to check – which Clark???
      My William Given and his son Robert Given were there, his wife was a Bratton , Robert Given md a Clark, all related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition group. Her half brothers were Dunlaps.. all these fought at Guilford Courthouse.

    2. I have been studying this particular battle and Kettle Creek because it has significant importance to the genealogical work I do in Georgia and Alabama. Cunningham, Davis, Morgan, Greene, Duckworth, Blackwell, Vickery, Vickers, Edmonson are just a few names who went on to impact post revolutionary settlement in the Georgia, Alabama, LA, and Mississippi.

    3. My ancestor was James Cunningham. I know he served in the Revolution because the DAR put a plaque on his grave outside Famington, MO where he later moved. I also know he was injured and a cousin tended to him. He later brought lead to Greene’s troops from a mine in Virginia

      .

    4. Barbara – you must be referring to a different Maj John Cunningham since the one who commanded the Georgia Sharpshooters at Cowpens lived, died and is buried in Elbert County, GA where the DAR put a plaque that needs to be updated. John was born in N. Ireland, a protestant, thus given land by SC even at the young age of 14, but he settled in GA when it was a very dangerous place to live thanks mostly to the Indians but also the British and Tories.
      John lived in two places – SC and GA.
      Surely, there is another Major John Cunningham

    5. Thank you for your answer, but I’m not looking for John Cunningham. Mine is James W. Cunningham, and I don’t think he was an officer.

    6. Barbara –

      So sorry – no excuse for not reading more carefully. John Cunningham had a brother James who was disabled by wounds but he never left SC – not sure if he was an officer or not but there might be more information on Fold3.

      Diane S

    7. Thanks so much for answering. I’ll have to dig around some more — John and James seem to be rather overworked names for Cunninghams.

    1. looking for info on james r stewart abt1818 believe his father wae ralph stewartn jr help

  16. My great, great, great grandfather was McKinney (Mack) Robinson. He was a private in in Morgan’s Rifle Regiment. He was from August County, Virginia (now Lumberport, West Virginia). I do not know if he was with Morgan in 1781 at the Battle of Cowpens.

    Below is an except from documentation related to my great grandmothers membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution.

    “Records show that one Mack Robinson served in the War of the Revolution as a member of Captain William Blackwell’s Company, 11th Virginia Regiment, Virginia Foot, commanded by Colonel Daniel Morgan from April 1777 to January 1778. His name is borne on the rolls of Captain Gabriel Long’s Detached Company of Riflemen, Morgan’s Rifle Regiment, Continental Troops, covering a period from July 1777 to August 1779, which indicates that he was on detached service in Captain Blackwell’s Company, 11th Virginia Regiment”

    signed – H.P. McCain, The Adjutant General

    1. Thank you for your information. My fourth great grandfather on my mother’s mother side was Captain William Blackwell of the 11th Virginia who commanded Blackwell’s Rifles of the Virginia Foot commanded by the honorable Colonel Daniel Morgan. The muster rolls confirm that Captain William Blackwell was also involved in another manor event of the Revolutionary as a member of the hard pressed Continental Army who marched into the winter encampment of Valley Forge with Colonel Daniel Morgan, George Washington and the rest of the Continential Army. As I understand history, it was during that vicious winter encampment that the Continential Army regrouped and prepared themselves to continue their fight against the British by becoming a cohesive fighting force through their shear willpower to survive the brutal winter, tbeir discipline and committment to their principals and nust plain hard work.

    2. William Blackwell was my 5th great grandfather and led troops at the Battle of Cowpens. Thank you Rudolph A. Dolence for your great contribution of information on our ancestor.

  18. My 4th great grandfather was Captain Samuel Hammond. I went to Cowpens in May 2016 and when I saw the monument erected to the Battle of Cowpens and saw my relatives name on it, I had a sense of awe, respect and appreciation for his part in the creation of our Great Nation.
    I went on to the Library of Virginia and had to request a folder from their “closed stacks” and there I found the Battle plan that Samuel had sketched out for his troops.
    I would very much like to learn any information anyone has about Samuel and the Hammon/Hammond family and will share everything I have with anyone that is interested.

    2. Is this Samuel. Son of Charles Hammond? I’m related to Charles and Leroy of the Augusta area and Samuel would be my 4th great uncle.

    3. Yes. I descend thru my mother’s mother, Norma LeClaire Hammond, daughter of Jeptha and Rose Hammond. I looked at the relationship report wrong, I am actually related to Samuel as a 1st cousin, 6x removed.

  19. This is a transcript of my ancestor William Neel’s affidavit supporting his pension application.

    He was stationed at Warricks
    station at the head of Greenbrier river and at the clover
    lick station at which latter place he was discharged.
    In the year 1780 (as he thinks) he went as a volunteer
    from Staunton in August County Virginia with a
    company under the command of Capt Buckannan
    in company with two other companies commanded
    by Captains Tate & Gilmore in the state of North
    Carolina and joined Genl Morgan at six mile
    creek (after passing by Hillsborough Salesburg &c)
    this place was called headquarters where Genls
    Smallwood & Morgan were encamped with their
    troops at this place to wit six mile creek the army
    remained encamped for some time. Colo. Washington
    commanded the horse Colo Howard the regular
    infantry and Captains Wallace Brooks & Sniggers
    belonged to the regular forces under Genl Morgan
    he went to Packoletts River, South Carolina
    and was at the battle of the Cowpens or Tarlton’s defeat
    _______
    where as well as this applicant remembers there
    were near 500 prisoners taken. At this battle the
    South Carolina mounted militia under Colo Brannon
    proved very defective in the commencement of the action
    but were subsequently rallied and assisted to complete
    the victory. after the battle the troops suffered greatly
    in their return to Salisbury N. Carolina with the
    prisoners from the high waters cold ranes and want
    of provisions at Broad River & Catawba there
    was several lives lost from high waters.

  20. Any Hessians at Cowpens? My ancestor was with Cornwallis when he surrendered at Yorktown.

  21. My 4th great-grandfather, Charles Littleton, was with the SC militia at Cowpens. He later settled in Northern Alabama where lived many years and now is buried there.

  22. Where there any white or black Womacks in these wars? Many are in Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina, West Virginia and Florida areas.

    1. My 5th great-grandfather, 2nd Maj. Jacob Womack was a Captain when he and his son, Pvt. Jesse Womack fought in the August 1776 Cherokee Expedition against the Overhill Cherokees in the Revolutionary War. The Womacks were Caucasian and there were no Womacks with 100% Native American ancestry or 100% Black ancestry in the Womacks who descend from Jacob’s parents, Richard Womack and Ann “Nancy” Childers. Richard died 25 Jul 1785 in Hancock Co., GA at his son, Abraham’s home. Abraham died in 1804 in Hancock Co., GA. Maj. Jacob Womack’s son, Pvt. Johnson Womack stated in one of his two RW pension applications that he lived in Pendleton Dist, SC, then TN (Grainger Co, TN and White Co, TN), then Arkansas. However, he also must have lived in Burke Co, GA for a short time, since the 9 Aug 1788 issue of the Augusta Chronicle newspaper (Augusta, GA) lists “Johnston Womack” as a tax defaulter in Burke Co, GA. My studies of Womack families is not limited to my line, and I will be happy to help with a Womack who had ancestors on the 1850 census. Through DNA testing and other sources, I can identify the ancestors of most of those heads of household back to William Womack the immigrant.

    1. a few years ago was at the London Art Museum, you can imagine my surprise to see a “large” full figure portrait of Tarleton…. in Britain I guess he was a hero..

  25. Jeannette –
    Col. Elijah Clark who was laid up with a wound during the Battle of Cowpens so he gave he sent a message to Major Cunningham to gather as many men on horseback as he could and meet Morgan in S.C., thus handing command to John Cunningham who had been with him since the early days in Long Canes. A true copy of the original order is on Fold3 and the history in that short dispatch boggles my mind!
    Have been studying the Cunningham family and many others in East Georgi for almost 40 years, and I have pretty much come to the conclusion I am related to all of them, even through marriage! John was one of the original settlers of Wilkes County Georgia.
    I have SO much gratitude for his oldest son, Franklin Cunningham, my 3rd great-grandfather, who, upon his father’s death, gathered all his papers and sent them to the War Department which is one reason we have so many of John’s records available.
    Victoria the best book I have read about Cowpens was ‘A Devil Of A Whipping’ the Battle of Cowpens by Lawrence E. Babits

    1. I have record of a John Cunningham that lived so close to kings mountain the woman he eventually married as a young lady aparently at the time said she could hear the drums roll (offical documentation also)in the near distance…although.my studies are confined to south Carolina mustered individuals of record (s) I am aware of several John cunningham’s ….I’m glad to share any information with anybody….I was chasing this info 30 years before computors and it is the property of all Americans….all those that are created equal anyway.(and that’s us all less some choose to deny)….thats a fact…but also a choice as well…as freedom stil’yet rings may all these efforts reflect our knowledge and passion of our origin…. and that right ‘inalienable choice of liberty that rightfuly belongs to our children and their children’s children..this remarkable experiment proving to all men…he most certainly can govern hi self. ..with the right choice’s a vision apears ..teach your children who we are and why we are who we are and keep the vision in focus…as Tom Jefferson said guard the public liberty be jellous of that jewel! Because losing sight of that presious vision…we ‘will lose it all!
      Proverbs 29:18 says…WHERE THERE IS NO VISION THE PEOPLE PERISH….BUT HAPPY IS THE MAN THAT KEEPS THE LAW!!!!!…..OR MAKES THE RIGHT DECISION! this good life was paid for at cowpens in blood…eternal life was paid in full at CALVARY IN BLOOD….BOTH FREE GIFTS TO US! BE CAREFUL OF THE CHOICES AND EVEN MORE SO CAUTIOUS WHO MAKES THEM! !!

  26. My ancestors, William Given and John Slavin of VA fought at Battle of Cowpens and Valley Forge, through some tuff battles. Greatful for their service.

  27. My fifth Great-Grandfather – Fleming Smith, while residing in Spartanburg District, South Carolina, enlisted in the Revolutionary War on October 1780 under Capt. Charles James and Col. John Thomas and was in the battle at Cowpens. He was also in an engagement with the Tories on Bush River. In September 1782, while under Capt. John Mapp, he marched into the Cherokee Indian nation. In addition, he served at some time under Col, Shelby Smith. Fleming said his company was attached at one point to Col. Clarke of Georgia. He was allowed pension on his application executed 03 June 1833. Any additional information would be welcome.

    1. My Smiths from near Spartanburg Co. fought in War, Henry was the patriarch, and he lost two sons in the war, one being Abraham. I need more info to join DAR. It was a huge clan in that area, my branch comes from son David and his son James who became a General in TX. Please give me any Smith info, and I will gladly share.

    2. Need info on Smiths in this battle or others in Revolution in this area; they lived in this area around the Broad River. Henry lost two sons, one named Abraham in the Revolution. Several sons served. Would help me to apply to DAR. Thank you, Jo G Smith, [email protected]

  28. My 5th great-grandfather, George Tucker, who resided in Wilkes County, GA, fought at Cowpens. A

  29. To Jennifer Burk. I am also descended from the Patriot Richard SCRUGGS, through several other descendants named Richard SCRUGGS and two Drury Dobbins SCRUGGS.

    1. To Jennifer Burk and Linda, I have many ancestors in the Scruggs line as well as Ezell and Martin. Would love to correspond about the family lines.
      Marian Martin McMahan
      [email protected]

  30. The USS Cowpens was a small “jeep” aircraft carrier in World War II. The USS Missouri was known as the “Might Mo”, so the Cowpens was the “Mighty Moo”. Great choice of nickname. A model of the ship, and this story is at the information center at the Cowpens National Battlefield.

  31. Ninian Beall, my third great grandfather, according to records in the National Archives,, fought under General William Washington in the Battle of Cowpens. I discovered this when researching my family genealogy before obtaining my membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. I am 86 + years old.

    1. Avis E. Cox – In messages about Battle of Cowpens, I noted that you have a 3rd great grandfather named Niniian Beall. I also am related to this Ninian Beall and have tons of information on his line. My closest ancestors were Akins, Stewart, Johnson, /LovelaceLoveless, Summers and many others. I have information at ancestry.com. My name is Mary Davis (80 years old) .

    2. Avis Cox and also Mary Davis,
      I descend from Ninian’s brother – James Beall, and his wife Sarah Peerce. Would like to correspond regarding the Beall family. Please contact me Mary Cuthbert – [email protected].

  32. My 5th great grandfather, Andrew Goff, fought with Isaac Shelby at the Battle of Point Pleasant, Cowpens and Kings Mountain. He was one of the Over the Mountain Men.

  33. Born at Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England, about 1761, my 3rd great grandfather, private Richard Price, was a British soldier captured Jan. 17, 1781, during the Battle of Cowpens – along with most of the surviving members of his “redcoat regiment”, the 7th Regiment of Foot, Royal Fusiliers.

    He was released in November, 1872, and marched to Charleston, SC, probably in a prisoner exchange group. With the British evacuation of Charleston on Dec. 17,1782, he was shipped to New York. There on October 25, 1783, he was discharged from military service and shortly embarked for Canada with a large number of civilian Loyalist refugees and disbanded British and provincial troops. There they would take up land grants in reward for “Loyalty services and distress” during the American Revolution.

    Richard Price’s grant was located on Bedeque Bay on the Island of Saint John (now Prince Edward Island). He and his wife Anastatia had 11 children, six sons and five daughters. Anastatia’s date of death is not known. Richard died in 1844 at age 82.

  34. What article doesn’t point out is that Tarleton’s Legion was formed essentially of Americans, not British or foreign troops. Cowpens was a battle pitting American colonialists against American colonialists in what was the first American Civil War. I know that doesn’t fit the existing mythology about the American Revolution. My ancestor James Cosman served in Tarleton’s Legion as a guide. I don’t know if he was at Cowpens. For another perspective on Tarleton’s Legion written in 1947 by noted Nova Scotia historian Thomas Raddall see http://www.mersey.ca/tarletonslegion.html

    1. John – this is the list of the British force at Cowpens
      While there were some Loyalist at Cowpens, the majority were seasoned British soldiers and calvary.

      “Lieutenant-Colonel Banastre Tarleton” by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
      Tarleton’s force included:

      The British Legion: 250 cavalry and 200 infantry,[44]
      A troop of the 17th Light Dragoons (50),
      A battery of the Royal Artillery (24) with two 3-pounder cannons[45]
      The 7th Royal Fusiliers Regiment (177)
      The light infantry company of the 16th Regiment (42)
      The 71st (Fraser’s Highlanders) Regiment under Major Arthur MacArthur (334)
      The light company of the Loyalist Prince of Wales’ American Regiment (31)
      A company of Loyalist guides (50)
      A total of over 1,150 officers and men.[46]

      Broken down by troop classification, there were 300 cavalry, 553 regulars, 24 artillerymen and 281 militia. Tarleton’s men from the Royal Artillery, 17th Light Dragoons, 7th Regiment (Royal Fusliers), 16th Regiment and 71st Regiment were reliable and good soldiers: .[47] Tarleton’s own unit, the British Legion were formidable “in a pursuit situation”[48] but had an uncertain reputation “when faced with determined opposition”.[48]

  35. My ancestor, Lt. Robert Pickens, fought in the militia under his first cousin, Col. (later General) Andrew Pickens, commander of the militia at Cowpens. I’m sorry this account doesn’t mention the crucial part the militia played in the battle’s outcome as an overwhelming victory rather than a defeat. The loss of Continental troops at the fall of Charleston followed by the disastrous defeat at Camden, had left a severe shortage of trained soldiers in the South. Morgan was brilliant in his understanding and utilization of the strengths of these untrained militiamen. The movie, “The Patriot”, was patterned after the Battle of Cowpens and the lead role, played by Mel Gibson, was patterned on Andrew Pickens. It’s a “must see” for Cowpens’ fans.

  36. My 5th great grandfather, Private Thomas Ogan, was recruited by Daniel Morgan in Winchester, Virginia, in December 1776, and according to a pension petition signed by Daniel Morgan in 1785 served in Morgan’s Riflemen throughout the war. General Morgan’s statement indicates that Thomas Ogan was employed mostly as a waggoner in the 7th Virginia Riflemen during the later part of the war. Thomas Ogan was likely present at the Battle of Cowpens in January 1781 but may not have been on the rolls.
    “I hereby certify that Thomas Ogan a soldier in Capn. Johnson’s Comp’y in the latter end of the year 1776 & that he was still in my Comp’y in the latter end of the year 1781.” signed Benjn Bruin
    “I do certify that the within Thomas Ogan was a soldier in my Reg. & served out his time for which he enlisted which was for the war. Tho he may not be on the muster roll the latter part of his service as he was mostly employed to drive a wagon. Given under my hand this 4 Mar 1785.”
    Dan’l Morgan B.G.

  37. Yes Lawarence Miller was a dragoon in Col Washington Third Continental Dragoons. He was the Trumpeter. They charged into the right flank of the British at Cowoens. I’ve walked the battlefield a couple of times. Lawrence left a pension application in 1828 at the ripe age of 90. He went down with Washington at Eutaw Springs with three sabor blows to the head, bayonet in the right side and a ball to the neck but survived. In his penion application the City of Natchez Mississippi court reporter recorded the scar on his head were to the bone.

  38. Colonel Thomas Brandon, my 5th Great Grandfather, served at Cowpens so due to this, I have always had a passion regarding the Revolution. If anyone would like to discuss Colonel Brandon or Cowpens at any time, please let me know.

    Jay Lindsey
    Tallahassee, FL

  39. My ancestor George Agnew was there with William Washington.He was from Chester county S.C. he fought with Francis Marion,William Washington and Light Horse Harry Lee after Francis Marion was captured.I have a copy of his pension statement taken in 1833 when he was residing in Alabama.

  40. My ancestor Robert wright helped capture Cornwallis. He was from Amherst, va and eventually cane to Alabama to help Alabama become a state in 1819. He came from Tenn after his first wife died and was given land in the area of what is now called Berkeley community and is buried in wright cemetery in Madison county Alabama. Want to get it marked by dar of which I am a member and he is my patriot. His daughter owned land where a Walmart sits presently in the big cove area of Madison county. A cousin has original painting of Jane wright Jenkins. My great, great, Great grandmother. Have lots of info on him and his ancestors and mine.

  43. My husband’s 5th ggrandmother was Kate Moore Barry, wife of Capt Andrew Barry. According to legend she rode horseback to the neighboring farms to round up the militia to assemble at Cowpens. There is a DAR chapter named for her.

    1. Andrew Barry is also my 5th g-grandfather! We live in Texas but visited Walnut Grove (her childhood home) several years ago along with this battleground. I was wondering if there would be a mention of them on here! Her little brother also fought this battle as well, I believe.

    2. I am also related to Kate More Barry and Andrew Barry they are my
      5th or 6th Gr. Grandparents. I have quite a bit of info on the family as
      you probably do also. I descend through their oldest son John Barry.

    3. I too, am related to Kate and Andrew Barry. They are my either 5th or 6th gr grandparents. I descend from their oldest son, John.

  44. My 5th Great Grandfather,Capt. Henry Connolly fought at Cowpens. He was command of a company of N.C. militia. Daniel Morgan was a cousin of my 5th Great Grandmother Nancy Morgan Hart.

  45. One of the British units that was defeated and lost its colors was the Royal Fusiliers. Their colors are hanging in the chapel at West Point. Most Americans know them as “Beefeaters,” the guard force at the Tower of London.

  46. How about the Battle of Guilford Courthouse? My 4th ggf fought in that one, as did the 4th ggf of my best friend.

    1. My 4th great grandfather, Col. William Morton also fought at the Battle of Guilford House. He supposedly was the one who fatally shot Gen. Cornwallis’s second in command, Daniel Webster. Anyone with information please let me know. I’m already in the SAR under 2 other Morton Patriots but looking for info for another supplimental. Thank you!

    2. My Dunlap, Bratton and Givens were Guilford Courthouse, one of them called for the retreat, and one of the brothers died during that battle.

  49. My 4th Great Grandfather, James “Horseshoe” Robertson, stated in his Revolutionary War Pension statement on the ’13th day of October A.D. 1832′ ( microfilm “Pension of Revolutionary Soldiers”, Birmingham, Alabama library) that “Whilst in the volunteer line he was engaged in many skirmishes, besides a general engagement under the command of General Morgan at the Cowpens.”

  50. This is interesting. I would be even more interested if Fold3 would include the histories/biographies or any information of African Americans that participated on both sides.

    1. Hi Joan, good point. There are a number of works on black participation in the war. I highly recommend Douglas R. Egerton, Death or Liberty: African Americans and Revolutionary America (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009).

      Here is another small piece of my own on African Americans in the Continental Army.

      “’They were good soldiers.’: African–Americans Serving in the Continental Army,”
      http://www.scribd.com/doc/123231213/%E2%80%9CThey-were-good-soldiers-African%E2%80%93Americans-Serving-in-the-Continental-Army

      Cheers!

  51. 2 of my grandfathers last named Fitzgerald and Hight fought in the battle and served under William Washington in the 3rd light dragoons. The battle wasnt long after FItzgerald was bayonetted 18 times in new jersey and was released from hospital in fredrick md.

  52. An ancestral grandfather fought there, Col Cowan. His home is still standing in NC and on the national historic registry.

    Apparently I had between 3 and 5 ancestral grandfathers who fought in this action, still validating their areas of service but know for sure 2 did. Joshua Dinkins was a fife player and teamster driver. He is on my Mothers father side. Col Cowan my Mothers mother side.

    1. John –

      Looking for a Josiah Cowan, probably from NC who fought in the Revolution. My ancestor, Captain William York from Randolph Co., NC gave only one son a middle name – his name is Josiah Cowan York and I hoped that would lead me to his mother’s family – or at least answer some ?’s about their background.

      Many thanks
      Diane

    1. Yes ..he inlisted in the six regiment On June 27th 77…served in Pickens brigade after Charleston fell…Gen. ANDREW PICKENS….THE WIZARD OWL…….the Indians called him!

    2. I have Crow ancestors that were located in North Carolina. I’m wondering if your William Crow could be an ancestor of mine. The earlies Crow that I have information on is Charles Crow, b. 1717. Can you let me know if you think there is a connection?

      Thanks, Reba

  54. I didn’t see my original remark so I must have made a mistake so I will leave a shorter message: I had numerous ancestors at Cowpens.
    William Ruben Briant was my 4th ggrandfather. he was under Robert Andersons command at Cowpens. Prior to that he fought with Col Buncombe from 1776-1778. in the N.C. Continental Army. He returned to S.C. and fought in S.C. Militia.
    George Huey was at Kings Mtn and Cowpens
    John Blackwell and his three brothers and brother-in-law were at Kings Mtn and Cowpens
    My 5thggfather James Dillard was at Guilford’s Courthouse and was in French and Indian War. His first cousin was at Cowens with same name James Dillard and his brother John Dillard. Dillard, Georgia is named after. My mother’s ancestor’s were mainly from S.C. Spartanburg and Polk county N.C.

    1. DRAKE is one of my ancestral lines. Robert was born in 1777 in NC. There are many first names of Dillard through several generations of Drakes. Thus far I haven’t a clue except the town in Georgia and the department store. I’m looking for a Dillard and Drake connection. Can we correspond? Thanks!

    2. I would be very interested in any info you have. William Ruben Bryant and James Dillard were also my grandfathers

    3. John Blackwell is one of the founders of Green Creek Baptist Church in the southern most area of Polk County, N.C. It was founded, I believe in 1795. He owned land near there. There are many people at that church who are related to him. He was a Baptist minister. He and his brothers ( who all fought at Kings Mtn and Cowpens) became Baptist ministers, as I have been told and circuit road the North Carolina panhandle to all the area churches. John stayed at Green Creek Baptist. His sons migrated to North Pacolet area Campobello, S.C. there is a church there now that used to be named North Pacolet Baptist now renamed State Line Church. Many Blackwells buried there. They are descendants of John Blackwell. John as he got older moved to live with a son in Walker county Ga. and was buried there. There are many Blackwells related to him as well in Ga.

    5. Apparently we have some ancestors in common, I am a James Houston Dillard daughter and he was a decendant from the Dillards (French) that later married Native American Choctaw Chief’s daughter.

    6. Sye Miller (Keith, Va, NC. Sc,, Ga, Ala). I didn’t seea KEITH SURNAME byt U wibdered uf abtt\ibe recigbuzes tge surname KEITH. there are a lot of Keith’s in the SEm arruvubg frin /scitkabd ab 1750 to Virginia. The records get a little spotty, so I am searching all the Southeastt. You mentioned Spartanburg and the Keith’s were in the Ollonoy Valley and you may recirgbuze this surname. The are George Keith’s, Simeon (also known are Sim-R) Lafayette Keith who was a peach farmer and we visited him in the ;late 1940s’s. If you have any information on the Keith’s, please email at [email protected]. My Ancestry ID is Sue Miller76. Would love to hear from anyone about the Keiths. The Keith’s go back to Henry II and Eleanor of Aquataine. Of course that makes use a Plantagenet,

    7. Ms. Miller!
      I have record of five (5) keith’s who fought in the revelution. …but one in particular stands out to me ’cause as being afilliating with the forth reg and being an ‘exchanged prisoner and wounded at Yorktown. …later moving to Alabama! ……but trying to ‘steer you in the right direction my opinion of this ‘John keith is derived from facts I know…on a large bronze sign on highway 8 in Pickens county south Carolina at the intersection of highway 288 is a small town (community) of what is the famous town of ‘pumpkin town, south Carolina. …this sign virtuly tells the story of its founding by a massive ”’clan of keiths. ..they just a river off the boat from Scotland and set up the township of said city (ha ha…at best it’s an old gas station today…but the pumps quit working 50 years ago and never fixed’m back) cause it’s a cafe, small store community gathering place….and it’s in the immediate vacinity of oleonoy community!!!!That babtist church there has many old Graves from the 1700’ ….don’t know where you’re at but would be happy to go take many pictures of all and send to miller/keith family where ever you are.so you may tell your children….I just have a feeling about this! Olneoy and pumpkin town…..means one thing in Pickens county south Carolina. …beauty (the prettiest place in the world!!!)…and ‘keith’s…history in spades….scotch spades that is.!…..it’s a couple of miles from my place……when I see the fields and crystal clear steams….and the beauty full mountains in the distance….I can’t help but think how the decision to raise up a bunch of ‘little ‘SCOTTIES and setup a new homeland was no doubt quickly decided upon…without a doubt those keith’s seen the scotish highlands of the old country right before their eyes only this time without all the oppressive misery of the British crown…truly the ‘Redheaded corn cookinest place this side’a glasscow…an I know that blowed their skirts up!…..cause it still does mine! If you want pictures of all…lemme know!

  55. Francis McCorkle served with the Rowan Militia and was to have been present at the battle. He continued his service at the Battle of Eutaw Springs.

    1. Are you interested in the relating families of Akins and Barons and Stewarts? Elizabeth McCorkle is related to this line.

  56. I failed to mention another 5th great grandfather Uriah Tollison who was at Cowpens, his son was was John and was called “Major Tollison” and collected his pension. I have no record that he served. I have found Uriah’s pension showing his payment.
    John Blackwell was my 5th great grandfather also.I also had Womack relatives who were called “spys” during the revolution and had relatives Lemasters who served in the revolution but cannot place them at Cowpens.

    1. For your Major Tollison, check the Indian Wars and the War of 1812. Both these are less documented and can be difficult to research. A local unit could have been raised during the Indian Wars and this is where John served. Researching local records might be necessary.

  57. My 4xgg Lt. Col. John Eager Howard was the Commander of the Continental Line at the Battle of the Cowpens. He received a Continental Congress Medal. He was wounded at the Battle of Eutaw Springs.

  58. Yes….and am so proud of these men from all families…My 4gg grandfather George Henry Turner and his son my 3gg grandfather James Turner….fought at The Battle of Cowpens…they lived close by at Pacolet….helped found Buck Creek Baptist Church. James was a scout with brother in law Horse Shoe Robinson which fought the Tories …..both married Headen..Heydon girls. James also fought in the Revolutionary War. Buried at Buck Creek Baptist Church. So Honored!

    1. James “Horseshoe” Robertson is my 4th Great Grandfather. I referenced his Revolutionary War pension statement in my original comment.

    1. Enlisted with that outfit on 27 February 1779 under capt. Josef warly …a JOHN SADDLE. ..HE WAS

  61. My 7th great-grandfather was Captain Henry Connelly commanded a small cavalry company of North Carolina State troops in the battle. Survived and later fought at Guilford Court House. He died in Johnson Co., KY in 1840

    3. Captain Henry Connelly is was my 4th great-grandfather. My daughter has done a lot of research on Capt. Connelly while pursuing membership in the DAR.

  62. Lt. Col. William Washington was my 3rd Great Aunt’s (Anna Shanley) father-in-law. She was married to his son, Thomas Washington.

  63. My five greats grandfather, John McClanahan, was one of the few sharpshooters at Cowpens. He was killed in that battle.
    This is family oral history and verified confirmation is required, if anyone or any agency can confirm, please respond.
    Preston McClanahan/ [email protected]

  64. My fifth great grandfather John Camper under General Stephens went from the headquarters at Cheraw Hills with a detachment to guard prisoners taken at the Cow Pens (Battle of Cow Pens SC, 17 Jan 1781) to Albemarle Barrack 4 miles NNE of Charlottesville, VA. I received this information from the Southern Campaigns American Revolution Pension Statements & Roster.

  65. My third g grandfather Titus Finch was a Private in the Light Infantry Company of the Prince of Wales American Regiment and was captured at the Battle of Cowpens. He is listed amongst the prisoners taken 17 January 1781 and received by Joseph Holmes, Deputy Commissary of Prisoners for Virginia. He is likewise listed as a prisoner at Lancaster PA in April 1781, along with the other prisoners from Cowpens, and many others. Titus Finch returned from Captivity to his Regiment in 1783.

  66. Francis Tripplet, Major in the Virginia Militia and Commanding that unit in the Battle of The Cowpens, is my ancestor. He is inaccurately identified as “George Triplett” on the Monument at this National Battle Field. I have addressed this error with the Director of our National Parks who informed me that it was, in fact, an oversight and CANNOT be Corrected. Make sense to anyone?

    1. Go to DAR.org and click on “GRS” then click on “Ancestor” and enter “Keen” . a bunch of Keen’s show up, most from Pennsylvania or New Jersey.

    2. Yeah they was a JAMES KEEN IN THE MILITA AT THE FALL OF CHARESTON …MANY NAMES LIKE KEENAN KEENER KEENLY KEEr KEEN KEENER. …JUST THIS JIM IS THE ONLY KEEN I KNOW OF HOPE THIS HELPS

  69. My 4th great grandfather fought and was wounded at the Battle of Cowpens. William B. Meade.

    1. Yes Elaine Billy mead served as a baggage guard at cow pens. ..he was born may
      3rd 1763 in staunton VA
      Died 11 June 1848
      He fought under robert Farris col….Brandon William Farr and wound up with Gen. Pickens
      He rein listed in1781October. …moved on to GA. Ohio and I’LL. ..BUT DON KNOW THEORY SPECIFIC DATES……..

  70. HORSE ROBINSON…IN RESPONSE TO SUE TURNER CHAMBLISS AN DAVID WHITE
    WHEN A VERY YOUNG LAD I SPENT THE NIGHT IN THE OLD HOME PLACE OF “HORSESHOE…THE HOME IS STILL OCUPIED as it was back then ‘rented by parents of an old school chum. …local lore accurately depicts this fellow as a very big an burly man…a true gurilla of the contangential army..much more is known of him than one would think! I can take you to the homeplace (less than an hour from greenville) folks still live there although a small marker is present at the ‘edge of the yard….and a casual stroll through the woods a short piece reveals a small graveyard with tombstones denoting “continental soldiers…..several paths of short distance from there to col. Cleavland..and also within 20 miles of general Pickens home where he died…and within eyesight of the ”RING FIGHT in tomasee (salem)..nowhere else in this great country are we more blessed than the Great state of SOUTH CAROLINA…where more battles for freedom were fought than anywhere else in the nation..the old mountain men just set back…an picked’m off…the greatest army the world had seen till that time.took a shore nuff whoopin from a ragtag army that meant business! ..the backwoods men from the upstate here cleared the way for Gen. WASHINGTON TO MOP ON UP! The world was stund !
    Truly the events of that encounter was non other than a Gift from God!

  71. My 5th great grandfather, John Cunningham had the rank of Major and commanded the Georgia volunteers at the Battle of Cowpens. The sharpshooters under his command were in the first line and inflicted heavy damage on the British. He also served in the Battles of Long Cane, Kings Mountain, and the Siege of Augusta. His name is engraved on the obelisk monument at the Cowpens National Battlefield.

    1. Rodney –
      John is also my 5th great-grandfather – and I have a great deal of information on the family.
      Is your Brown family from E. Georgia? I am descended from Benjamin Brown Rev War soldier

      Diane S
      [email protected]

  72. JR SMITH
    I HAVE RECORD OF (6) HENRY SMITH ….ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT FOUGHT AT COWEN WAS DRAFTED FROM YORK COUNTY…UNDER ROB. MCAFEE…brother died of wounds from fight at stono ..transported prisoners from cow pens the day after to rowan N..C…wife Margaret henning…from Rockingham county VA. …..at Granby fort/black stocks plantation…Morgan’s spy on will. Cunningham…one under Marion…..one from peedee district. …any more important at all? Also abraham smith was captured jailed in savanna.later took to Jamaica! Till the end of the war……enlisted near fish dam ford in may of 77’…….get me more info….anything! Hth’s

  73. JG SMITH
    I HAVE RECORD OF (6) HENRY SMITH ….ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT FOUGHT AT COWEN WAS DRAFTED FROM YORK COUNTY…UNDER ROB. MCAFEE…brother died of wounds from fight at stono ..transported prisoners from cow pens the day after to rowan N..C…wife Margaret henning…from Rockingham county VA. …..at Granby fort/black stocks plantation…Morgan’s spy on will. Cunningham…one under Marion…..one from peedee district. …any more important at all? Also abraham smith was captured jailed in savanna.later took to Jamaica! Till the end of the war……enlisted near fish dam ford in may of 77’…….get me more info….anything! Hth’s

  74. My ancestor, Charles Littleton, fought in this battle with the South Carolina militia. Does anyone know of any good reading or resources on the SC militia? Also, he noted in his account that his unit went on to fight the Indians. Anyone know anything about this campaign? Thanks.

    1. GENERAL ANDREW PICKENS was the backbone of the militias in the back country here. ……right over here off highway 11 in a field is a bronze marker comemorating the RING FIGHT……..in Salem. ..Oconee county…tomasee was another of many local fights that ultimately culminated in the TRAIL OF TEARS…..MANY INDIANS HAD BEEN BOUGHT OFF BY THE BRITISH CROWN TO HELP THE TORIES FIGHT US….and here localy (oconne/pickens) the French had to get their little chicken scratchin in on it too……the GREAT RING FIGHT WAS IN PLAIN VEIW OF GEN. PICKENS BACK PORCH. …….I HAVE HEARD THE OLD SAY THEY WERE TOLD HORSESHOE ROBINSON SET A LARGE CANE BREAK ON FIRE THERE ANDTHE CANES BEGAN TO POP AND CRACK SOUNDING LIKE MORE MUSKET FIRE THAN THERE REALLY WAS PRESENT BY THE BADLY OUTNUMBERED PATRIOTS RESULTING IN A ROUTE OF THE INDIANS IN FEAR OF SUPERIOR FORSES THE RETREAT COST MOST OF THEM THEIR LIVES……THE ‘ HORSESHOE WAS TRULY A TACTICIAN in MANY OF PICKENS ENDEVORS. …..INCLUDING KETTLE CREEK IN GEORGIA

    2. David I know a little! Charlie was born in 1760 Frederick VA
      DIED MARCH 29 1848 wife was Elizabeth Henderson married 8/1795
      Fought under gordon/John lisle was in the snow campaign/Florida expidition/battle of stone then with pickens in Camden. ..he stayemmd at cow pens and helped bury the dead then on to N..C. HANGING ROCK/FISHING CREEK/ROCK MOUNT AND OTHER BATTLES SAW HIM COM IN! HE WENT TO EARLES FORT AN STAYED TWO YEARS…AND WOUND UP IN TENNESSEE. AND ALABAMA A SHORE NUFF SOLDIER……YOU SHOULD BE PROUD …..THIS FELLOW COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN!

    3. Thank you so much. I had most of that information, but not all of it. May I ask what your source/sources were?

      I am VERY proud of him.

      Thanks again!!

    4. Dave all my information is off the printed page….and sadly most are literally falIingl apart…the course old paper actually breaks as glass! I aquired most of this stuff as a very young kid not even really old enough to realise it’s true value…but I was born with an infatuation for history didn’t have but 6th years of schoolin and at that time none of it meant much anyway! It was the term oil of the 1960’s. …and since way back then everything you can imagine has happened to lots of irreplaceable literature but never the less it has stayed with me piecemeal. ..much has been lost burned gave away (or should I say loaned!) But information is a valuable thing! The potential brainwashing of humanity by cyberspace naturaly is outweighed by convince and although of course …yes! It’s nice and so much better than…….see that’s the GREAT TRAP!……I ask Google a question and it returns two million answers…wait a mini tell! There is only one truth…not two million…and I would never have the time to explore all these truths””’ anyway! So if I have to sweep the floor after researchin “real truth for my fellow man….I’ll be in awe’n and filled with gratitude to do it! For in my heart I know their is no deliberate deception coming from my sourse of information…..cause I remember the day that was’ not permissible! In fact illegal…..and I’ll say it again….PRO VERBS 29:18 WHERE THERE IS NO VISION THE PEOPLE PERISH..But HE THAT KEEPETH THE LAW…HAPPY IS HE!!!…..I have more coming about Mr. Littleton for you…but in thinking back I do have to thank many..for this contribution…..you would be surprised to know who some of them were….I won’t mention no names..but ones initials was STROM THURMOND p

    5. Thank you Mr. Patterson for your time and efforts. I’m old school as well. 🙂

      Are you related to Charles Littleton?

      I’m looking forward to more info in the future.

      Blessings. David

  75. i might not sure . family did serve but forgot last name i do know he was anative american

  76. I would like to add that the Battle of Cowpens was a successful victory due to a double envelope performed by Morgan on Tarleton’s forces. A double envelope has only been successful in few battles. Hannibal succeeded at Cannae against the Romans performing this tactic. Gen. Greene was almost successful at Guilford’s Court House attempting the same tactic, however, Cornwallis became desperate and fired on his own men as they were intermingled with Greene’s with cannon shot and drove Greene from the field.
    Greene never own a battle, however, he wore Cornwallis down. There is a great book about his fight called ” Rise and Fight Again”. My ancestor was in his “flying army.” His name was William Ruben Briant. The key was he beat Cornwallis to the Dan River that crosses the between North Carolina and Virginia. Cornwallis had to then dash to Wilmington, N.C. for resupply, because his army was exhausted of supplies, never to return to South Carolina.
    Morgan clearly was the true heroic leader at Cowpens!

    1. Walked Cowpens several times. The geography was perfect for a double envelopement maneuver because the left flank of the British line prevented a flanking maneuver by the British because of the unfriendly swamp land on their left flank. The British were known to quickly hit with a shock and awe then flank the continentals. Morgan knew this very well thus chose perfect terrain as his field of battle.

  77. L.S, my name is Piet van Schuppen ( 69) from Holland. I have found a dogtag of an American soldier some 10 years ago.Ever since then I am trying to locate the relatives of this soldier in order to sent back this tag to the right persons, family.Till now I am at the edge of this search but I am missing the last adresses and ask you if you can help me to finish this search.
    The soldier named Allen S Taylor unfortunately passed away in 1994.His daughter Allena Marie Osborne (71) has passed away on 4th february 2016 in st James Hospital Ft. Wayne IN.I have read this in the Waynesboro Herald on febr. 19 2016 in the collumn Obituaries.
    Now I am searching for the adresses of her two sons.
    One son is called Daniel of Ft.Wayne and the other Douglas of Scottsdale Arizona.
    She also has a sister named Sue E. Garland ( RIchard) of st Thomas P.A.
    I hope this information can/will help you to make this search to a good end.

    I hope I “hear “of you!

    With kind regards, Piet van Schuppen. Welysestraat 32. 6669DK Holland.

    1. Hello Piet. I found some information that may be of help to you:

      Douglas Allen Osborne
      314 E. March St.
      San Tan, AZ 85140
      (480) 677-2030

      Sue Elaine Garland (& Richard)
      9690 Garland Drive
      Saint Thomas, PA 17252
      (717) 369-2890 Good luck! Bill Bateman, Midland, TX

    2. Hello Bill,

      Thanks for your information about the search of the dogtag family!
      I hope this will finally lead to the finish of this search!

      If so, I will let you know of course!

      Kind regards,

      Piet.

    3. Hello Piet.

      You are most welcome. It is very kind of you to return the dog tags to the family, and I will appreciate “hearing” of your success.

      Best regards,

      Bill

    4. Hello Bill,

      I just had a Phone call with the sister of Allen.
      She told me that she has appreciated my intension but she has closed for herself the loss of her father and sister.
      She will remember him on her own way.
      On my question if one of the grandsons of Allen would receive the dogtag she could not give an answer.
      I told her I would leave it this way and stop further inquiery hereafter.

      Again I will thank you for your help and wish you all the best from Holland!

      Piet van Schuppen.

    5. Hello Piet.

      Although this matter is none of my business, I offer the following suggestion:

      If you approve, I will try to reach Douglas Osborne by telephone and determine if he would like to have the dog tags. I suspect that he would. I would, if I were in his shoes.

      Best regards,

      Bill

    6. Hello Bill,

      Would be great!

      I have tried to phone him but it was the wrong number .
      That’s why I have made a call with Sue E Garland.
      Maybe it is also possible to try the phone number of Daniel of Ft. Wayne as a second try?

      Surely we don’t give up that easy!

      Kind regards,

      Piet.

    7. Hello Piet.

      I had already tried to find Daniel, but my sources do not list him at Ft. Wayne. I will expand my search. I agree that we should leave no stone unturned ….. I will keep trying and will keep you informed.

      You have a great command of the English language. Where, when and how did you learn English?

      Best regards,

      Bill

    8. Hello Bill,

      Good to read that you also want to go on in this search!

      As for my language: it seemed on the Higer Grade school that I had a foreign language feeling.This was about some 50 years ago.
      Next to the English language I sometimes read, write, and speak French and German.
      Some years ago I started to pick-up some of the Spanish and Latin language.

      kind regards,

      Piet.

    9. Piet –
      I just could not resist a comment on the American Cemetery in Holland and how families adopt these graves and keep them up, carry flowers there, and each generation is pleased that this is passed on through the family.
      When visiting in your lovely country while my husband was based in Germany we spent more time there and at the home of the doctor where the English and Polish are buried from A Bridge Too Far. It is truly hallowed ground – both places and your people are so kind to still care.

    10. Hello Diana,

      Thanks for your nice comment.

      It is true that we still watch over the graves from WW2 and I hope this will last till eternity!
      We may not forget this awfull period.

      kind regards,

      Piet.

    11. Dear piet,
      First, I would like to personally ‘thank you for your efforts! What you are doing is very commendable! Sometimes in this life we have no idea of others actions.let alone intents I did not hear your conversation with this lady .so I don’t know anything….but from what you say…..this is what I feel..and here is why..it’s been a minimum of 70 years since this was left in your country… that means this lady is at least 70 years old (probable85-90) either way that means shes old…you know the the loss that long ago was Deva stating! ..and there ‘really never was any ‘closer…..(notice those were her words…..her explanation closer)…forgetting about it has so far been easier that this ‘closer since after all that’s been impossible….being wore down emotionaly and mentaly till abstinence of thought seemed the only option…simply put Piet. .It’s just been too painful. ..for too long!.Now I have no ides if his sister was a nurse/medic over there with him in the 40’s …or something happened here later…it don’t matter….we see a ‘pattern of thought right there in her way of dealing with loss (I’m wondering if she said what happened to her sister. ..remember they were all brothers and sisters…..) that don’t matter either it just let’s us know that LOSS×2 truly either has been or surly now is…still unbearable with the loss of both (she told. You of the loss of the sister..right?)..Piet ….one of his family if not several will come/contact you with praise about these plates! Rest a sure. ..and it won’t be long neither! I was in thought over your post earlier and just thought..my my what would they give for’m! What would I give for my granpa’s!!. …Taylor was an American soldier…one that paid the ultimate price in line of duty…that’s a debt no American can ever repay…only do the same for the country if fate would dictate…if not much gratitude is due him forever..(every time you see’me. ..tellm).forgetting not one…do you realise we are on this furum concerning Americans that fought the first time!…never seen there faces but love them dear!and slavishly reseach year after year to know there deeds….because if nothing else we have identified their character…attempting 250 years later…to leave no stone unturned….why? cause they are our father’s now known to the world as Americans! !!…just hold to your guns….and they will contact you!…don’t stop till you place them tags in the greatfull (to you Piet!) Hand where they belong! I feel I speak for many….thank you Piet!

    12. Hello Jim,

      A little bit late but thanks for your encouraging message!
      I really hope we can finally close this long search and hand-over this tag to the right person(s).

      With kind regards,

      Piet.

    15. Hello Bill,

      Maybe it’s an idea that I sent you a picture of the dogtag so you can “work “with it in the search?
      Please let me know if you have to make costs in this case.

      Kind regards,

      Piet.

    16. Hello Piet.

      That’s a great idea! A picture of the dogtag might enable me to find the U. S. Army Service Records of Allen Taylor. That would be of interest to both of us. I don’t know if you can send a picture of the dogtag via this blog, but if you can’t, just attach it to an email to me at [email protected].

      Don’t ever worry about any costs to me. There have not been any, and if there ever should be, I will be happy to bear them myself. I very much appreciate the opportunity to work with you on this interesting puzzle.

      Also, it might help me to know the circumstances regarding how you found the dogtag and precisely where.

      Just out of curiosity, where in Holland do you live?

      Best regards,

      Bill

    17. Hello again Piet.

      Please disregard my last question (Where in Holland do you live?) I just looked back at your initial message about the dogtag and found your home address. Viewed your beautiful home and surroundings with Google Earth (photographed in August, 2016).

      Best regards,

      Bill

  78. Jeanette –
    John was living in Wilkes County, Georgia at the time of this battle, however when he married Ann Davis in Clark’s Fort (thought to be on the SC/GA border) she said after she was married she went to her parent’s home and John returned to the war. Her father and brother, Absolom Davis Sr. and Jr. fought with John but he had moved to GA by the time of the Cowpens Battle. It’s possible it was another battle, but not this one.

  80. My 6th Great Grandfather Col. Francis Triplett, commanded the Fauquier County (Va.) militia (as a captain) under Lt. Col. John Howard at the Battle of Cowpens.

  81. I have two I know of disregarding siblings & cousins of said individuals. My mother’s family are descended from John Harris (m. Mary Pickens) & Gen. Andrew Pickens (Mary’s father.) Any descendants of the Harris, Pickens, Calhoun, Irving, Ewing or Handy all share common ancestors that played large roles in the Revolution.

  82. My 5th Great Grandfather David James Motley fought in the Revolutionary War for 7 years without ever going home to Virginia. He was wounded at the Battle of the Cowpens. He was in the 3rd Virginia Regiment under Colonel McEntush.
    REF: The American Revolution in Pittsylvania ,County, Virginia by Frances Hurt,
    pg. 218
    He was obviously one of the veteran continental soldiers who made up the last line of defense, which decimated the British general Tarleton.

  83. General Daniel Morgan was the 1st cousin of the famous frontiersman, Daniel Boone. Both Daniel Morgan and Daniel Boone were my 1st cousins 7 times removed.

  84. My 4GG was Nathaniel Green. My father shared this with me as a little girl but I was only able to verify it through Ancestry last year. Still have a lot to learn. This email was so awesome for me.

    1. It wasn’t my 2nd Great Grandfather, it was my 3rd. He did fight at Cowpens, Kings Mt, & Mud Slip(?) He was one of the Spartanburg Five, the five brother who founded Spartansburg.

    2. Capt James Wofford also fought at Musgrove Mill, and it was Mud Lick, not Slip. He fought under Col Benjamin Robuck. Any info would be appreached!

    3. Yes, he was under col. Roebuck in the militia…..after the fall of Charleston. …….Josef and absolom wofford were there also…(Josef in the same outfit)…ABSALOM WAS WITH THE FIRST AND
      SIXTH AND GOT TOOK PRISONER in 79 while under buchanan

  87. Just shows you when are United, God was in it! God bless America! And all who fight for our freedom, and justice for all.
    Grateful to all who have served, and are continuing to serve in all services, may God continue to bless you and protect you and our county. Thank you for our forefathers and foremothers, without you we would not be here, or without our Lord and savior Christ Jesus! Amen

  88. My 5th Great Grandfather, William Haynie Jr. was an Aide and Adjutant to General Green. He was with the North Carolina Continental line and fought at Cowpens as well as five other battles

  89. My research and DNA has show that Daniel Morgan was 2nd cousin to Daniel Boone and first cousin to Nancy Morgan Hart.

    Contact me at [email protected] if you are interested in my 35 years of research into this family.

  90. I have descended from James Gilmore and James Lackey of the Rockbridge Rifles. James married his commander’s daughter, Isabella Gilmore Lackey. Gilmore was an old Indian fighter who reminded me of the Mel Gibson character in the movie, The Patriot. James Lackey drew pay in Charlotte before the battle but was no longer present the next time the unit drew pay. My speculation is that because he was not among the dead (there were 2) or wounded, he may have been sent home by Gilmore to give the families of the men news of the battle. It seems likely that he was on good terms with his commander or he would have been forbidden to marry the commander’s daughter.

    1. Yeah Sam he died 1828…had nine children…isabella passed before the turn of the century…..one of the girls became a macknight

  91. Such interesting postings–I just stumbled across them. Mr. Gravino, my 4th great-grandfather was Joseph Dillard, born 1760 in Virginia and moved to North Carolina & later South Carolina. My 4th great-grandmother was Judith Briant of Spartanburg, South Carolina. She was married to Thomas Reid whose father was William R. Reid who died in Pacolet, South Carolina in 1793. I’m interested if my Joseph Dillard is the one who was in the battle of Cowpens…he did have a brother named James. This is my maternal line. Any info you have would be wonderfully appreciated!

    2. PAT JAMES DILLARD WAS DEFINATLY AT COWPENS! He was living in 96 in Sept. Of 1775 he enlisted under capt PERINHOFF. ..he got killed and then he was under brown and Thomson in the third regarding. He made corral on 20 April 1777. He was at Fort Moultrie and discharged on 31st 77…in a spring he rein listed and took of on the Florida expiration as a Sargent major….then he served here against the Indians under Tom macrame. ..he gain enlisted an got voted captain under col. James Williams and Josef Hayes. …then but 1782 he was with Andy Pickens! Fighting Indians! He fought with a lot of the best …col. Levi Casey in 83…he become a major and fought at kings mountain Williams fort cow pens bush river…the siege of 96 and Edisto. ..he got wounded at cow pens and Edisto. ..and received two nasty sabre cuts while fight in with general Pickens an the Indians. …..born in VA. ..died 4 Oct. 1836….married four times
      JANE STARK
      MARY RAMAGE
      MARY POCKET
      MARTHA LOFTIN
      I seen your post an had in hand this information….it just sorta fell open to most of it….then some to the floor…these Ole pages are literally Fallin apart!…..I hope this helps you dear…..as far away as the days of these great patriots get…..THE MORE GLORIOUS THEY BECOME!

      GET ME THE COMPLETE NAME OF YOUR GREAT PAPA…I SEE……SOME

  92. Though my DAR Ancestor did not serve in Cowpens, he did go with Morgans men on the Benedict Arnold Exhibition to Canada in 1775–AND he was one who survived the horrendous journey. (Half died.)
    I am hoping all those who responded to this site will consider joining the DAR.org or the SAR–Sons of the American Revolution.
    Since I retired as a teacher 12 years ago, it’s the best thing I have done in retirement. Each DAR & SAR has a public site with more info. You only have to prove birth, marriage, deaths of each direct-line descendants from your supporter of the Revolutionary Patriot cause. That does NOT mean you had to march or carry a gun. There were lots of ways to serve. DAR is esp. helping to find French Canadian, African-American, and Native American Patriots & Women who served in any way for the American Patriot cause.

    1. HI! This is a genuine message to anyone who does have ancestors fighting for our freedom from the Brits. I was just last March issued my National no. for National Society Duaghters of the American Revolution. I, too, am a retired educator, who loves genealogy, & I cannot say enough wonderful things about DAR. Once you begin searching, you will be amazed & so proud to know you had ancestors who were Patriots. My original/entry Patriot was from Concord, NC, an area considered to be a “hot bed” of trouble by the Royal NC Governor at the time. I have 3 more Patriots just from that area I am documenting as “supplemental” Patriots. Many were Scotch-Irish (Brits. gave them/allowed them to settle in “roughest/”worst” land. NC has kept very good records, however documenting actual local Militia who answered the call to go to The Battle of King’s Mtn. & Guilford Court House can be “tricky” to prove participation. In Moss’s book on SC Patriots, he notes the lack of constant record-keeping. Some soldiers were “officially” of The Continental Line. Others answered the call as needed “Militis Dts.), e.g. King’s Mtn. Many German descent Patriots lived in the Rowan, Burke Co., & Charlotte-Mecklenburg (Concord) area, including Hildebrand’s, Mull/Muell, & Stameys. Scotch-Irish fought with all the will & fervor you would expect from them! Those names (just some of my family ancestors) include Kerr, McMurray, Kirkpatrick, McDowells (OFFICERS; more than one!; nearby county named for a McDowell); Taylor’s; AND others. East Tenn., by the way, was at the time part of NC (Yes, the high mountains & treacherous topography of the area). All that said, in my opinion (& have heard this of many SAR & DAR members), these are two of the most prestigious organizations a lady or gentleman can belong. SO MUCH is done to honor these by-gone Patriots; DAR does so much to serve their communities…everything from historic preservation to honoring our nation’s most recent vets.; wounded warriors; USO, support of; recognize Good Citizens & give out high school ROTC awards @ the end of school years; hold ceremonial remembrances at battle sites with SAR & others; celebrate Constitution Week; provide fantastic programs at meetings; and, well I could go on & on as you can tell. NSDAR has a national web site which will give you great information re: the organization. Local chapter Registrars will help guide you through qualification & proofs of lineage. I strongly recommend looking into the possibilities of joining. If you’ve “American Patriotism” “in your soul” & you love history, I’d strongly recommend you check in to NSDAR &/or Sons of the American Revolution. There is always so much to do! Hope I’ve generated interest! Join us as a new member in NSDAR in GA! We have a fantastic STATE REGENT, & she & her state officers & members are encouraging new growth by welcoming new members at all times! You will love it!

    2. Documenting for the “call to arms” as one would call it is most difficult. One of the group came out of Augusta co, Virginia… The call went out, they gathered went and fought then went home. No pensions, no militia roll calls etc. My William Given died before the pension act 1832… and apparently did not apply for the Virginia pension (there was a Virginia pension act, another ancestor did apply there), his son Robert Given also served with him. The original DAR application gave a “first hand” accounting of his service… I’m still battling with DAR… he was not a “patriot” (as many of my ancestors were) but a soldier who fought as did his son. Thank you for the positive feedback on two very valuable organizations.

    3. DEAR I HAVE RECORD OF A WILLIAM GIVEN…IN 79-80 AS A WAGON MASTER IN THE MILITIA UNDER NEEL AND WATSON…HE LOST A HORSE IN SERVICE (SHOT OUT FROM UNDER HIM)

  93. A couple of months ago I tried a free trial of Fold3 and found it very difficult to navigate and cancelled the trial . I’ve been reading all these comments about the Cowpens battle and wonder how these folks found their info. So interesting !! Has anyone came across the family name Ash or Pridemore associated with the battle ? Thanks. Dick Ash. [email protected]

    2. YEAH CAPT. JOHN ASH FOURTH REG….A JOHN JR. IN THE MILITIA…..A ROBERT UNDER HUGH BRATTON WAS IN GA CAMPAIGN IN 78…….A SAMUEL….WITH A CHARM LUTON ARTILLERY OUTFIT…..and a WILLIAM ASH JR…..HE WAS IN A LOTS OF MAURAWDIN””” YOU GOT ANY NAMES ?

    3. Yes, thank you for replying. My oldest Ash gr-father is Daniel or A. Ash , born around 1755. Do you know anything about a Theodore Pridemore, Daniel Guthrie, or Joseph Curry around that time? I believe they were all around South Carolina before coming to Va and Ky. Thanks so much.

  94. I too found Fold 3 very difficult to navigate so I have not added it to my Ancestry membership. That is where I have found most of my information. When I get hints from other trees I always look to see what stories or pictures they have.

    I have been focusing on ancestors that were living during the revolution and digging deeper to see if they served. I also enter their names, state, and birthdays in DAR’s website and have found information their. So far I have found 18 grandfathers who were involved. I think the most interesting one did serve at Cowpens.
    John Wright was a Quaker who moved several times to escape Indian violence. He thought he had finally found peace at Bush River? Meat present day Newbery, SC until the advent of the Rev. War. Apparently fed up with being a pacifist, although in his 50’s, he immediately joined the celebrated fighting group called Thompson’s Rangers as Pvt. John Wright. He was at the famous Battle of Cowpens.
    His wife, Rachel Wells Wright was a well known Quaker minister and their is a book about their daughter, Charity Cook: A Liberated Woman. So there is a lot of info online about the family.

    1. Libby, don’t overlook anything that the wife and daughter might have done to assist Washington’s troops. Ex. My DAR Ancestor’s father at 65 or so was too old to enlist in the army, so as Constable in the small town of Biddeford Maine, upon G.Washington’s written request, the 7 voters/land owners at that time voted to send GW
      the stockings for his soldiers that he requested. Of course, we KNOW who would have knit those articles, but there is no record of the women-folk doing that. However, YOU may find something that the women did in your sources to assist the War effort, even if they were pacifist Quakers. Let me know if you find anything.
      I would really encourage you to contact a local DAR, not sure where you are, but DAR.org public site will send you to the closest chapter with a Registrar to assist you in this effort!
      Happy Ancestor Hunting!
      Bonnie Wilder (FL for winter, ME in the summer)

    2. Thanks for the suggestion. I haven’t read the books about the family yet but that may have more on the women. I know someone in the DAR here in Tulsa who has offered to help me apply and I will contact her with what I have.

    3. Yes he served under ELI KERSHAW…A ND COL THOMSON INA RANGER OUTFIT IN 1775…..THEY. WE’RE THREE MORE BUT THIS ONE IS YOUR FOLKS

    4. Libby –

      My ancestor, William Wright also with a Quaker background from PA – lived in York Co., SC and had a brother John – it is through his brother’s daughter’s application for her father’s pension that we were able to prove the service of William.
      Same family?

    5. I have a William Wright as my 5th Great Uncle b 1738 in Prince George’s Co, Maryland. D 2790 in Lexington? NC. Son of my John C Wright I wrote about. I show he had lots of brothers:
      Another John Wright, James, Nathan, Thomas, and Isaac Joel. Does this match. If so, which son and what was the daughter’s name. Give me the DAR no. and I will look it up.

    6. Libby –
      I don’t know if anyone joined the DAR using this John but they were living in York Co., SC and migrated to GA after the war. There are so many William Wright’s in Georgia I had a difficult time sorting them, even sending for estate records for two men who served in the war and died in GA in the same area in the same month. That was how I isolated my ancestor since the estate lists made it obvious that ours was the planter (who loved good horses), not the doctor whose library was the bulk of his estate. I am not a joiner if I cannot be active and have hung up my organization shoes due to health difficulties but I am writing a family history and want to offer resources for each – which has been difficult considering I have 11,000 on my ‘blood’ only GED. I even put on out on Ancestry for the first time in 20 years knowing that what I have is correct and hoping to break down some of my brick walls, but so far all I have found are more cousins that will not make the history!

    1. God planned it all from the beginning an the evidence of it is everywhere..!!!..he put his hand on the apple of his eye…..AN I BET YOU’VE NEVER NOTICED IT???………let me spell it out for you……J…..E….R…(USA)….L….E….M
      …THERES ONLY ONE OTHER ENGLISH WORD WHERE THESE LETTERS COME TOGETHER….AND the latin/Greek word for covenant is ‘brit……….the same for man is ‘ish …….BRIT-ISH. …..the tribe of EPHREIM IS BRITAIN……THE US is the MANNASA tribe!!!……THE CORA NATION STONE IN LONDON IS THE ORIGINAL JACOBS PILLOW……AND THIS IS WIDELY KNOW….THE PROFIT DANIEL SAID IN THE LAST DAYS KNOWLEDGE WOULD INCREASE…DANIEL 12:4….

  96. 4th G-grandfather (Capt. John Files) and the sons, John Jr., Adam and Jeremiah fought in the Battle of Cowpens. Capt. John was commanding officer of Company 4 in the South Carolina Militia while sons served in same company. He was also wounded along with son, Jeremiah during said battle, however, John recovered fully while Jeremiah suffered an arm wound from a sabre strike which never was fully useful thereafter. To all who had an ancestor serving during said battle, I salute each and proud of all who fought against the British!

  97. Is there a list of all participants as I have a lot of American relatives who where there during the civil war.
    It would be interesting to check their names against the list.

  98. to Jim Patterson… does the graveyard you refererence, near Greenville, hold 9Nathaniel Vannoy Feb 16, 1740 – 7/26/1835? I have a picture of a historical marker referencing both he and Gen. Cleveland. Do you know of it and is that near? Vannoy is my DAR ancestor and I want to visit Greenville.

    1. MS. BLANK
      I REMEMBER SEVERAL CONTINENTAL GRAVES AS WELL AS VERY INFORMATIVE WRITINGS (AT GREAT LENTH TOO) ON SEVERAL HEADSTONES DENOTING IN PRECISE DETAIL THE CASUALTIES ENTERED!
      ALSO IT BEHOOVES ME (ACTUALY DISGUSTS) ME AT THE CURRENT DISHONOR BY WAY OF NEGLECT SUCH PLACES HAVE SECUMBED TO!
      THE SIMPLE TEACHING IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALONE WOULD PROHIBIT ALL THIS…FOR THE MOST PART!….THIS LITTLE PLOT IS LOCATED ON ‘THE HORSE BRIDGE ROAD OFF U.S. 76 (THE OLD HOME PLACE OF HORSESHOE ROBINSON IS ALSO IN PLAIN VEIW LESS THAN A 100 FOOT OFF THIS SAME ROAD (HENCE THE NAME HORSHOE)…ALSO THIS LONG ROAD FIRST INTERSECTS ON ‘CLEVELAND PIKE ROAD!!! (FORMALY THE OLD PRATHER BRIDGE ROAD SEE THE CHANGIN GOING ON HERE???).THE COVERED BRIDGE WAS BURNED BY VANDALS IN 70’ SAN.AND THE BRITISH IN 1780 ..THIS IS ANOTHER REVOLUTION STORY WITHIN ITSELF! AS STRAIGHT THROUGH THIS INTERSECTS ON TO ‘JARRET BRIDGE ROAD TO JARRETS MANOR CROSSING INTO GA….WHERE AN AWFUL MASACUR OCURRED …. an OLD STAGECOACH ROAD IN THAT DAY (JARRET BRIDGE ROAD) LED . ..THE CHEROKEE THERE TO MURDERED EVERYBODY..AND THE DID (ITSELF OPEN DAILY TO THE PUBLIC)..I WAS TAUGHT THIS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL..
      .BUT SOMEHOW THE STORY HAS NOW CHANGED (THE GA STATE PARK DID THE CHANGIN) ALL THIS INCLUDING A SMALL MARKER COMMEMORATING GEN. CLEVELAND IS PRESENT ALTHOUGH HARDLY NOTICEABLE RIGHT ON HIGHWAY123… ABOUT 4 MILESTONE BACK THIS SIDE OF THE GA STATELINE! WITHIN 2 miles OF Cleveland pike/123 IS ALSO THE LOCATION OF ‘FORT MADISON….THE RECORDS OF SO MUCH OF OUR HISTORY IS ALREADY AS GOOD AS FORGOTTEN..WHY? WE DID NOT TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WHAT WE WERE TAUGHT.!….I WAS TOLD IT NEVER EXISTED….BUT I BELIEVED MY PEOPLE….IN 1993…. (INCEDENTLY THIS IS IN THE MADISON COMMUNITY!!!!)I learned of ‘several CONTINENTAL BRASS THAT HAD LIVED IN THE AREA AS WELL! FROM A ROTTEN (LITERALY) BOOK GIVEN TO ME FROM THE LATE GREAT CHARELS BARRETT (FATHER OF U.S CONGRESSMAN
      GRESHAM BARRET) THAT EVERYTHING ‘WEST OF CHAUGA RIVER IN THE LATE 1700’ ..WAS THE COLONY OF GEORGIA!!!!!!! I FOUND OUT WUDEN NO NEED TO GO TO ATLANTA IN SEARCH OF RECORDS…EVENTUALY I FOUND ‘a FORT MADISON..!!!..(BUT I FOUND EVERYTHING IN ATHENS GA! A MAKESHIFT CAPITAL OF THAT DAY!!!!)IN WHAT IS TODAY KNOWN AS STEVENS COUNTY GA!!!!! (NAMED FOR THE CONFEDERATE VISE PRESENT ALEXANDER STEVENS….(DIRECTLY ACROSS THE RIVER FROM OCONEE COUNTY SC!)ALL THIS IS WEST/NORTH OF WESTMINSTER SC IN OCONEE COUNTY….WHERE I WAS RAISED…IT WAS ALL COMMON KNOWLEDGE IN THOSE DAYS….THEN HERE COME THE KNOW IT ALLs. ..REWRITING THINGS THE WAY THey WANTED TO!….MR.BARRET OWNED THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF THAT LAND AND HAD ACTUALY TALKED TO MANY IN THE 20’ SAND 30’S WHO WAS IN THE KNOW….I IDOLIZED THIS MAN BECAUSE OF HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD PRESERVATION AND THE VALUE OF KNOWING WHERE YOU CAME FROM LESS THERE BE NOWAY TO SEE WHERE YOUR GOING!….PROVERBS 29:18 ..WHERE THERE IS NO VISION THE PEOPLE PERISH!!! FEW THINGS AREA AS CLEAR TO ME TODAY…AND CLEMSON UNIVERSITY REPS. CAME TO MY HOME THERE WHERE I LIVED AT THAT TIME IN DISGUSTS I ON OF THE ”FORT (THE EARTHWORKS AND ROCKS AREA ATOP THE BIG HILL DIRECTLY ACRES FROM THE STEEL FISHING PERISH AL MOST AT THE STATELINE…MR BARRET JUST TOLD ME OF A”’FORT THERE (SEE HOW A CUSTOMARY THE CUSTOM BECOMES) ANYWAY ANYONE WANTING TO SEE ANY THING MENTIONED JUST EMAIL ME AT [email protected] AND I’LOL BE GLAD TO SHOW YOU ANY THING MENTIONED HERE IN. Or direct you there JUST REMEMBER MOST OF THESE PLACES ARE STILL PRIVATE PROPERTY.BUT I KNOW THE OWNERS…..I have never participated in any ”posts. Of any kind. ..but have found this to be very ‘FULL FIL ING. …CAUSE LIKE THE BOOK OF ECCELESEASTES SAYS OVER AN OVER….THERE AINT NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN…..AND HARRY TRUMAN SAID IT THIS WAY…….THERE AINT NOTHING NEW….THE ONLY THINGS NEW””””IN THIS WORLD….IS THE HISTORY YOU DONT KNOW!!!
      I THANK MY HOLY GOD FOR THIS PROMISED LAND!!!!!……AND LET FREEDOM RING!!!!!

  99. Leonard Bowers 1760-1840, Was at Valley Forge before Monmouth, also Camden, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse.

  100. This sounds a lot like the ending of the movie ‘The Patriot’ with Mel Gibson. Could ‘Cowpens’ battle have inspired that ending?

    1. Here’s a quote from The Patriot’s Wikipedia page:

      “The Patriot is a 2000 epic historical fiction war film directed by Roland Emmerich, written by Robert Rodat, and starring Mel Gibson, Chris Cooper, Heath Ledger, and Jason Isaacs. It was produced by the Mutual Film Company and Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film mainly takes place in rural York County, South Carolina, and depicts the story of an American swept into the American Revolutionary War when his family is threatened. Benjamin Martin is a composite figure the scriptwriter claims is based on four factual figures from the American Revolutionary War: Andrew Pickens, Francis Marion, Daniel Morgan, and Thomas Sumter.”

      Hope this helps.

    2. From what my husband & I could determine, the last battle was indeed “Cowpens.”. I think the character was representative of Francis Marion. Just our opinion.

  101. Does anyone have anything or know anyone who has any info on Col. Thomas Brandon and his son Thomas who moved to Greene County AL. This is my 5th and 4th GGrandfathers and I am trying to find documentation that connects Thomas Jr. to his son George and granddaughter Martha so I can apply to the SAR. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Semper Fi
    Jay Lindsey

    1. Contact the SAR who rely a LOT on DAR research. A local chapter has volunteers to assist you on this. Someone else may have already joined SAR or DAR under this same Ancestors’ name but you don’t know it unless you find someone to help you with these sources.

    2. ..BROTHER JAY! YEAH I KNOW THIS BOUT THOMAS BRANDON…..he was born in 1741
      DIED 5 FEB. 18TH AFTER MIGRATING to UNION COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA DURING 1754-1755..HE ROSE IN 1780 TO COMMAND A REGIMENT IN WHICH HE SAW SERVICE UNDER SUMPTER..AFTER RESIGNING HIS POST AS COL
      He took a position UNDER col
      JAMES WILLIAMS AND WAS IN THE BATTLES OF MUSGROVE MILL KINGS MOUNTAIN (AS A COMPANY CAPTAIN) BLACKSTOCK PLANTATION AND THE ICONIC FIELD AT COWPENS
      MANY THANKS FOR YOUR ”’SELECTIVE SERVICE!
      SEMPER FI

    3. ALSO THOMAS BRANDON HAD A ‘NEPHEW NAMED CRISTOPHER’ 10 FEB. 1764 UNION DISTRICT AND SERVED UNDER CAPTAIN BENJAMIN JOLLY AND HIS UNCLE THOMAS BRANDON…HE FOUGHT STALLIONS AN COWPENS AND THEN WENT WITH JOSEF HUGHS ….SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH ”’WILLIE FAR FIGHT IN TORIES….JUST THOUGH THIS WOULD BE OF INTEREST#AGAIN THANK YOU!
      SEMPER FI!!!

    4. Hello Jay,
      I’m an DAR member and I took a look for you in DAR and in the South Carolina wills index.
      I did find something very interesting…
      I found the will of a “Gen Thomas Brandon”, signed 14th day of Dec 1801 in Union County, S.C. Will gives to his daughters and 3 sons and wife Rebecca.
      But the interesting part of this will states that a witness is Geo Brandon and then it states there are “two” Geo Brandon’s and that they are his brother John Brandon’s son. So I then looked at http://www.fold3.com and there is a John Brandon who was born in Pennsylvania and served in the Rev War. So I think these would serve you well to prove that Geo Brandon goes with John Brandon. Which then you’d have to
      research John Brandon’s service record at Fold3. I did save the documents and I can email them to you, for you to evaluate…
      Regards,
      Lorrie

  102. The battle in the movie in which Marion and his son observe the conflict from inside a house and then leave, is Camden. If there were two more battles portrayed then they would have been Cowpens and then Guilford Courthouse. If only one, then it would have been Cowpens. Right now I don’t remember how that went. Incidentally the Gibson character is probably Francis Marion ; but Marion had no children. The scene in which his son was shot was more likely Marion’s nephew. My wife’s 4th GG James Jenkins, son of Elizabeth Britton Jenkins, was an eye witness to this murder and saw it while hiding in a tree. He was too young to fight at the time, but described the incident in his diary

  103. I would like to make a correction to one of my entries. My ancestors name was Erasmus Tolleson not Uriah Tolleson. His son was John Tolleson.

    1. Yes…I started to ask you about him….yep he was with roebuck in 80 and 81 hope this helps!

  104. There is a book entitled ” Devil of a Whipping” by Lawrence E. Babits. In his book he describes a moment where the British use a psychological sort of tactic by discharging “two small cannon and shouting three Huizzas” basically to scare the American militia. At Cowpens before they start there charge. Daniel Morgan realizes their tactic responds as follows: He yells loudly for many of the militia to hear “They give us the British halloo, boys give them the Indian hallo, by G—-“. If one researches the ‘rebel yell’ even films as old as the 1930 reunions of Gettysburg veterans it sounds like Indian hallos by Ken Burns. My theory is the birth of the rebel yell was at Cowpens. This is conjecture, but it is my belief.

    1. Your so right brother! …but it started long before cow pens. …..it worked really well for WILLIAM WALLACE……..AND JOSHUA TOO!

    2. John –
      I reviewed a lot of books on Cowpens and the other battles in the area and Babit’s book was by far the best I found on this battle. As the daughter of a Navy officer, the widow of an Army Infantry Airborne Ranger, and the wife of a retired MP Airborne officer who was in Vietnam as an advisor from ’64 – ’65 I have more than the normal female interest in books of war. I have read most of my husband’s collection of VN books and bought many of them but have to admit my narrow view of Navy operations in WWII, particularly those my father participated in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. Babit’s book is my ‘go to’ book for the Battle of Cowpens as the 5th great-granddaughter of Col. John Cunningham, although his portfolio on Fold3, which I find no more difficult to use than any other site, tells the story of the battles in the south from Kettle Creek to Cowpens. He was just a young teen when he began driving wagons for the Army and was involved in the militia the rest of his life. I am not sure if my 6th great-grandfather, Absolom Davis Sr. was with him at Cowpens but he fought in many the same battles and was John’s father-in-law. But I agree with you about Babit’s book.

    1. ANDY I GOT A GOOD BIT ON (5) JOHN MILLS….YOU GOT ANYMORE INFO….ANYTHING WILL HELP US MATCH’MY UP…..A COUPLE OF THESE BOYS WAS ”’PERDY BRASSY

  106. Col. Benjamin Roebuck was my 4th great uncle. His brother George was my 4th great grandfather. They had another brother John. Their father was George Roebuck Sr. They were all in the revolution and served under Benjamin at different times. I know now that George Jr. served at the Cowpens as a Capt. under his brother Benjamin. They are mentioned in the book “A Hell of a Whipping, the Battle of the Cowpens” by Lawrence Babits. George Sr. and John were probably there as privates.

    1. YEAH TOM JOHN WAS THE WITH PICKENS.HE ENLISTED IN SPARTANBURG UNDER CAPT. JOHN THOMAS.WAS AT BUSH CREEK WITH CO. WILLIAMS .AND ALSO SERVED WITH HIS BROTHER CO. BENJAMIN HIS BROTHER.IN 79 JOINED CAPT. CULBERTSON…HE GOT REPLACED WITH WILLIAMS SMITH.THAT CO. JOINED GEN. SUMPTER AND FOUGHT AT BLACKSTOCK PLANTATION.THEN CAPTAIN EDWARD MICHISON REPLACED CAPT. SMITH AND MICHISON WAS REPLACED BY CAPT.GEORGE ROEBUCK.HE GOT COMMISSIONED CAPT. UNDER COl WHITE….HE ALSO HAD HAD HIS HEADQUARTERS AT AN OLD FARM PLACE IN THE TWO MILE CREEK AREA IN SPARTANBURG….THE OLD FARM BELONGED TO EBENEZER MOSS…..THEN THEY HOOKED UP WITH ANDREW PICKENS AND LATER MOVED TO ALABAMA…
      NOW GEORGE COME OUT A NC UNIT TO SPARTANBURG HE COME AND SERVED WITH CAPT. PRINCE AND CO. PICKENS.HE TO WAS UNDER WILLIE SMITH AND COL HAMMOND..AFTER THAT CAPT WOFFORD AND MAjOR FORD he was in gaged at Fort Halpin and the siege of 96…commissioned captain in 81….and served under his brother begin in then……
      NOW OLD BENJAMIN SEEMS LIKE A REAL SPARTAN TO ME! HE…WHILE LIVING IN SPARTANBURG HE ENLISTED IN A GEORGIA UNIT AS A LIEUTENANT AND FOUGHT STONO AND SAVANAH .IN 1780 HE JOINED SUMPTER AND FOUGHT HANG IN ROCK AN MUSGROVE MILL…HE COMMANDED A CO AT KINGS MOUNTAIN AND MY RECORDS SAY HE “”DISTINGISHED HIMSELF AT COWPENS! !! THEN GOT PERMOTED TO LIEUTENANT COL AND COL AS WELL! HE GOT WOUNDED IN THE SHOULDER AT MUD LICK GOT CAPTURED AND SENT TO 96…THEN HE GOT PUT ON A PRISON SHIP AT CHARELSTON..AND IN 81 GOT EXCHANGED…..FOLLOWED DIRECT ORDERS FROM GEN PICKENS …FROM SEPT. 81 TO 10 DECEMBER OF 82…. OLD BENJAMIN NEVER DID RECOVER FROM THE WOUNDS HE RECEIVED AT MUD LICK. ..AN BLESS HIS HEART HE DIED IN 88…..HE SUFFERED SEVERAL YEARS. …I HOPE THIS WILL HELP YOU SOMEWAY…….WAS YOU AWARE OF HIS DEATH?….AND THE EBENEZER MOSS FARM WHERE HE HAD HIS HEADQAURTERS …..YOU KNOW WHERE IT’S AT?

    2. Jim, thank you so much for the information on my Roebucks. I found some on Fold 3. Where did you find all of it? I knew Benjamin didn’t last very many years after the war and their father George Sr. died as a prisoner at Camden in 1781. I would love to know more about them. Thanks again Jim.
      Tom Thompson

    3. Laurentiis Roebuck b about 1520
      Thomas Roebuck b1562d1598
      Robert Robuck b 1585 d1637
      Robert roebuck 22/3/1630-1670
      Robert roebuck 2…b 1688
      Robert roebuck 3rd….b 1688….in USA
      Robert roebuck 4 b1713-1793
      George roebuck b1730-1783
      George roebuck b 1757-1848
      The above had brothers and sisters as follow
      Mary
      Benjamin
      Sarah
      John
      Francis
      Catherine
      Elizabeth
      Rhoda
      Obidia h
      There are too many dates and my divise thinks it knows morn’n we do and tries to write for me….get in touch….for specifics….this is the rest of what we spoke of…Robert the third was first one borned in US…in Northumberland VA. …hope this helps….

  107. EVERYONE!!

    Please turn your CAPS LOCK off. A message in all caps is VERY, VERY hard to read!

  108. My forefather George Porter was a Captain in the Pitt County NC. Militia. They must have been in some battles because he and others appear to have been promoted after some deaths. I assume these other officers were KIA. It seems they would have fought in battles like Cow Pens. Info is sketchy on this unit. Anyone have any info?

    1. Bill I know he was at lacey’s fort during 1779-80……he was in a militia any first names of porters

  109. My Aunt, Meta Moore Waldrop, died as result of inhalation of smoke when visiting family at the old homestead in Cowpens. As I recall, this was about 1970. Family names from that area are Waters and Moore. There is another that my memory fails to recall at the moment, but I do remember from family lore that the old homestead was very near the battlefield, which, by the way, was called “The Cow Pens” as I under-stand it was a pasture-like area used communally by all for grazing their milk cows. Wish I had written more down at the time I was being told all the family lore!!! Don’t we all?

  111. 1-14-2017: I am a KEITH. The Keith’s arrived in the US in 1750’s from Scotland. I researching them. There are many famous KEITH’s and I would like to find more. My father was Thomas Graves Keith (born Gadsden ALA to George T. Keith and Adele (Della) Groover of Alabama. They lived in ALa to their deaths, mostly as farmers and a large family: There was: George, Olera Keith (Cannon), Thomas Graves (1907) (fa), Shellton, Robert, Burnett, Woodrow–seems like there may be 1 or 2 brothers missing, Oh, there was one boy born who was handicapped–no one ever knew exactly what the diagnosis was and he died with 10 years of birth. Any way, they all lived in Alabama, came North to work in Michigan in the auto industry, and then later returned south. I believe the majority have passed one as they were all born after 1900. I would like to get more information on the arrival of the KEITH’s and their migration to NC, SC, Ga, and AL.
    I have done research that shows we are descendants of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquataine in the 1150’s in England, making us Plantaganets. Any additional information would be greatly appreciated. You may email me at: [email protected]. Thank for all help and hints.. I’m also looking for my maternal grandfather August Henry Schultz, who married Maargaret Bell Grimes in 1910 in Cook Cty, IL. My mother was born in 1911. Her name was Caroline Marie Schultz

    1. I’m also a Keith through maternal grandmother. There are many Keiths that fought in the Revolution and any search of the Keiths in America should start with James Keith born 1699 Peterhead, Scotland and married Mary Isham Randolph. If you’re not of that group, then I have no information.

  112. Hello Bill,

    Could it be possible to try another way i.e. one of the grandsons of Allen?
    First I could not reach Douglas because of a wrong telefphone number.
    Maybe we can have another try with the other grandson named Daniel?
    If you are able to find out what number he has we can give it that try?

    Kind regards,

    Piet.

  113. To answer Rabrunson request about ” James Dillard and William Ruben Bryant” This also is for mlenabryant@ gmail.com and Myrna Mdigan both had inquiries abour the name Dillard and Bryant or Briant I believe. The name Bryant was spelled both ways by the same family. There is a book by Jennings B. Pope, Ph.D. a descendant of the Bryants and Dillards of Spartanburg. His book is entitled ” The Bryants of Spartanburg”. The two families intermarried. There were many double first cousins. And to those out there who mentioned a Keith. My 4th great grandfathers wife was I believe a Keith. His name was George Huey. He was a Patriot at Kings Mtn.

    1. My 5th great grandfather, James Huey born VA 1742 – died LA 1839, married Sarah Mason, 8 children. Enlisted SC 1777. There is a LASSAR chapter in Ouachita Parish named for him. Any relation? Thanks.

  114. I have made some contributions to help anyones searches out. My intent has been to help and not to hinder. I am researching my own ancestry like everyone else I presume. I have had some help from friends, from the DAR, SAR, and Ancestry.com. Doing your DNA is really cool. If anyone would like to contact me I am at [email protected].

  115. Would anyone have information about Ephraim Cooper in the battle? I’ve seen notes that he was killed at Cowpens but don’t believe this to be true since there were so few casualties. Perhaps he was wounded? I found a Bounty Warrant voucher dated 1783 but it was illegible online. I don’t know if he was living at that time or not. I regret I don’t have more time to research this myself. If anyone could help point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it.

    1. Mr.Dailey
      I have at this point 39 cooper’s from south Carolina alone…who served in the revelution….any other info such as dates or just anything would really help me as I have many records not availible in cyberspace….strangley only two under the E’s…..those being an Edward and Ezekiel….the militia’s are far harder to research than those of the regulars in most cases…..will help if I can….let me know what else you have…regards

    2. Jim, you helped me a lot on my Roebucks. I also have Coopers from Union County that we’re here before the Revolution. William Cooper died at Padgett Creek I think in 1775. He had several sons who were of age to have been in the war. I don’t have them in front of me but I think they were William, Stacy, Jeremiah and maybe Jacob. Thanks.
      Tom

    3. Tom in regards to your enquiry on the Coopers….resend all names…I have found a Samuel…Jacob…the William of four…and why I think he’s your folk…..but there were a couple more… right?
      I had a partial post prepared yesterday…and hit the ‘send message….and in my disgust …my devise failed..with your reply, expect another more complete report of findings I think will be of interest to you!
      Regards Jim

    4. Jim, the ones who were of age would have been Jacob, Nathan, William, Stacy (Eustacy), and Jeremiah. Thanks
      Tom

    5. Stacey Cooper joined up with the militia when Charleston fell to the brits
      Jacob Cooper served as a captain under John mills.in addition to that he served as a private under captain George Heely, major Adair and general Thomas Sumpter
      And we know very well how a fight unites a ‘family…especially a Scottish family! An this clan of cooper’s joined up with their brother William Cooper as he served under captain Mapp Vardry McBee and Samuel Adams. ..this whole crowd fought together on and off under Lacey and (ready Tom)?…COL. ROEBUCK!!!!…….OUT OF 5 BILLY COOPERS ….THIS IS HOW WE KNOW THIS IS THE RIGHT BILL….he’s just everywhere the rest is!…
      The ‘j for jerimiah. …is missing Tom….
      It’s interesting to know this Vardry McBee. (His son)…was brothers lead ing a south Carolina outfit in the civil war…..they was getting tore up by the Yankees. …but ‘stubbornly stood anyway…..seeing Thomas Johnathan Jackson Givin it right back….Mac bee rallied our troops as he shouted to’m. ..LOOK!….THERE STANDS JACKSON …LIKE A ””’STONEWALL….THE REST IS HISTORY TOM!….just like today is the 236th aniversary of the battle of cow pens! …….hallowed be their fame

    6. Jim, this is just fantastic! How are you finding all this? Thank you so much again! Makes me very proud.
      Tom

    7. Tom see my post in response to Mr David White….there is so much there for Yall in Spartanburg. ….Google the father of Greenville…Vardry Macbee..(his father the patriot)…notice the bias of Wikipedia in making so little mention of him and his war record…(they don’t want our children to know who they are!).that’s vardry Sr. ..now…..you will probraly find the rest of the post very interesting too….the Ole man vary was the one mentioned with George and Ben gamin Roebuck at the siege of 96……and Stonewalls wife fell victim to persuasion on the ‘story of Gen Bee naming stonewall…it’s all duly recorded….you got the father of Greenville. ..who was a spartan….the Roebucks. ..and the Coopers……no wonder the records in London attest to English mothers complaining to the crown about their sons sailing off to the colonies…never to be seen again!…………but on the other hand. ..Yankee moma”so complained bout their sons Goin off to die in Virginia and Georgia. ….an as ignorant but true as it sounds….leave us alone dammit!!!…….can you just imagine what an army that truly was!!!???…and you can see the metamorphosis from cow pens. …to Gettysburg. …….to ww1….ww2..no wonder the shadow government is constantly trying to tear us apart…because you can’t control a people with such an army…ya’d have to whoopem first….and so far by the grace of God…..that ain’t happen yet!!!… and won’t. ..IF MY PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLED BY MY NAME ””’SHALL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THE WICKED WAYS, THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND WILL FORGIVE THE SIN AND WILL HEAL THERE LAND….2 CHR 7: 14
      LET FREEDOM RING!!!

    8. “There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Rally behind the Virginians!” is usually attributed to Confederate Brigadier General Barnard Elliott Bee Jr. of the 1st South Carolina Regulars.

    9. Mr. White with all due respect I know you have read that…but it aint true…I feel as I’very opened up a can of worms here…..first the name Bee is a reduced from of McBee. …his real PA ain’t the one that you’ll read of neither that went off and helped settle the Republic of texas(SEE BEE COUNTY TEXAS)…..he lived right here in the upstate….buried in pendleton. …and if I told you his real PA was the father of Greenville SC ………would you be leve it? He was left by his pa (they doll it up an cal itl family)…an they went to Texas. ..Bernard went to VMI …and finished a spot in front of stonewall his self. …you talk about a fighter!! And a member of the Aztec club of 1847 with of course Robert E..Lee and Useless Grant!!! I’m trying to say to much here and I simply can’t but he is my kin…..THRU MANSON SHRILL JOLLY (MY LIFELONG HERO! ) HE WAS WITH LEE AT Apomatox AND HAD TO STOP IN NC AND CHOP OFF A BUDDIES LEG WITH AN AXE….ANYHOW I ASKING YOU TO DO THREE THINGS..
      (1) GOOGLE VARdrY MCBEE
      (2) GOOGLE BERNARD BEE
      (1) GOOGLE THE ANDERSON INDEPENDENT ARCHIVES …JULY 5 2014…an look for Gen. Bee
      OH YEAH……THE AZTEC CLUB OF 1847…..AND I MONA GO AHEAD AN TELL YOU VARNEY MCBEE WAS/IS THE fATHER OF GREENVILLE….and if anybody don’t know Manse Jolly….he was a confederate army!…and he did follow that Yankee general to Texas and killed the sorry Thang over Tom’s sister…cause I got a pit of the grave…and have been to itI I CHALLENGE ANYONE READING THIS TO CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF……Rl DABNEY was stonewall staff sear gent and he come up with what you said(in his bio.I said (what I beleve) PGA BEAUREGARD SAID….PORTER ALexander SAID SOMETHING ELSE…PROVE ME TRUE….ANDERSON INDEPENDENT JULY 5 2014 WILL TAKE CARE OF
      MOST OF IT!
      VERY RESPECTIVELY YOURSELF DAVID

    10. Hello Jim!
      Thank you for your reply. I don’t have much info on Ephraim Cooper and what I have needs to be verified. He is believed to have been born in Scotland in 1740 and married Henrietta Brown. They had a daughter, Mary Cooper, born 17 APR 1774 in Virginia. Perhaps he was in a regiment from VA? I did find a word doc online (Large_Patriots-Killed-or-Mortally-Wounded-In-The-Battle-At-The-Cowpens-2.docx) but he is not listed in it. Any help is appreciated. I hope to research him more in the near future. Thank you!

    11. Mr Dailey….yes indeed he was from a virgina outfit that I know….my pages are about unreadable now…with few exceptions…but I could make out a # and entered it into this very site) fold3)and this young whippersnapper helped me…he feed this thing some#’s and it says the following of
      EPHRIAM COOPER
      Record Groupe 15
      National archives record #300022
      Publication#my
      Roll#0647
      Nara m804
      And we started with this# bl wt 1165-100…..aparently this is what they call his pension#
      But there is 16 pages
      And it all begins on page 12
      I’m not a member so I don’t have access. ..this is all you need however I did see his land warrant for his land…
      I asume his payment for fightin?
      I only have 200 year old books some Ina barn for 75 years I was told….and it’s amazing what I have…that the archives know nothing of…..let me know the story on ole Ephriam…us’es manassa’ans are way out here in front thanks to him…we are lookin back to him……and you know he see’s our struggles!
      High regards, jim

  116. My ancestor Lewis Corder was at The Cowpens. He was from Caswell Co. North Carolina.

  117. I had several branches of my ancestral tree in the battle of Cowpens and the Battle of King’s Mountain as they were all families in the Over the Mountain community and were recruited to fight with the Rebels. Events back in Over the Mountain territories were Tory and Indian revenge on families left behind. It has been exciting finding sources of information that provided the names and facts and one is below in which there is a great account of the battle of Cowpens. It is in the following Google Book.
    KING’S MOUNTAIN AND ITS HEROES: HISTORY OF THE
    Battle of King’s Mountain, OCTOBER 7TH, 1780,
    AND THE EVENTS WHICH LED TO IT, BY LYMAN C. DRAPER, LL. D., Secretary nf the Stale Historical Society 0f Wisconsin, and member 0f various Historical and Antiquarian Societies 0f the Country.

  118. Good info here. Maybe someone can help me. I have traced my ancestors back to Warren Boyd in Pickens CH Pickens SC. Born 1827 I know he contributed what he could as a member of the 2nd SC rifles through the entirety of the war between the states ending up as. 1st Lt. His father came down from Virginia but I don’t know when and I don’t know what his name was. I cannot find anything on the family beyond Warren. There was an older Boyd in Pickens around the same time a Robert Boyd he was in his 60’s in the 1860 census and appears to have a son Robert who was born 1851 I don’t know if they were related. Warren lived a long life married again in his 70’s and had two more daughters.
    I’m stumped on where or what to look for ?

    1. Mr Boyd
      Do you have any other info at all as far as complete name and any militia/army information…..perhaps I can help….I have record of many Boyds from SC alone…..

    2. Mr Boyd,,,, warren was born to Robert and Rachel on June 2 1828…died 1 June 1911….he had a son named Robert also borned June 2 1868 died Dec. 7 1930 he made major. ….and was with Longstreet outfit under Micah jenkins ……children;
      Larkin
      Joseph
      Luther
      William
      Irby
      Nancy
      Robert
      He is buried in second batista cemetery on Walhalla highway
      I reside in Pickens courthouse (named for Andrew Pickens) district as well…a well known figure indeed…he seen the civil war….in spades! Cold harbor Gaines mill Frasier farm bull run (1 and2) Knoxville. …was with Lee at a appomatox April 9..1865!
      Hope this helps..

  119. Jim that does help, I had the information on Warren but couldn’t find anything on his parents. There is a slight discrepancy in some records. which indicate his birth in 1827. I attribute the difference to the times and Warrens longevity, after his first wife Arminda passed away he remarried to a Martha Adkins and they had two daughters. Larkin Alexander disappears from the census between his birth in 1849-50 and the 1860 census. Luther is the father of Thomas W. Boyd, and his son Thomas W. Boyd is my grandfather. Thomas moved to Arkansas and married Nancy Josephine Higgens in Oklahoma. In around 1923-4 they moved the family to Portland Oregon where my father Charles H Boyd was born. We’ve been on the left coast ever since.
    Now I can look back at warrens parents and see where that takes me.
    Thanks for the help it is much appreciated. I have been completely stumped on who and where to search next.
    Can’t thank you enough.

    1. Jim, what I meant to say was I have found some information on Warrens life, his children, his incredible service in the war. I have heard it said that few ever saw more bloody work than the 2nd SC rifles. When I read the stories of the battles again I will be doing so with new eyes. His father was born in Virginia. And his mother South Carolina. It appears that Robert came down as a single man sometime after or during the revolution, I am estimating his birth between 1760 and 1770, he would have been a young boy during the revolution but his father may have participated?
      I would sure like to find how far back the line goes in America and when the first Boyd in this line came into the country and if they had any service in the revolution. Any information you might have or any recommendation you could give me to aid my search would be greatly appreciated.
      Kind regards
      David

    2. You know….the further away that war gets….the more glorious it becomes!
      The 2nd scrifles(the fifthscrifles being it’s necleus)was…… you could truthfuly say was a Pickens county brigade (s!)….almost entirely! Even more so than the first (Orr’s rifles).bull run…chancelorsville..Fredricksburg (that was like shooting fish in a barrel!) Gettysburg…Petersburg. .to name just a few….then that day in april (9) 65’……if another outfit seen anymore action …I can’t imagine who it was!
      That day While with Gen Longstreet ‘the Ole warhorse…outside wait in. ..under some apple trees at APommatox courthouse while Gen Lee was inside with useless grant talkin bout(you know)…..this gallant yellow haired would be Indian fighter boy galloped up to Gen Longstreet…..and demanded his surrender!!!!!on the spot! He billigarently did! No doubt in hopes of noteriety for himself.later on…..Ole Pete just ignored him till he no longer could and….(a few 2ndsc rifles was snickering an laughed at him)he repeated his demand ultimately and Longstreet went off!
      He called him a boy as he told him to get his ass on or he’did turn the artillery on him right then and there! Gen Lee aint said nothin yet! Snorted the Gen Some of the second that heard/seen this stupidity from George Armstrong custer…..some in tears too! Started hollering tell in Gen Longstreet to lets fight it out now!….right here to the last man!…we can whoopum !! I guess we’ll never know how close that came to bein a reality….you can tell by some of GL’s memoirs..incredibly outnumbered….didn’t make a bit of difference!…..he shut up an went on too! One of my kin was there..Manse Jolly…..then the long walk back to Pickens District…SC..Ole Manse and a childhood friend left there that day an a few days later his buddy with a very serious leg wound….finally had to stop in NC..(it got to stinking an caused a big fever!)….and amputate the leg……..with an axe!….less Largent would die!….anyway they made it back home…..only to learn ….of the six Jolly brothers that left the Lebanon community (pickens/Anderson county line)…..Manse was the only one that made it back…poor Moma…..he swore to kill 5 yankee’s for every brother lost…and he did! He started Killin too..they was stationed everywhere from Anderson to Spartanburg and beyond…You ever heard of Posse Comitatus act. ….well upstate SC…..is what brought that legislation to fruition! People don’t know this …but 5 upstate counties were harassed by union troops for several years….and never did take the oath of readmision by way of reconstruction in 1868…I have personally seen the papers!!! An stayed on public display for years…it was a constitutinal violation to have a standing army in peacetime…think about this…Research it!….keep in mind the Yankee general useless s grant was the presdent then too! How soon we forget! It’s just like our flag (they call it a battle flag)….the present day skeedadler…that took that away…….will she now do the same with US sovernty?……let me tell you why that flag is hated….its SAINT ANDREWS CROSS TURNED SIDEWAYS with stars added….(the cross of JESUS CHRIST).13 of’me (the 12 tribes of isreal…..JOSEPH HAD HIS TWO”’SONS BLESSED INSTEAD OF HIMSELF) 12+1=13…..(I CHALLENG YOU ALL TO READ GENISIS 48)why would the most modern advanced country the world has ever known be afraid of its own heritage? Especially what it ”’put down so to speak 150 years ago?…..cause that is”’the only flag ever to put a whooping on the US Federal government…day after day…after day…and almost in all major engagements from 62 on…it was lead by the 2nd scrifles! !! That’s why!!

  120. Jim Patterson, You sure are solving a lot of mysteries on here. Hope you can help me. My ancestor, William Sergent was born in Virginia about 1740 so he is the right age to be in the rev war. No other records found on him until he receives a land grant of 210 acres near Hill Creek, Orange Co, NC and later in 1796 another land grant of 50 acres in Montgomery Co, NC. His wife is Sussannah but I have no other info on her. His daughter Sarah H. Married my 3rd ggf Benjamin after the war in NC. Benjamin was a pvt in company of Capt Maj Taylor’s Regt NC line.
    Would be grateful for anything you can add about this family.

  121. Jim Patterson, thank you for this information on Ephraim Cooper. I will let you know what I find out. It will try to make it a priority to follow up with this.

  122. My 4th GGF, Joseph “Quaker Meadows Joe” McDowell, 1756-1801, led the NC Militia in this battle:
    http://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/patriot_leaders_nc_joseph_mcdowell.html

    I have been looking for any first-hand accounts of participants of the battle that any readers may have access.
    I have also been looking for any images of his grave site or first hand accounts of his gravesite within the McDowell family cemetery outside of Morganton, NC (named in honor of Daniel Morgan). Joseph McDowell was said to have been buried next to his brother, Charles, a tree with a “J” carved into it to mark his gravesite. Since Joseph is eligible for a U.S. government headstone, as a veteran of the Revolutionary War, any information that would help confirm the location of his grave site will enable the local historical society to help place a headstone. Any information would be greatly appreciated in helping to formally mark the final resting place of a patriot.

  123. My 4th great grandfather, James Smith, was a loyalist soldier in Tarleton’s British Legion (formerly Cathcart’s Infantry, from New York). He was captured and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner-of-war at Lancaster, Pennsylvannia. He married and raised a family in New Berlin, Chenango County, New York.

  124. I’m the 5th great grandson of Andrew Pickens, and the 4th great grandson of his son-in-law, John Harris II … both militiamen at Cowpens! Proud of my ancestors, for sure!

  126. Can anyone help me with info about a Graves that fought in the Revolutionary War and particularly at Cowpins and was later awarded land in what became northern Alabama?
    Thanks!

  127. Can you tell me anything about Samuel Welchel/Whelchel whom was under General Washington or about any whelchel / Welchel names ?

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