Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan, United States Commander of "Morgan's Flying Army" - Wikipedia
On a typical January day in 1781, an event that was anything but typical shook the halls of history, forever changing the nation we now call America.
"The Troops I had the Honor to command have been so fortunate as to obtain a compleat Victory over a Detachment from the British Army commanded by Lt. Colonel Tarlton." - Gen. Daniel Morgan in a letter to Gen. Nathanael Greene 19 January 1781, two days post battle
The un-beatable army was beaten in battle, the civilian bested the professional, and the lost Revolution in the South was won. The battle of Cowpens, 17 January 1781, saw the only double envelopment (1) in history in North America...ever. (2) The elite light infantry and cavalry unit of Gen. Lord Cornwallis' British Army, led by the brutal and notorious Banister Tarleton, was destroyed. Completely. Tarleton was beaten in battle, surrounded, and decimated by an army mostly composed of backwoodsmen, farmers, and militia volunteers. The "Flying Army," (light infantry that could move faster than an army with a baggage train) had at it's core an elite but small cavalry unit, and some highly experienced Continentals from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Around these, General Daniel Morgan built a force that broke the back of Tory resistance in the South, forced Cornwallis to the defensive, and turned arrogance into despair in the Court of St. James. The Battle of Cowpens set in motion a series of events that led to the eventual surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, VA just nine months later in October of 1781.
Cowpens was the beginning of the end for "His Britannic Majesty," King George III
Our question: How could a farmer turned general with a rag-tag force of ill equipped and un-trained men destroy an elite army of the world's best? How?! The answer: A Providential battle plan executed by a man of courage, determination, and sheer grit. Failure was not an option for Daniel Morgan, the "Old Wagoneer" as his men knew him.
Morgan was one of those rare men who come along only once in a great while. He truly gave "the last full measure" of himself in the cause of American liberty. Growing up in Pennsylvania, young Daniel, as far as anyone knows, lacked any kind of formal education. In his late teens he had an argument with his ironworker father, left for the Shenandoah, and settled in what is now Winchester, VA. A big man, he had a reputation as living a confrontational life and was known to "tip the jug." He was not known as much of a religious man until the 1790's when...for reasons unknown...became a Presbyterian. Morgan gained vast military experience as a frontier fighter in the French and Indian War. During that war, he was struct by an English officers flat of his sword, and promptly struck the officer, knocking him out cold. After being court marshaled for the offence, Morgan took 500 lashes as punishment. Most men did not live through such, but Daniel Morgan was not "most men." Years later, in 1777, he sealed British Gen. Burgoyne's fate at Saratoga, NY by cutting off his last route of retreat which led to the surrender of the entire English Army on the field. Suffering from many debilitating physical conditions, Morgan retired from the army and returned to his home in Winchester, VA in the Shenandoah Valley. On 16 August 1780, American General Horatio Gates was horrifically defeated at Camden, SC by Cornwallis Washington quickly replaced Gates with his most trusted major field commander, General Nathanael Greene.
Greene immediately ordered the ailing Morgan out of his sickbed to command his newly formed "Flying Army." (3) The entire war was at stake, Green could not afford to have anyone but the best in charge of his most elite corps. That very best he now had in Morgan.
Morgan's adversary was "Bloody Ban Tarleton." Having lost his fortune, the young Bannister Tarleton came to America to fight the colonials and to win back his fame, fortune, and honor. He gained his awful nick name for the slaughter of a company of Virginians who were trying to surrender at the Battle of the Waxhaw's near Charlotte earlier in 1780. (4) This murderous tactic became known as "Tarleton's Quarter." It is not known whether or not the slaughter was ordered or not by Tarleton but the incident fired up anti-British sentiment in the Carolinas. Tarleton was specifically tasked by Cornwallis to chase down Morgan and destroy his army as he was threatening Cornwallis' western flank. That flank was indeed vulnerable. Earlier on 7 October 1780 at Kings Mountain the entire Tory militia army of Major Patrick Ferguson was totally destroyed by an American backwoodsman army led by a number of elected officers.
Providence smiled on Daniel Morgan. The day before the battle saw his army rested, fed, dry, and warm. "Bloody Ban" enjoyed none of these blessings. Pushing his men to the extreme, he finally caught up to Morgan early in the morning of 17 January 1781. His men were beyond exhaustion having not eaten for 24 hours. They had marched all night and had not slept. In addition, Providence smiled on Daniel Morgan's army in that they were defending ground that they all were very familiar with, ground that the enemy had never seen.
All these blessings, though Providential indeed, were not the key to the American victory. The key was the battle plan! Morgan was an amateur soldier, he had no "commission," he never attended any kind of military academy, and was essentially self-educated. Where in the world could he have discovered such a brilliant battle plan? Where indeed!? Two likely sources come to mind. Either Morgan somehow has access to a highly rare account of the ancient Battle of Cannae in ca. 0217 B.C. where a double envelopment took place. (5) Or...he had access to an account of a much earlier double envelopment detailed in the Bible, specifically Joshua Chapter 8. Which was more likely? Certainly the latter. It is likely Morgan had a Bible at the ready as part of this personal baggage. Not well known today, the Bible was generally the only book found on the frontier. As such, it was the reading text book of record. Everyone who learned to read, learned by reading the Bible. As a result, everyone who could read and write was very familiar with the Bible, its books, its history, etc. Even agnostics, atheists, and skeptics read and were familiar with the Bible. Even if Morgan did not have a personal Bible or not, there were likely a number of Bible carrying Presbyterian ministers under his command as the militia units elected their officers. Presbyterians often elected either their minister or one of their elders should that congregation have no minister to lead their local unit. Militias in the Carolinas were predominantly Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. Up to 70% of the population in the Carolina Upcountry were Scotch-Irish Presbyterian in 1781. Even years later, the Revolution in the Carolina's was known as the "Presbyterian Rebellion." (6)
My thesis is this: Daniel Morgan very likely found his battle plan in the pages of Scripture.
Frontier farmers, such as Daniel Morgan, did not just sit around thinking of world class battle plans while leisurely rocking on the front porch! However, much more than today, the Daniel Morgan's of the American Frontier DID read their Bibles, even if for liesure. Though not a book on military maneuvers, there is found within the pages of Scripture a detailed description of a DOUBLE ENVELOPMENT. It is my contention that at some point prior to 16 January 1781, Gen. Daniel Morgan likely picked up a Bible, turned to Joshua 8, and took copious notes, in writing, mentally, or otherwise. Joshua's battle plan for the 2nd Battle of Ai was re-enacted perfectly at Cowpens! Though my thesis might sound hard to believe, I ask you, "Where ELSE could have Daniel Morgan read of such a brilliant battle plan, especially on the frontier being chased by "Bloody Ban"? Don't just take my word for it, read Joshua 8 for yourself as you review the action of 17 January 1781 at Cowpens. We will examine the action of Second Ai (7) first, the action of Cowpens second, and then compare the two to support our thesis.
The Battle of Second Ai - A Double Envelopment - "The Plan" [Joshua 8.3 - 8] - After regrouping after the disaster of First Ai, Joshua puts in place an entirely new and different battle plan, utilizing past failures that will drive a future victory. It was "rope-a-dope" long before "rope-a-dope." What follows here in this section is what might be described as a "military paraphrase."
As Joshua 8 opens, the date is sometime during ca. 1400 B.C. Before describing the action, our passage lays out the battle plan in summary. Israel has an army of 30,000 men opposing a combined Ai / Bethel force of 12,000. From a military standpoint, Ai and Bethel had the advantage. They held the high ground behind the walls of a fortified city. They had the advantage of advanced iron weapons and the training and discipline of a professional military force. Israel, though more numerous, were attacking from a weak downhill position, likely had few advanced iron weapons, and had very little formal training. Low expectations of Israel on the part of Ai / Bethel led to overconfidence while giving Israel the element of surprise. Ai / Bethel expected a conventional response from, what turned out to be, a very un-conventional Israelite force. Ai lays between the Dead Sea on the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Ai's ally, Bethel, is found just north of Ai. Just destroyed Jericho lays about 8 miles to the west. There is a plain between Jericho and Ai where Joshua plans to encounter the Ai / Bethel combined force.
Joshua plans to divide his army. A portion of the army will approach Ai at night from the east and hide behind a ravine that is there west of the city. We will refer to this army as "Army Group West" or simply "AGW." As they remain at the ready, Joshua and the rest of the army then will approach Ai from the east as they did before at First Ai. We will refer to this army as "Army Group East" or simply "AGE." As AGW lays hidden, AGE will move toward Ai in the open as they did before. Also, as they did before, Israel will turn and retreat east back towards Jericho. This feigned retreat is planned to draw the entire enemy force out of Ai in an all out attempt to destroy Israel en-masse. As all of Ai runs out of the city to pursue the "retreating" Israeli's, AGW will rise up in ambush, attack Ai from the west, and put the city to the torch. This action will cut off any retreat of the enemy force from the action on the plain east of Ai. The enemy will be pushed by AWG and pulled by AGE into an Israeli pocket (8) and then systematically destroyed.
The Battle of Second Ai - A Double Envelopment - "The Execution" - [Joshua 8.9 - 25] As the action unfolds, Joshua, the People, and the Elders mustered the entire army and approached Ai from the east with the entire force. Approaching the city, they wheeled right, encamping on the north side of Ai. A ravine ran between the city and the encampment, concealing their presence. Joshua then split his army. The Israeli Army Group East [IAGE] remained in position while 5,000 men were detached, forming Israeli Army Group West [IAGW]. IAGW wheeled right and marched southwest, taking up an ambush position west of Ai unseen. Joshua spent the night in the camp with his men. At dawn, the king of Ai saw the IAGE encamped north of the city, between Bethel and Ai. Not knowing of the presence of IAGW in ambush position west of the city, the king and all of his soldiers ran out of the city, moving southeast onto the plain where they formed up in order to meet IAGE which was wheeling southeast to present herself due east across from the array of the Ai / Bethel Joint Force [ABJF]. Once the array presentation of both sides were on the plain of battle, the entire ABJF charged the entire IAGE en masse. As the plan dictated, IAGE feigns defeat, turns and retreats quickly across the plain to the east. Sensing a rout, all the people of both Ai and Bethel were called out of Ai and joined the pursuit of IAGE on the plain, now fleeing towards the eastern wilderness. This action left Ai totally undefended against the still undiscovered IAGW. Joshua now signals IAGW by his outstretched javelin to come out of hiding and ambush the now undefended city. Immediately IAGW springs into action enters, captures, and puts the city to the torch. As the smoke from the burning city billows to the sky, IAGE wheels around and attacks the now disheartened ABJF on the plain. The attack moves due west from due east. The now destroyed city of Ai, still burning, cuts off any hope of retreat by the ABJF. The totally victorious IAGW now splits and moves east around both the north and the south of Ai attacking the rear of the ABJF. The IAGW left circles around the north of the city, attacking the ABJF left rear. The IAGW right circles around the south of the city, attacking the ABJF right rear. With elements of both IAGW and IAGE now enveloping the entire ABJF, the enemy was forced into the Israeli pocket and systematically destroyed. The double envelopment of the Battle of 2nd Ai was complete. The entire ABJF was totally struck down. There were no survivors, save the king of Ai who was captured. He was summarily hanged afterward. Enemy losses numbered 12,000.
As general in command, Morgan had a strategic side as well. Having previously surveyed the ground, Morgan chose the Cowpens as a place to either fight and win, or fight and die. It suited his purposes well. With his men knowing that there was no retreat from the Cowpens field, he knew his men would hold and fight. With the Broad River at their back and wetlands to their left and right, "hold and win" was the only option. It was, as it were, a peninsula with water on three sides and the British on the fourth. With all his scattered forces all knowing the Cowpens precise location, gathering his force was quick and easy. Since he chose the battlefield he had a number of days for his men to rest, to eat, to prepare and wait. Tarleton, on the other hand, was driving his men to the point of exhaustion and starvation. By the time he approached the battlefield in the early morning hours of 17 January 1781, his men had marched all night and had not eaten for a day. We don't know when Morgan formulated his battleplan but it most certainly was in place the night of 16 January 1781. All night long he spent with his men, moving from encampment to encampment informing, encouraging, and rehearsing the double envelopment plan. Morgan would entrap Tarleton in what would become known in future mechanized wars as a "pincer movement." (9)
Here's Morgan's plan:
The Battle of Cowpens, 17 January 1781 - A Double Envelopment - "The Plan" - Prior to the battle, the British Light Infantry under the command of Bannister Tarleton thought Morgan was planning an attack to the southwest at the strategic fortified town of Ninety Six. When Tarleton discovered such was not the case, he drove his force quickly northeast in an effort to catch Morgan and destroy him with his superior force. To his later chagrin, Tarleton discovered that "superior force" is defined much differently in the Carolina Back Country! Morgan knew he could not elude Tarleton much longer and would have to turn and fight...somewhere. Morgan also knew that he would have to find a way to persuade his men to hold and fight to the end, regardless. Being a man of both strategy and empathy, he chose to fight at the Cowpens. Empathetic to his men, the Cowpens was very familiar to his men who previously drove their herds to the Cowpens before going down to the coast for sale and slaughter. As cattle are want to wander, the Cowpens deterred them as the Broad River was to the rear of the area and wetlands were found on either side. As a result, cattle could be driven into the enclave with no way to wander off. Easily sealed at the fourth side by the encamped farmers, it was perfect for its purpose...cowpens. Men are far more likely to fight for what is theirs inherently than they will fight on strange ground. This played well for the empathetic Daniel Morgan.
As general in command, Morgan had a strategic side as well. Having previously surveyed the ground, Morgan chose the Cowpens as a place to either fight and win, or fight and die. It suited his purposes well. With his men knowing that there was no retreat from the Cowpens field, he knew his men would hold and fight. With the Broad River at their back and wetlands to their left and right, "hold and win" was the only option. It was, as it were, a peninsula with water on three sides and the British on the fourth. With all his scattered forces all knowing the Cowpens precise location, gathering his force was quick and easy. Since he chose the battlefield he had a number of days for his men to rest, to eat, to prepare and wait. Tarleton, on the other hand, was driving his men to the point of exhaustion and starvation. By the time he approached the battlefield in the early morning hours of 17 January 1781, his men had marched all night and had not eaten for a day. We don't know when Morgan formulated his battleplan but it most certainly was in place the night of 16 January 1781. All night long he spent with his men, moving from encampment to encampment informing, encouraging, and rehearsing the double envelopment plan. Morgan would entrap Tarleton in what would become known in future mechanized wars as a "pincer movement." (9)
We contend here in this article that Morgan's plan was nearly identical in nearly every way to Joshua's battleplan as detailed in Joshua 8.
Here's Morgan's plan:
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NOTES:
(1) A "double envelopment" is when two separate wings of the same army surround their opponent from two sides, cut off all routes to retreat, and then destroy the enemy from the outside in.
(2) The Cowpens battlefield is just southeast of Gaffney, SC, just northwest of Spartanburg, SC, and about an hour south of Charlotte. It's name is it's function. It was literally a pen for cows where the upstate farmers would gather their cattle before driving them to market. Cowpens was a large open meadow backing up to the Broad River (6 miles) and flanked by wetlands on two sides. In other words, one way in and one way out. The site was specifically chosen by Morgan for it had no path of retreat, his men had to fight or die. Today, the site is magnificently preserved as the "Cowpens National Battlefield Park." EVERY American should visit at least once in their life, for as went Cowpens, so went America. https://www.nps.gov/cowp/learn/historyculture/the-battle-of-cowpens.htm
(3) Today we would call "a flying army," "light infantry." After Cowpens, Cornwallis burned all his baggage and turned his entire army into "light infantry" so he could chase and catch the elusive Greene.
(4) Present at the Battle of the Waxhaw's was teenager Andrew Jackson. Captured during the battle, young Jackson was struck on the head by a British officer for refusing to polish his boots. Jackson's hatred of the British later drove him to lead the American army at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, some 34 years later.
(5) In ca. 0217 B.C., Hannibal famously double enveloped an entire Roman army of approximately 85,000 men at the Battle of Cannae. Peter Geerkens observed on 14 December 2018 on the blog "The History Stack Exchange": "In both this battle (Cowpens) and Cannae, Morgan and Hannibal leverage the very weakness of their main battle line into a tactical advantage that sets up the double envelopment."
(6) Robert Gardiner famously examines this phenomenon in his dissertation from Marquette. https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations/AAI3172505/
(7) The battle of First Ai was a defeat for Israel who, after losing some 30 plus men, turned and ran as the enemy pursued. See Joshua 7 for more detail. This is an example of how the disobedience of just one soldier can become a great detriment to an entire army.
(8) "Pockets" can also be known as "salients." A pocket occurs when one army is surrounded on four sides. A salient is a three sided and incomplete pocket. Not all salients result in defeat and become pockets. In May of 1864, at Spotsylvania Courthouse, Grant attempted to surround and envelop Lee in what became known as the "mule shoe salient," thus known by the fact that Lee's line looked like a mule shoe. The battle lasted 22 hours and was fought in a driving rain. Though surrounded on three sides, Lee successfully defended the salient, escaped being enveloped, and lived to fight another day.
(9) For more information on "pincer movements," see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pincer_movement
(3) Today we would call "a flying army," "light infantry." After Cowpens, Cornwallis burned all his baggage and turned his entire army into "light infantry" so he could chase and catch the elusive Greene.
(4) Present at the Battle of the Waxhaw's was teenager Andrew Jackson. Captured during the battle, young Jackson was struck on the head by a British officer for refusing to polish his boots. Jackson's hatred of the British later drove him to lead the American army at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, some 34 years later.
(5) In ca. 0217 B.C., Hannibal famously double enveloped an entire Roman army of approximately 85,000 men at the Battle of Cannae. Peter Geerkens observed on 14 December 2018 on the blog "The History Stack Exchange": "In both this battle (Cowpens) and Cannae, Morgan and Hannibal leverage the very weakness of their main battle line into a tactical advantage that sets up the double envelopment."
(6) Robert Gardiner famously examines this phenomenon in his dissertation from Marquette. https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations/AAI3172505/
(7) The battle of First Ai was a defeat for Israel who, after losing some 30 plus men, turned and ran as the enemy pursued. See Joshua 7 for more detail. This is an example of how the disobedience of just one soldier can become a great detriment to an entire army.
(8) "Pockets" can also be known as "salients." A pocket occurs when one army is surrounded on four sides. A salient is a three sided and incomplete pocket. Not all salients result in defeat and become pockets. In May of 1864, at Spotsylvania Courthouse, Grant attempted to surround and envelop Lee in what became known as the "mule shoe salient," thus known by the fact that Lee's line looked like a mule shoe. The battle lasted 22 hours and was fought in a driving rain. Though surrounded on three sides, Lee successfully defended the salient, escaped being enveloped, and lived to fight another day.
(9) For more information on "pincer movements," see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pincer_movement
