lmost equally shared. But the Americans took
two pieces of cannon, the colours of the 7th regiment, and near four
hundred prisoners." Thus far Col. Tarleton. Gen. Moultrie received his
account of this action of the Cowpens "from an officer of great veracity
and high rank, who was conspicuous on that day;" supposed to be Col.
Washington. The substance of his account shall now be given; that the
two may be compared. Gen. Morgan drew up his men in an open pine barren,
the militia of about four hundred men, under Col. Pickens, formed the
first line. The continentals of about five hundred men, two hundred of
whom were raw troops, formed the second line, under Col. Howard,
two hundred yards in the rear. Col. Washington, with seventy-five
continental cavalry, and forty-five militia under Capt. M'Call, in the
rear. Pickens ordered his men to reserve their fire till the enemy came
within fifty yards, which they did, and fired with great success; but
they were soon obliged to give way and retreat behind the second line,
which received them warmly; at length the second line began to give
way. Col. Washington, perceiving this, rode up to their rear with his
cavalry, and told Howard, "if he would rally his men and charge the
enemy's line, he would charge the cavalry who were cutting down the
militia." His riding so close to the rear stopped the British, and
Howard rallied his men in the mean time, and charged with fixed
bayonets. Col. Washington charged the cavalry and routed them; the
militia at the same time recovered themselves and began to fire, and the
whole threw the enemy into the utmost confusion. Howard called out
to them, "to lay down their arms and they should have good quarters."
Upwards of five hundred men threw down their arms and surrendered. Two
hundred were left dead on the field, and a great number wounded. Besides
the two field pieces mentioned by Tarleton, six hundred men, eight
hundred stand of arms, and thirty-five baggage waggons, fell into the
hands of the Americans. Col. Washington pursued the British cavalry
twenty-five miles."

By this last account the disparity in numbers was not great, and as one
half the Americans were either militia or new levies, the superiority
was on the side of Tarleton, whose men, except two hundred, were
veterans, and he had two field pieces. The ground too he acknowledges
was advantageous; so that every thing was in his favour, but _an agency_
which he could not control. But in