Which American general defeated Banastre Tarleton at the 1781 Battle of Cowpens?

American general Daniel Morgan defeated Banastre Tarleton at the 1781 Battle of Cowpens.

The battle took place on January 17, 1781, near Cowpens in South Carolina. Morgan commanded a mixed force of Continental regulars and militia, while Tarleton led British and Loyalist troops connected with the British Legion. Morgan used carefully planned lines and controlled withdrawals to make his less-uniform force effective against an aggressive British attack.

The American victory destroyed much of Tarleton’s command and became one of the most significant Patriot successes in the Southern theater. It was especially important because British forces were attempting to regain control of the Carolinas through their Southern strategy.

Cowpens also shaped the campaign that followed. Cornwallis pursued American forces under Nathanael Greene, whose later operations weakened the British army before the Yorktown campaign. Cowpens was therefore not the final battle of the Revolution, but its consequences helped set conditions for the eventual British defeat in 1781.