Cowpens National Battlefield

Cowpens National Battlefield commemorates the Revolutionary War battle fought on January 17, 1781 when Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan and the troops under his command soundly defeated the young British commander, Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton. The landscape at Cowpens played a key role in the outcome of the battle. Daniel Morgan used the land features and terrain to his advantage in a brilliant tactical move to defeat the British.

The area was long used as a gathering place for cattle ready to be driven to markets along the east coast. The open grass meadows with a sparse overstory of trees and a high sight line made it ideal for a military skirmish. Dense canebrakes and wet boggy soils flanked the sides and provided protection to the American forces.

PCF is pursuing a landscape restoration project at Cowpens to return the landscape to conditions at the time of the battle. Cotton, home sites, truck crops, and the introduction of non-native species greatly transformed the ecology of the battlefield. The plan developed by PCF established a 10 year program of action. Mechanical fuel reduction was completed on 632 acres, reducing the risk of a catastrophic fire. Prescribed burns, cane planting, re-introduction of native grasses, and exotic plant control is ongoing. Recently PCF has been restoring the sight distance and removing unwanted vegetation. Extensive mapping is helping identify key management areas and treatment schedules.