battle of which 200 tanks were first used

The Southern Campaign, especially in the backcountry, was essentially a civil war as the colonial population split between Patriot and Loyalist. Conflict in the backcountry, to their rear, turned out to be their Achilles' heel. Conquering these population centers, however, gave the British such a false sense of victory that they didn't count on so much opposition in the backcountry 10. Such victories gave the British confidence they would soon control the entire South and that Loyalists would flock to their cause. In 1779-80, British redcoats indeed came South en masse, capturing first, Savannah 7 and then Charleston 8 and Camden 8A in South Carolina, in the process, defeating and capturing much of the Southern Continental Army 9. They estimated that many of the population would rally to the Crown. They came south for a number of reasons, primarily to assist Southern Loyalists 5 and help them regain control of colonial governments, and then push north, to crush the rebellion 6. Such victories boosted Patriot morale and blunted British efforts, but by 1779-80, with stalemate in the North, British strategists again looked south. It became known as the turning point of the war in the South, part of a chain of events leading to Patriot victory at Yorktown 2 The Cowpens victory was won over a crack British regular army 3 and brought together strong armies and leaders who made their mark on history.īeginning with the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge 4, the British had made early and mostly futile efforts in the South, including a failed naval expedition to take Charleston in 1776. The Battle of Cowpens 1, January 17, 1781, took place in the latter part of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution and of the Revolution itself.

Battle of which 200 tanks were first used