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Battle of Guilford Court House (view source)
Revision as of 04:06, May 24, 2019
, 04:06, May 24, 2019Added to "Battle of Guilford Court House"
After surveying the American position, Cornwallis began his advance at 1:30 p.m., with Leslie and Webster on either side of the road leading to Guilford. Webster was slightly in advance, and was the first to make contact with the North Carolina militia west of the road. As instructed, the militia fired two volleys with a level of accuracy that surprised many in the British ranks; Webster was forced to order a bayonet charge to dislodge them. Both Webster and Leslie (now reinforced by O'Hara) closed on the second line of Virginia militia, though continuing to take oblique fire from Washington's and Lee's detachments on either flank. Webster attacked the militia's right flank under Brigadier General Edward Stevens, pushing it back and pressing on to attack the line of Continentals before the rest of the militia had been driven off; this left the British van exposed, and the Continentals responded with a musket volley and a bayonet charge of their own that drove Webster back.
After surveying the American position, Cornwallis began his advance at 1:30 p.m., with Leslie and Webster on either side of the road leading to Guilford. Webster was slightly in advance, and was the first to make contact with the North Carolina militia west of the road. As instructed, the militia fired two volleys with a level of accuracy that surprised many in the British ranks; Webster was forced to order a bayonet charge to dislodge them. Both Webster and Leslie (now reinforced by O'Hara) closed on the second line of Virginia militia, though continuing to take oblique fire from Washington's and Lee's detachments on either flank. Webster attacked the militia's right flank under Brigadier General Edward Stevens, pushing it back and pressing on to attack the line of Continentals before the rest of the militia had been driven off; this left the British van exposed, and the Continentals responded with a musket volley and a bayonet charge of their own that drove Webster back.
Despite having already sustained heavy casualties, Cornwallis then re-formed his whole line (Leslie and O'Hara having in the meantime pushed back the remaining Virginia militia) and launched another attack on the Continentals. A short period of close combat ensued, during which neither side could make much progress; fearing his line would break, Cornwallis ordered his artillery to fire grapeshot into the melee, despite the fact that it would inflict casualties on his own troops as well as the Americans. Though the British did indeed suffer a number of casualties from this friendly fire, it did succeed in causing Greene to withdraw his line.
Despite having already sustained heavy casualties, Cornwallis then re-formed his whole line (Leslie and O'Hara having in the meantime pushed back the remaining Virginia militia) and launched another attack on the Continentals. A short period of close combat ensued, during which neither side could make much progress; fearing his line would break, Cornwallis ordered his artillery to fire grapeshot into the melee, despite the fact that it would inflict casualties on his own troops as well as the Americans. Though the British did indeed suffer a number of casualties from this friendly fire, it did succeed in causing Greene to withdraw his line.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20151115115901/http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/battledetail.aspx?battle=27</ref>
Had Greene known the desperate situation of Cornwallis and his army, he might have continued the battle. However, most of his militia had already departed the field, and while most of his Continentals still held firm, he was unwilling to risk the survival of the South's only field army, and therefore ordered a retreat at about 3:30 p.m.
Had Greene known the desperate situation of Cornwallis and his army, he might have continued the battle. However, most of his militia had already departed the field, and while most of his Continentals still held firm, he was unwilling to risk the survival of the South's only field army, and therefore ordered a retreat at about 3:30 p.m.
==Aftermath==
Although Cornwallis could technically claim victory at Guilford, since his army was in possession of the field at the battle's conclusion, it was far costlier than he could afford. The British casualty count was 93 killed, 413 wounded, 26 captured or missing. Losses had been equally heavy among the senior leadership; O'Hara had been wounded, Lieutenant Colonel James Stuart of the 2nd Guards Battalion had been killed, and Webster was mortally wounded. This was in contrast to Greene's much lighter casualties of 79 killed and 185 wounded (not including 1,046 "missing," mostly militia who had returned home after the battle).<ref>https://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/32guilford/32facts2.htm</ref> Echoing the words of Plutarch on the general Pyrrhus, the British Whig leader and war critic Charles James Fox said upon hearing reports of the battle, "Another such victory would ruin the British Army!"
By contrast, Guilford Court House was seen in retrospect as an example of the ultimately successful campaign waged by Greene; though he lost the battle, he could claim a strategic victory by severely weakening the overall British position in the South. In a later letter, he described his campaign in this way: "We fight, get beat, rise and fight again."
Still at a severe numerical disadvantage, and unable to obtain any supplies in the area, Cornwallis saw no option but to fall back on Wilmington, the closest supply base at this point. On March 17, he abandoned Guilford and marched to Wilmington.
Greene, meanwhile, turned south, intending to strike the British garrison at Camden, South Carolina: a move that opened his campaign to re-establish American control of the South, in which he had largely succeeded by year's end. Since his own force was down to fewer than 1,500 men, Cornwallis, rather than contest Greene directly, decided to invade Virginia. As he later argued, "a serious attempt upon Virginia would be the most solid plan, because successful operations might not only be attended with important consequences there, but would tend to the security of South Carolina and ultimately the submission of North Carolina." Cornwallis' decision would lead to his defeat and surrender at Yorktown in October, effectively ending the Revolutionary War.
==Legacy==
Much of the battle site has been incorporated into the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, within the modern city of Greensboro. Annual reenactments of the battle are held in the park, on or near March 15. In 2016, a Crown Forces Monument was erected to honor the officers and men of Cornwallis' army.