Battle of Guilford Courthouse

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Cornwallis Decides to Attack Greene in North Carolina

After the embarrassing British defeat by the Patriots at the Battle of Cowpens, British General Charles Cornwallis resolved to destroy the southern branch of the Continental Army led by Nathanael Greene. Cornwallis had chased Greene through much of North Carolina before learning he had assembled an army of North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland militia encamped at the Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina. Cornwallis decided to launch an attack despite the fact he had less than half as many soldiers as Greene. Cornwallis's army totaled about 1,900 soldiers, while Greene's total army numbered 4,500.

Cornwallis is Forced to Fire on his own Soldiers

Much like the Battle of Cowpens, General Greene had prepared in advance for a British attack and had organized his army into three lines. Unlike at Cowpens, however, the lines were positioned far away from each other - too far to support each other. At 1:30 in the afternoon on March 15, 1781, the battle started. The British immediately advanced on the first two lines despite the barrage of bullets and cannot shot from the Patriots. After incurring significant losses, the British army forced the first two lines into a disorganized retreat, leaving the third line - which was positioned on a hill. Here, British forces were repulsed by American firepower and in some cases, hand-to-hand combat. Fearing the impending defeat of his army, Cornwallis made the decision to fire heavy guns and cannon over his own soldiers and into the Patriot third line on the hill. Despite the fact that this decision resulted in the deaths of many British soldiers, it proved effective. Soon, Greeneâ€™s entire army was in full retreat. The British army proceeded with a half-hearted pursuit but soon relented. Although the fighting lasted less than two and a half hours, Cornwallis's army suffered 526 casualties and was reduced by over 25 percent. Historians credit Cornwallis with a pyrrhic victory - a technical military victory accompanied by large numbers of casualties.

The British Propose to Rest in Yorktown

Following the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, Cornwallis led his battered army to Yorktown, Virginia, in the hopes of regrouping and finding better military success there. On the march to Yorktown, Cornwallis commandeered horses at will, raided farms, and freed thousands of slaves. Unbeknownst at the time, Cornwallis had set his army up for disaster, as Yorktown would be the site of the mighty siege on his army by American and French forces that would eventually lead to the war's end. Meanwhile, Greene's army marched into the heart of the south with the eventual goal of liberating South Carolina and Georgia.

After losing at Cowpens, British General Cornwallis wanted to crush Nathanael Greene’s southern Continental Army. He chased Greene through North Carolina and learned that Greene’s troops were camped at Guilford Courthouse. Even though Cornwallis had only 1,900 soldiers against Greene’s 4,500, he decided to attack.

A Risky Battle Begins

On March 15, 1781, Greene had his army set up in three lines, but they were spaced too far apart to help each other. At 1:30 p.m., the British attacked and pushed back the first two lines. The third line, placed on a hill, held out with strong gunfire and even hand-to-hand combat. Cornwallis, desperate to avoid defeat, made a bold move—he fired cannons over his own soldiers to hit the Patriots. This caused British losses but helped break the American line. Greene’s troops retreated, and the British gave only a brief chase.

A Costly British Victory

Although the British technically won, they suffered 526 casualties—over 25% of their army. Historians call it a "pyrrhic victory," meaning the win came at too great a cost.

Cornwallis Heads to Yorktown

After the battle, Cornwallis moved his weakened army to Yorktown, Virginia, hoping to regroup. Along the way, his troops took supplies, raided farms, and freed thousands of enslaved people. But this move would backfire, as Yorktown later became the site of a massive siege by American and French forces. Meanwhile, Greene continued moving south to try to take back South Carolina and Georgia.