Tarrant's Tavern, North Carolina
Tarrant's Tavern, North Carolina
TARRANT'S TAVERN, NORTH CAROLINA. 1 February 1781. After Cornwallis crossed the Catawba River at Cowan's Ford, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, who had already crossed at Beattie's Ford, moved swiftly to this place, about ten miles from the river, to strike a body of some two hundred North Carolina militia assembling there. Although outnumbered, Tarleton risked an attack. Stung by their commander's taunt to "Remember the Cowpens," Tarleton's dragoons charged and routed the militia, whose muskets were mostly soaked by the rain and inoperable. Tarleton doubled the number of Patriot militia in his account of the battle and exaggerated its casualties, but the victory was definitely quick and easy, the Patriots losing ten dead without firing a shot. The North Carolina militia was dispersed and demoralized by its defeat. What Tarleton did not know was that he had narrowly missed capturing General Nathanael Greene in his pursuit immediately after the action.
SEE ALSO Torrence's Tavern, North Carolina.
revised by Michael Bellesiles