Lt General Charles Earl Cornwallis | Guilford Courthouse

Lieutenant General Charles Earl Cornwallis was appointed by General Henry Clinton to lead the Southern Campaign when Clinton returned to New York.

Determined to destroy General Nathaniel Greene's army after the Battle of Cowpens, Cornwallis pursued Greene's forces, who had escaped to safety across the Dan River, in Virginia.  On March 15, 1781, Cornwallis, with only around 1,900 men, engaged Green at Guilford Courthouse.  Greene was forced to retreat, and Cornwallis was victorious. However, Cornwallis lost over a quarter of his men as a result of the battle.

Standards

• 4-3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the conflict between the American colonies and England.
  • Revolutions result from resistance to conditions that are perceived as unfair by the people who are demanding change. The changes brought about by revolution can be both positive and negative. To understand the results of the conflict between the Amer...
    • 4-3.3 Summarize the importance of the key battles of the Revolutionary War and the reasons for American victories including Lexington and Concord, Bunker (Breed’s) Hill, Charleston, Saratoga, Cowpens, and Yorktown.
• 8-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes of the American Revolution and the beginnings of the new nation, with an emphasis on South Carolina’s role in the development of that nation.
  • The events surrounding the American Revolution transformed British colonists into American citizens. To understand South Carolina’s pivotal role in this process, the student will utilize the knowledge and skills set forth in the following indica...
    • 8-2.1 Explain the political and economic consequences of the French and Indian War on the relationship of the South Carolina colonists with Native Americans and England.