Battle of Guilford Court House

The Battle of Guilford Court House was technically a British victory but strategically the beginning of the end for Cornwallis. Greene modeled his defense on Cowpens, deploying three lines across the North Carolina countryside near the courthouse. His force of 4,400 was considerably larger than Cornwallis's 1,900, but most were unreliable militia against battle-hardened British regulars.

The first line of North Carolina militia fired two volleys — less than ordered — and fled. The second line of Virginia militia fought longer and harder than expected before withdrawing. The third line of Continental regulars fought the British regulars in desperate close-quarters combat through the courthouse clearing and surrounding woods. The fighting was among the most savage of the war. At a critical moment, Cornwallis ordered cannon loaded with grapeshot fired into the fighting mass of both armies — killing British and American soldiers alike — a measure that shocked observers but was effective in breaking the American pressure. Greene, calculating that he could not afford the losses a complete victory would require, ordered a withdrawal.

The cost to the British was devastating: 93 killed and 413 wounded — over 27% casualties. Among the wounded were Tarleton, who lost two fingers, and General Charles O'Hara. Cornwallis had no way to replace these losses. He could not pursue Greene effectively and had to withdraw to Wilmington to resupply and rest his crippled army.

Charles James Fox declared in the House of Commons: 'Another such victory would ruin the British Army.' Cornwallis agreed, concluding that the Carolinas could not be held while Greene's army operated freely. He made the fateful decision to march into Virginia — the decision that led to Yorktown.