To celebrate the 237th anniversary of the decisive American victory over the British, Cowpens National Battlefield will celebrate special events through January 14, 2018.

  The anniversary weekend will begin with the Sons, Daughters, and Children of the American Revolution laying flowers at the Daniel Morgan Monument in Spartanburg at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, January 12.

 At 7 p.m. that evening will be a free, family-friendly program in the Barrett Room of the Spartanburg County Library Headquarters on South Church Street in Spartanburg. Cowpens National Battlefield is proud to partner with the Greenville Chautauqua, the Spartanburg County Public Libraries, and the Sons of the American Revolution to present Maggie Worsdale portraying the (first) First Lady, Martha Washington, speaking about Grand Dames of the American Revolution. 

 Throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday, January 13 and 14, the park will host numerous free activities including a wreath-laying at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 18th century weapons firing demonstrations, cavalry demonstrations, ranger-led battlefield walks, and author and historian talks both days.

Highlights in 2018 include performances by the Sons of Liberty playing 18th century music both days; 18th century court martial scenarios on Saturday, Ken Johnston portraying patriot General Daniel Morgan on Saturday; and Dr. Lawrence Babits, author of Devil of a Whipping, presenting a talk on the “Continental Logistics of the Southern Campaign” on Sunday. The full schedule is available at nps.gov/cowp/specialevents.htm.

 On January 13, the park will continue the annual Saturday evening lantern tours. This year, however, instead of presenting what “might” have happened the night before the battle of Cowpens, reenactors will interpret scenes that are based on primary sources or supporting documents. Although this program is free, reservations are required. Please make reservations for a lantern tour by calling 864-461-2828 x 3. The first available tour begins at 6 p.m. at the Visitor Center. Tours will depart every 15 minutes until 7 p.m. and are limited to 30 people each. We will fill spaces in the order that people make reservations, rather than take reservations for a particular time.

 In addition, visitors can experience what it was like for Morgan’s “Flying Army” to arrive at the Cow Pens by registering for Morgan’s Victory March. The 25-mile walk/ride retraces the route that Daniel Morgan’s men took to the Cow Pens, a well-known landmark in 1781. Participants will march to the park visitor center, arriving on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. 

For more information about Morgan’s Victory March, call the Cherokee Historical and Preservation Society (CHAPS) at 864-489-3988. Marchers can find more information and register online at cherokeecountyhistory.org/upcoming-events.html.

Cowpens National Battlefield is a unit of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution Parks Group within the National Park Service. The group mission is to protect, preserve, and interpret the significance of the decisive battles where America earned its freedom.

For more information about activities at Cowpens National Battlefield, call (864) 461-2828, visit the park’s webpage at www.nps.gov/cowp/, follow the park on Twitter @CowpensNB, or like the park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CowpensNationalBattlefield.

– submitted by Ginny Fowler