Spring Break!

Well, I have three papers to write and they need to be great works of literature. There will not be any spring break.

Still, knowing I had a spring break and a first draft for one other small reflection complete, I relaxed a little this weekend. I went with my husband to a family 50th wedding anniversary. The event was held in a wonderful BRAND NEW place, The Deep Creek Event Center. It's not a hotel. It's not a restaurant. It's not a country club. It is a wonderful space devoted to your day.

So, I'm looking for Revolutionary history around Deep Creek. It's big!

From About.com Military History:

In the wake of Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton's defeat at the Battle of Cowpens in January 1781, Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis turned his attention to pursuing Major General Nathanael Greene's small army. Racing through North Carolina, Greene was able to escape over the swollen Dan River before the British could bring him to battle. Making camp, Greene was reinforced by fresh troops and militia from North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. Pausing at Hillsborough, Cornwallis attempted to forage for supplies with little success before moving on to the forks of Deep River.

While there on March 14, (1781) Cornwallis was informed that General Richard Butler was moving to assault his troops. In actuality, Butler had led the reinforcements that had joined Greene. The following night, he received reports that the Americans were near Guilford Court House. Despite only having 1,900 men on hand, Cornwallis resolved to take the offensive and began marching that morning. Greene, having re-crossed the Dan, had established a position near Guilford Court House.

The event's of Guilford Court House are called an American loss, but are noteably remembered for a moment when Cornwallis crossed over the edge mentally. He ordered grapeshot fired into the battle and killed some of both his own men and patriots. It was a horrible demoralizing decision. He lost 25% of his men, including the ones he killed. The Parliment began to reconsider supporting the war in America.

The National Park Service has this to say about Guilford Court House-

Although the British considered themselves to be the victors at Guilford Courthouse, out of a force of 1,900 men, they lost 532 killed, wounded and missing. The 'defeated' American army lost 264 men out of a force of 4,400.


Don't forget to vote!

Charles James Fox, leader of Parliament's Whig opposition, was said to have exclaimed, "Another such victory would ruin the British Army!"