Three British officers, observing this, wheeled about, and made a charge upon him.

The officer on his right aimed a blow to cut him down as an American sergeant came up, who intercepted the blow by disabling his sword arm.

The officer on his left was about to make a stroke at him at the same instant, when a waiter, too small to wield a sword, saved him by wounding the officer with a ball from a pistol.

At this moment, the officer in the centre, who was believed to be Tarlton, made a thrust at him which he parried; upon which the officer retreated a few paces, and then discharged a pistol at him, which wounded his horse.] [Footnote 59: The author has received statements of this action from General Morgan and from Colonels Howard and Washington.] In this engagement upwards of one hundred British, including ten commissioned officers, were killed; twenty-nine commissioned officers, and five hundred privates were made prisoners.

Eight hundred muskets, two field pieces, two standards, thirty-five baggage wagons, and one hundred dragoon horses, fell into the hands of the conquerors.
Tarlton retreated towards the headquarters of Lord Cornwallis, then about twenty-five miles from the Cowpens.
This complete victory cost the Americans less than eighty men in killed and wounded.
Seldom has a battle in which greater numbers were not engaged, been so important in its consequences as that of the Cowpens.