details.  Suffice it to say, Tarleton here met a “foeman worthy of his steel;” and the Americans, at the Cowpens, on the 17th of January, 1781, gained one of the most triumphant victories of the Revolutionary War.  Almost the whole of the British infantry, except the baggage guard, were either killed or taken.  Two pieces of artillery, eight hundred muskets, two standards, thirty-five wagons and one hundred dragoon horses fell into the hands of the Americans.  Notwithstanding the cruel warfare which Tarleton had waged against the Americans, to the honor of the victors it is said not one of the British prisoners was killed, or even insulted after they had surrendered.

The loss of the Americans in this decisive battle was twelve killed and about sixty wounded.  The loss of the British was ten officers and ninety privates killed, and twenty-three officers and five hundred privates taken prisoners.  At the close of the action, Washington, with his cavalry, pursued Tarleton, who now in turn, had become “flying game.”  In his eagerness of pursuit of that officer, Washington had dashed forward considerably in advance of his squadron, when Tarleton and two of his aids turned upon him, and just as an officer on Tarleton’s right was about to strike him with his sabre, his sergeant dashed up and disabled the assailant’s sword arm.  An officer on Tarleton’s left was about to strike at the same moment, when Washington’s little bugler, too small to wield a sword, wounded the assailant with a pistol ball.  Tarleton, who was in the center, then made a thrust at him, which Washington parried, and wounded his enemy in the hand.  Tarleton wheeled, and, as he retreated, discharged a pistol, wounding Washington in the knee.  During that night and the following morning, the remnant of Tarleton’s forces crossed Broad river at Hamilton’s Ford, and reached the encampment of Cornwallis at Turkey creek, about twenty-five miles from the Cowpens.

This hand-wound of Tarleton, inflicted by Washington, gave rise, on two different occasions, to sallies of wit by two American ladies, daughters of Colonel Montford, of Halifax county, North Carolina.  When Cornwallis and his army were at Halifax, on their way to Virginia, Tarleton was at the house of an American citizen.  In the presence of Mrs. Willie Jones, Tarleton spoke of Colonel Washington as an illiterate fellow, hardly able to write his name.  “Ah!  Colonel,” said Mrs. Jones, “you ought to know better, for you bear on your person proof that he knows very well how to make his mark!” At another time, Tarleton was sarcastically speaking of Washington in the presence of her sister, Mrs. Ashe.  “I would be happy to see Colonel Washington,” he said, with a sneer.  Mrs. Ashe instantly replied:  “If you had looked behind you, Colonel Tarleton, at the battle of the Cowpens, you would have enjoyed that pleasure.”  Stung with this keen wit, Tarleton placed his hand on his sword with an inclination to use it.  General Leslie, who was present, remarked, “Say what you please, Mrs. Ashe, Colonel Tarleton knows better than to insult a lady in my presence.”