The skies looked dark to the revolutionary troops the morning of the Battle of the Guilford Courthouse. The 1900 British troops under General Lord Cornwallis were well trained and successful—and they were on the march north. A victorious conclusion to Cornwallis’ campaign, a prelude to an invasion of Virginia, would end the uprising and the colonies in the Americas would remain within the British fold.

The colonists’ troops, regulars and militia, were commanded by Major General Nathaniel Greene, a leader who was held in the highest respect by General George Washington. Greene’s army consisted of 4400 men, a superior number to the British but not nearly as well seasoned or equipped as the enemy.

Cornwallis had been pursuing Greene and his army for some time, and Greene had managed to stay ahead of his adversary, but on March 14, 1781 Greene halted his troops at the Guilford Courthouse, formed them into three lines and waited for dawn. On March 15 Cornwallis saw his chance to rid himself of Greene and went on the attack. His troops, though tired and hungry, marched on in lines, up the road which is today New Garden Road. The first line of American militia did its damage against the British wave, then disappeared into the forest. The same happened with the second line so that when the British faced the strongest and most professional enemy, General Greene’s Continental Infantry, they had already suffered serious losses. But the British were still stronger than the colonists, and while the third encounter deteriorated into such a fierce melee of hand to hand combat that at one point General Cornwallis ordered his canon to fire grapeshot into the mass of humanity, cutting down both American and British alike, in the end Greene’s army retreated.

Cornwallis did not follow, however, as while the battle was technically his victory the cost had been too great. Five hundred and fifty British troops had been killed or wounded, including some of the finest leaders, and the remaining troops were exhausted. Following the battle at Guilford Courthouse, after a short pause, Cornwallis did continue north into Virginia, but now discouraged and with his ranks depleted, instead of victory he marched to Yorktown and his surrender. Some historians would say that Cornwallis’ surrender really was a consequence of what happened at Guilford Courthouse, where an American victory was for the first time in sight.

We now live about one mile from where that important battle took place, a site now preserved as the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. Every March 15 weekend there is a reenactment of the battle, and on certain other occasions history buffs come to relive and reenact some of the elements of life in that area at the time of the battle. Last weekend was one of those weekends, and Nancy and I took advantage of the opportunity to learn and experience this bit of history.

Living in this part of the country, where the nation was birthed, is fascinating. It shines a new light on the miracle that our country is and on the price that was paid to make it possible for us to have what we now have. Perhaps we all have something to learn from that bit of history, and perhaps we should ask ourselves whether we sometimes take for granted what is ours only because over 200 years ago some people chose to risk their lives. Perhaps we should be more grateful to them, and to those who continue to take the risks and make the sacrifice for us all...