March 15, 1781 - The Battle of Guilford Courthouse

James Collins

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse

Two hundred and thirty-five years ago the Battle of Guilford Courthouse was fought and James Collins was there! Although the Americans were defeated it set into motion the defeat of Cornwallis at Yorktown. 

The last post was about James Collins and his application for pension for his service in the American Revolutionary War. After more research I have the following story about James. 

During the first two periods of service in the colonial army James did not see any fighting but his third and final time of service would be entirely different. By early 1781 things in the Carolinas were getting more exciting. The Quaker general Nathanael Greene was sent south to fight Cornwallis and move him into Virginia where Washington's army was waiting. 

From James' testimony on his pension application we know that he and a few others were left to make cartridges and did not reach the main army with his company. As soon as he had performed the duty assigned to him he rejoined his company and soon after the battle began. 

The defeat at Guilford Courthouse has long been blamed on the North Carolina militia, the very unit that James was in. In his account of the battle James made a point of insisting how many shots he fired, probably to defend his own company. Keep in mind that the militia was locally raised and received little to no training. They were poorly uniformed, most in their farm clothes. At Guilford they faced some of the best of the British Army. James' own unit faced the 23rd Foot, Royal Welsh Fusiliers and the 33rd Foot. 

The British line moved forward towards a rickety old rail fence that marked the boundary of what had been a cornfield. In a clump of trees two hundred yards to the right of the fenceline, James Collins waited. As the British advanced the North Carolina militia at the fenceline fired a volley. The redcoats faltered only briefly, fixed bayonets and charged. The militia at the fence in the center of the line broke and ran. Nathanael Greene had asked the militia to fire three rounds before retreating.

Looking at James' testimony he made a point of stating that he fired four times before pulling back.

James' pension files was one of only a handful of applications that contain sufficient detail to pinpoint the position of the unit in the first battle line at Guilford Courthouse. 

So where was he in today's world?  It seems that the North Carolina militia line lies today under a condominium development north of the military park. This development is known as Williamsburg Square. If you visit the park, walk from the visitor center along New Garden Road west to the edge of the park land and across the road stretching northward is the development. James was several hundred yards to the north in the housing development.

The park has a copy of James Collins' pension record. 

Since today is the anniversary of this battle, it is the only battle I will discuss today. But James Collins was not finished fighting. He also fought at Hobkirk's Hill sometimes called Second Camden on April 25th.

Hope you have enjoyed this story. Drop by again for more stories about my passage through time. 

Pattie