Part 31 (1/2)

No. 9. (p. 046) PLATE IX.

_January 17, 1781._

Gulielmo Was.h.i.+ngton legionis equit. praefecto Comitia American.

[Rx]. Quod parva militum manu, etc.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WILLIAM AUGUSTINE WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

[_Victory of the Cowpens._]

GULIELMO WAs.h.i.+NGTON LEGIONIS EQUIT. (_equitum_) PRaeFECTO COMITIA AMERICAN. (_Americana._) (_The American Congress to William Was.h.i.+ngton, commander of a regiment of cavalry._) Lieutenant-Colonel Was.h.i.+ngton, at the head of his men, is pursuing the enemy's cavalry. A winged Victory hovers above him, holding in her right hand a crown of laurel, and in her left a palm branch. DUV. (_Duvivier_).

Within a crown of laurel: QUOD PARVA MILITUM MANU STRENUE PROSECUTUS HOSTES VIRTUTIS INGENITae PRaeCLARUM SPECIMEN DEDIT IN PUGNA AD COWPENS XVII. JAN. (_Januarii_) MDCCLx.x.xI.(_Because in vigorously pursuing the enemy with a handful of soldiers he gave a n.o.ble example of innate courage at the battle of the Cowpens, January 17, 1781_).[41],[42]

[Footnote 41: See INTRODUCTION, pages x, xi, xii, xvii, xxiii, xxviii, x.x.xv; B, x.x.xvi; G, xlv; and H, xlvii.]

[Footnote 42: The resolution of Congress voting this medal, and the official report of the battle of the Cowpens, are given under No. 8, page 40.]

WILLIAM AUGUSTINE WAs.h.i.+NGTON, a distant relation of General Was.h.i.+ngton's, was born in Stafford County, Virginia, February 28, 1752. He was educated for the church, but entered the army as captain of infantry, and fought in the battles of Long Island, Trenton, and Princeton. In 1778 he was lieutenant-colonel of dragoons, and served in the South under Generals Lincoln, Greene, and Morgan. He distinguished himself at the victory of the Cowpens, for which he (p. 047) received from Congress a silver medal; was made a prisoner at Eutaw Springs, and remained in captivity in Charleston, South Carolina, till the close of the war, when he settled in that city. He served for some time in the South Carolina Legislature; was appointed on General Was.h.i.+ngton's staff with the rank of brigadier-general, in 1797, and died in Charleston, March 6, 1810.

No. 10. (p. 048) PLATE X.

_January 17, 1781._

Joh. Egar Howard legionis peditum praefecto Comitia Americana.

[Rx]. Quod in nutantem hostium aciem, etc.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JOHN EAGER HOWARD.

[_Victory of the Cowpens._]

JOH. (_Johanni_) EGAR. (_sic_) HOWARD LEGIONIS PEDITUM PRaeFECTO COMITIA AMERICANA. (_The American Congress to John Eager Howard, commander of a regiment of infantry._) Lieutenant-Colonel Howard, on horseback, is in pursuit of a foot-soldier of the enemy who is carrying away a standard. A winged Victory hovers over him, holding in her right hand a crown of laurel, and in her left a palm branch.

DUVIV. (_Duvivier_).

Within a crown of laurel: QUOD IN NUTANTEM HOSTIUM ACIEM SUBITO IRRUENS PRaeCLARUM BELLICae VIRTUTIS SPECIMEN DEDIT IN PUGNA AD COWPENS XVII. JAN. (_Januarii_) MDCCLx.x.xI. (_Because by rus.h.i.+ng suddenly on the wavering lines of the enemy, he gave a brilliant example of martial courage at the battle of the Cowpens, January 17, 1781_).[43],[44]

[Footnote 43: See INTRODUCTION, pages x, xi, xii, xvii, xxiii, xxviii, x.x.xv; B, x.x.xvi; G, xlv; and H, xlvii.]

[Footnote 44: The resolution of Congress voting this medal, and the official report of the battle of the Cowpens, are given under No. 8, page 40.]

JOHN EAGER HOWARD was born in Baltimore County, Maryland, June 4, 1752. On the breaking out of the Revolution he was appointed captain, and took part in the battle of White Plains. He was promoted to the rank of major in 1777, and fought at Germantown and Monmouth. He became lieutenant-colonel of the 5th Maryland regiment of infantry in 1779, and served in the South under Generals Gates, Greene, and Morgan, taking a brilliant part in every engagement. At the victory of the Cowpens he held in his hands at one time the swords of seven (p. 049) British officers who had surrendered to him. For his services in this battle Congress awarded him a silver medal. He was colonel of the 2d Maryland regiment at Eutaw Springs. At the close of the war he retired to Baltimore, and was governor of Maryland, 1789-1792, and United States senator, 1796-1803 When a war with France was expected in 1797, he was selected by General Was.h.i.+ngton for one of his brigadier-generals. He organized the defence of Baltimore in 1814, and died in that city, October 12, 1827.

No. 11. (p. 050) PLATE XI.