Bylandersea America 250: Exploring the Road to Revolution
In the wake of the stunning Patriot victory at Battle of Kings Mountain, the momentum in the Southern Campaign began to shift. But it was at a quiet pastureland in South Carolina—an unassuming place called Cowpens, where that shift became undeniable.
On January 17, 1781, American forces under Daniel Morgan faced the aggressive British commander Banastre Tarleton. What followed was one of the most brilliantly executed tactical victories of the entire Revolutionary War.
Morgan knew his opponent well. Tarleton was bold, fast, and often reckless. Instead of meeting force with force, Morgan designed a clever plan that used terrain, timing, and psychology to outmaneuver the British.
He arranged his troops in three lines. First, sharpshooters. Then militia. Finally, his most reliable Continental soldiers. Each group had a role—and an escape plan. The militia were instructed to fire a few volleys and then retreat, creating the illusion of collapse.
It worked.
Tarleton, believing the Americans were fleeing, charged headlong into the trap. As British troops surged forward, they met disciplined resistance from the Continentals. At the same time, Patriot cavalry under William Washington swept around the flank.
Within an hour, the battle was over.
The result was staggering. The British suffered heavy losses, and Tarleton’s feared legion was effectively destroyed. Even more importantly, Cowpens weakened British control in the South and set the stage for the campaign that would lead to Yorktown.
Visiting Cowpens Today
Today, the Cowpens National Battlefield preserves this pivotal site with a sense of quiet reverence. Unlike larger, more crowded historic parks, Cowpens feels open and contemplative—much like it must have in 1781.
A walking trail loops through the battlefield, marked with interpretive signs that help you follow the action step by step. As you stand in the fields, it’s easy to imagine the unfolding strategy—militia falling back, British advancing, and the sudden turning of the tide.
The visitor center offers exhibits that explain the battle in detail, along with artifacts and a short film that brings the story to life.
For photographers, the soft light of morning or late afternoon adds depth and mood to the rolling landscape. It’s a place where history and atmosphere meet.
Why Cowpens Matters
Cowpens wasn’t just a victory—it was a masterclass in leadership and strategy. Morgan’s tactics are still studied in military academies today.
More importantly, the battle restored confidence to the Patriot cause in the South. Following defeats and uncertainty, Cowpens proved that the Continental Army could outthink and outfight the British.
Together with Kings Mountain, it marked the beginning of the end for British dominance in the region.
A Note for Outlander Fans
Fans of Outlander may find this chapter of the Southern Campaign especially compelling. The series touches on the complexities of loyalty, militia warfare, and frontier battles much like those fought here.
Cowpens offers a real-world glimpse into that turbulent time—where neighbors took sides, and the fate of a nation hung in the balance.
During my visit to southern Spain last spring, I arrived just as Seville was entering one of its most powerful and emotional traditions, Semana Santa. For seven days leading up to Easter, the historic streets transform into a stage for deeply rooted religious rituals that date back centuries. What unfolds is not simply a celebration but a profound cultural expression where faith, art, and community come together.
A Tradition Centuries in the Making
The roots of Seville’s Holy Week stretch back to the 16th century, when the Catholic Church encouraged public displays of devotion during the Counter-Reformation. Religious brotherhoods known as hermandades began organizing solemn processions through the city. Today, more than sixty of these brotherhoods participate, each maintaining traditions passed down through generations.
Their processions begin at neighborhood churches and wind through Seville’s labyrinth of streets toward the magnificent cathedral before returning home, often in the early hours of the morning.
The Processions: Art in Motion
Each procession centers around massive religious floats calledpasos. These elaborate and very heavy platforms (some weigh up to 10,000 pounds) carry life-sized sculptures depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ or images of the Virgin Mary. Many date back hundreds of years and are revered as priceless works of sacred art.
During the day, I joined locals visiting several churches to see the pasos up close. The sculptures are emotionally charged, and the most famous , La Macarena, is sorrowfully beautiful. She is deeply adored and the churched was crowded with admirers wanting a look. It is not uncommon to see grown men moved to tears as they stand in awe.
My biggest surprise came when I learned that dozens of men, known ascostaleros, carry the floats hidden beneath the structure, moving slowly and rhythmically through the streets. They can’t see where they are going and rely on the direction of someone to the side. Their dedication, strength and endurance are remarkable. Some processions last as long as twelve hours.
Leading the way are rows of penitents called nazarenos. Wearing long robes and tall pointed hoods to hide their identity, they carry candles or wooden crosses while walking in silence. Their appearance can surprise first-time visitors. While some Americans may initially associate the pointed hoods with imagery from our own racial history, these garments have a very different origin and meaning in Spain. They symbolize anonymity, humility, and penance before God. Some penitents even walk barefoot for miles.
Music, Silence, and Emotion
One of the most powerful elements of Semana Santa is the contrast between sound and silence. At times, the only noise comes from the soft shuffle of feet and flickering candles. Suddenly, a brass band begins a mournful march that echoes through the narrow streets.
Occasionally, a voice rises from a balcony in a spontaneous saeta, a haunting flamenco-style prayer sung directly to the passing Virgin or Christ figure. The crowd falls completely silent to listen.
These moments create an atmosphere that feels both sacred and deeply human. Though the streets are packed, the crowd remains respectful.
While watching on Palm Sunday, one of the pasos stopped directly in front of me. I watched as the costaleros crawled out from beneath the float while a fresh group moved in, lowering themselves on hands and knees into position. With a sharp command and the pounding of a drum, the structure rose as if lifted by magic, and the procession continued forward. It is a moment I will never forget. I captured part of it in this 30-second video below:
The Most Famous Night: La Madrugá
The peak of Seville’s Holy Week occurs late Thursday night into Good Friday during La Madrugá, meaning “the dawn.” Some of the city’s most revered brotherhoods process through the streets, including the beloved images from the Basílica de la Macarena. (I had left the city by the time, unfortunately.)
Hundreds of thousands of spectators line the streets throughout the night. Candles glow against the dark sky while church bells toll in the distance. For locals, this night represents the spiritual heart of the entire week.
What struck me most was how deeply this tradition remains woven into everyday life in Seville. Families arrive early to claim viewing spots. Children sit on their parents’ shoulders to watch the floats pass. Cafés remain open late as neighbors gather and talk quietly while waiting for the next procession.
Even visitors who are not religious cannot help but be moved by the dedication, artistry, and emotion on display.
Experiencing Semana Santa in Seville is not simply watching an event. It is stepping into a centuries-old story that continues to unfold each spring.
Long after I left Seville, the sound of distant drums and swaying floats stayed with me.
Don’t Miss Seville’s Treasures
If you visit Seville, be sure to tour the immense Seville Cathedral and admire its golden altarpiece, then climb the Giralda tower for panoramic views across the city. Just steps away, the Royal Alcázar invites you into a world of intricate Moorish design and tranquil gardens. Leave time to wander the narrow lanes of the Santa Cruz quarter, where Seville’s history and charm come alive around every corner.
By Debi Lander Bylandersea.com | Bylandersea America 250
This article is part of my ongoing Bylandersea America 250 series, exploring the Road to Revolution as we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary.
A Southern City of Grace and a Forgotten Battlefield
Savannah is easy to love.
Spanish moss drapes from live oaks like soft gray lace. Sunlight filters through cathedral canopies of green. Brick paths lead past wrought-iron balconies and pastel townhouses that seem untouched by time.
But history is rarely as gentle as the light.
In 1779, these serene squares filled with smoke. Cannon fire echoed between orderly streets. French and American soldiers charged across open ground while British defenses thundered back.
Savannah was not always graceful. It was once a battlefield.
After the stalemate at the Battle of Monmouth (read my previous post here) in 1778, the British shifted their focus south. Convinced that Loyalist support would secure victory, they targeted Georgia first. In December 1778, British forces captured Savannah with stunning speed.
The war had moved to the Deep South.
Within a year, Savannah would become the site of one of the bloodiest and most significant assaults of the Revolutionary War.
In October 1779, American forces under General Benjamin Lincoln joined French troops commanded by Admiral d’Estaing to retake the city. This was one of the earliest major Franco-American operations after France formally allied with the United States in 1778.
It was ambitious. It was bold. It failed.
Instead of continuing a slow siege, allied leaders chose a direct frontal assault on British defenses at Spring Hill redoubt. In less than an hour, nearly 1,000 allied troops were killed or wounded.
Among the fallen was Casimir Pulaski, the Polish nobleman who helped organize the Continental cavalry. He later died from wounds received in the attack. Today, Savannah honors him with a monument in Monterey Square and another pictured below in Washington, DC.
Statue of Casimir Pulaski in Washington, DC.
Savannah would remain in British hands until 1782.
But something larger had happened here.
The Revolution was no longer simply a colonial rebellion. It was now international.
French ships and soldiers had crossed the Atlantic. Caribbean bases supported the effort. European rivalries now shaped American battlefields. Savannah marked the widening of the war.
Why Savannah Matters in the America 250 Story
The army that had endured the winter at Valley Forge was now fighting far from its northern strongholds.
Savannah represents three major turning points:
The beginning of the British Southern Strategy
One of the first large-scale Franco-American military collaborations
Proof that early alliance efforts did not guarantee success
The defeat here stung. Charleston would fall the following year in an even greater disaster. British confidence surged.
Yet the Southern campaign that began in Savannah would eventually exhaust British forces and push them toward Yorktown.
Failure did not end the Revolution. It hardened it.
Walking Revolutionary Savannah Today
Savannah does not preserve its battlefield in the dramatic way that Saratoga or Yorktown does. The Spring Hill redoubt area is largely absorbed into modern neighborhoods, marked by plaques rather than open fields.
Savannah requires imagination.
Stand in Monterey Square beneath Pulaski’s monument.
Savannah does not shout its Revolutionary history. It whispers.
What to See in Revolutionary Savannah
Savannah today is a layered city where several eras of American history exist side by side. Walking through the historic district, visitors encounter a blend of colonial foundations, elegant antebellum homes from the Civil War era, Victorian architecture from the late nineteenth century, and carefully preserved buildings that continue to serve modern life. The city’s famous squares, laid out in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe, still organize the streets beneath sweeping live oaks draped with Spanish moss. Around them stand churches, townhouses, monuments, and museums that tell the story of a city shaped by colonial ambition, Revolutionary struggle, Civil War survival, and ongoing renewal.
To understand Savannah fully, it helps to begin with its Revolutionary past. The sites connected to that era reveal how the city and its people played a role in the fight for American independence.
Spring Hill Redoubt Site
Historical markers identify the area where the 1779 assault occurred.
The marker reads, “Upon this spot stood the Spring Hill Redoubt. Here on October 9, 1779 one of the bloodiest engagements of the Revolution was fought when repeated assaults were made by the allied troops of Georgia, South Carolina and France in an effort to retake Savannah from the British.” (Ponder the fact that 1,000 soliders lost their lives there.)
Monterey Square
Home to the Pulaski Monument honoring the fallen cavalry officer.
Colonial Park Cemetery
Established in 1750 and containing graves from the Revolutionary period.
Savannah History Museum
The Savannah History Museum includes excellent exhibits on the Revolutionary era and the Southern Campaign.
Photo provided by the Coastal Heritage Society.
Fort Pulaski National Monument
The Fort Pulaski National Monument, maintained by the US National Park Service, is located outside the city on Cockspur Island. Though best known for its Civil War history, it honors Pulaski’s name and offers sweeping coastal views.
Travel Planning Tips
Best time to visit: March through May for blooming azaleas and comfortable temperatures. October is also lovely for photography. Warning: The summer is HOT and humid.
How long to stay: Two to three days allows time for history, architecture, and unhurried wandering.
Savannah layers its stories. Colonial. Revolutionary. Civil War. Gilded Age.
I highly recommend reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt or at least watch the movie with the same title, before visiting Savannah. You will learn about the city’s culture and history through a fabulously interesting story, and it will make Savannah come alive. Be sure to visit the Mercer Williams house, Forsyth Fountain, Bonaventure Cemetery, and dine at Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House.
Do not rush Savannah. Linger in the seductive city.
