Who Won?

Who Won?. Battle of Eutaw Springs. , Unable to dislodge the , British from the brick house and after more than four desperate hours of continuous fighting, Major General Nathanael Greene decided to withdraw his thirsty, sun-beaten, and battered troops. He collected his wounded and marched his depleted forces back toward Burdell’s Tavern, leaving a strong guard to oppose a possible British advance. Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart’s surviving troops retreated toward Charleston the following day, leaving 70 of the most seriously wounded behind and many of the dead unburied. The British commander destroyed supplies, including 1,000 muskets, to keep them out of Patriot hands. As his army headed toward the coast, his rear guard was threatened by Patriot fire. Stewart listed 84 dead, 351 wounded, and 406 missing. Greene informed Congress that he had 139 killed, 375 wounded, and 8 missing. But who won the battle? Stewart's letter to Lieutenant General Charles, Lord Cornwallis on September 11, 1781, states, "… I was attacked by the rebel General Greene, with all the force he could collect … and after an obstinate engagement … I totally defeated him ...." Greene's letter to General George Washington on September 17, reports, "By far the most obstinate fight I ever saw. Victory was ours....", Historians suggest that while the British could claim victory on tactical grounds, the Patriots could boast a strategic win. They forced the British back toward Charleston, and the British were unable to mount a significant offensive operation from there for the rest of the war. The Battle of Eutaw Springs broke Britain's hold on the Backcountry. British troops lingered in the Lowcountry for 15 more months before heading back across the Atlantic. Congress later awarded Greene a Congressional Gold Medal for "a most signal victory" on this ground., [Captions:] , The British Retreat , Under the watch of the Patriot dragoons, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart's troops retreated toward Charleston in the direction of the modern road that leads there today. Driven to the coast, the British never again threatened the South Carolina countryside. The following year, they evacuated Charleston and sailed back across the Atlantic., A Rare Honor , Only seven Revolutionary War heroes received the ultimate award for their service, a gold medal awarded by Congress. Patriot Major General Nathanael Greene's was presented "for his wise, decisive and magnanimous conduct" at Eutaw Springs. Approved by the Continental Congress on October 29, 1781.