Overview and Summary of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse
Following the American victory at the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781 both General Daniel Morgan and General Nathanael Greene retreated to Virginia. General Cornwallis made a desperate attempt to capture the Americans, but Nathanael Greene and Daniel Morgan joined forces and marched diagonally across North Carolina. Cornwallis followed so closely that frequently the two armies appeared to be marching together. However when Nathanael Greene reached the river Dan the marching came to a halt as Greene ordered all of the boats on the River Dan to be collected at one spot. His men crossed and kept the boats on their side of the river. The Americans crossed the river to North Carolina and took up a very strong position near Guilford Court House. Cornwallis attacked the Americans who defended gallantly before Nathanael Greene ordered a retreat. The British, under the command of Lord Cornwallis, won the Battle of Guilford Courthouse but their loss was so great that another victory of the same kind would have destroyed the British army. The casualties that Cornwallis took at the Battle Guilford Courthouse were the final straw in a series of setbacks. Lord Cornwallis abandoned the Carolinas and marched for Virginia.

The Importance and Significance of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse
Significance of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse: The significance of the conflict was that the British sustained heavy casualties and Cornwallis abandoned the Carolinas and marched for Virginia.