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Welcome to the audio-described version of Guilford Courthouse National Military Park's official print brochure. The brochure explores the history of the park, some of its highlights, and features a self-guided tour map. This audio version lasts 37 minutes, 48 seconds.
This brochure delves into the rich history of Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, including significant events, notable figures, and visitor activities.
The front side of the brochure introduces the pivotal historical events of the park, complemented by period illustrations that transport the reader to the 18th century.
The sections for the back cover provide a step-by-step walkthrough of the park, punctuated with modern-day images of key tour stops, ensuring a well-rounded visitor experience.
TEXT: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
2332 New Garden Road
Greensboro, NC 27410
336-288-1776
www.nps.gov/guco
National Park Foundation
Join the park community
www.nationalparks.org
✩GPO:2023—423-201/83005 Last updated 2019 Printed on recycled paper.
DESCRIBING: A black band that contains text and a color image.
SYNOPSIS: The official brochure for Guilford Courthouse National Military Park features a distinctive black band at the top, a standard branding element of the National Park Service. This one-inch-high solid black bar contains three groups of white text in varying sizes. On the left, the largest text reads Guilford Courthouse, occupying approximately half the height of the band. Moving toward the right, two columns of smaller, stacked text provide additional details. The first column states, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, North Carolina, while the second, positioned further to the right, reads, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. In the right corner of the black band, a small green and brown National Park Service arrowhead logo is displayed, measuring about half the height of the band. These design elements establish the brochure as an official publication of the National Park Service.
Describing: The front of the brochure is divided into thirds. This side is mainly text about the campaign and battle of Guilford Courthouse.
Synopses: The top third has the black Park Service banner. Under the banner is a partially completed watercolor painting depicting the Continental Light Dragoons dressed in white jackets, charging on horseback against a line of British infantry in red coats with muskets and bayonets pointed at the horsemen.
The lower two thirds of the brochure are predominantly text describing the campaign and battle of Guilford Courthouse. In the bottom third, there are portraits of British army commander Charles Cornwallis and of American army commander Nathanael Greene in uniform. Along the right side, there is a color sketch of an American continental soldier from the first Maryland regiment, actively ramming a cartridge into his musket. Beside the soldier is an historic map of the battlefield created by a British engineer the day after the battle.
DESCRIBING: A large horizontal detailed watercolor painting by Don Troiani.
SYNOPSIS: This vivid battle scene captures Continental Dragoons under William Washington charging into British infantry during the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. The cavalry, positioned on the right side, wear leather helmets with horsehair crests and waving sabers as they surge forward. A soldier on a brown horse leads the charge, his saber raised, while two other dragoons on rearing horses approach the British line. On the left, red-coated soldiers of the 2nd Guards Battalion, wearing traditional cocked hats, stand firm with their Brown Bess muskets and fixed bayonets. A massive torn British flag is held aloft by a soldier, fluttering amid the chaos of battle. The wooded battlefield forms the dramatic backdrop, heightening the intensity of this pivotal Revolutionary War clash.
IN-DEPTH DESCRIPTION:
The painting depicts a moment of high drama as the Continental Dragoons, mounted on horses, charge the British line. The cavalrymen, clad in dark blue coats with leather dragoon helmets topped with flowing horsehair crests, wield sabers as they bear down on the red-coated infantry. Leading the charge is a soldier on a brown horse, his saber lifted in a decisive strike. Nearby, another dragoon atop a brown-and-white horse rears up, adding to the energy and movement of the scene.
The British infantry stand in disciplined formation, their bayonets glinting as they brace for impact. Dressed in scarlet coats and wearing their iconic black cocked hats, they hold their Brown Bess muskets, prepared to resist the cavalry assault. At the far left, a soldier clutches a massive British flag, it is fabric torn and battle-worn, symbolizing the fierce struggle taking place.
The setting is a dense woodland, providing a dramatic contrast to the bright uniforms and flashing weapons. The trees reflect the rugged conditions of the battlefield near Guilford Courthouse. Troiani’s masterful attention to historical accuracy and movement captures the intensity and danger of cavalry combat during the Revolutionary War, immersing the viewer in a moment of heroic action.
CAPTION: American cavalry slash into British infantry at the American third line.
CREDIT: NPS/DON TROIANI
RELATED TEXT: The morning of March 15, 1781, was clear and cold. A light frost had disappeared under the first rays of the Sun, but the ground underfoot was still spongy from winter rains and snows. In the damp woods west of Guilford Courthouse, hub of an isolated little farming community on the main road through North Carolina, some 4,400 American troops, in all kinds of uniforms and country clothes, waited for battle.
It was a long, suspenseful morning. About 12:30 the enemy—some of the best regiments of His Majesty George III—in campaign-worn, faded columns of crimson, blue, and green, marched into sight where the road from Salisbury emerged from woods into a clearing. When the Americans opened fire on them from two cannons astride the road, an engagement opened that lasted over two hours—and greatly hastened the end of the war. The generals who brought it to pass were well-matched. Both were energetic, talented, and experienced. But the one who chose the ground lost the day—and the one who kept the field lost the war.
Nathanael Greene, commanding general of the Continental Army’s Southern Department, chose the ground. He was an ironmaster by trade, self-taught in the art of war. His opponent, Charles, Earl Cornwallis, now coolly deploying his troops, was a scion of English nobility, a professional soldier and every inch an aristocrat.
A basic shift in England’s strategy for suppressing the American rebellion had brought both men from commands in the northern colonies to this field. By 1778 it was apparent to the British high command that the war was stalemated. The rebellion was continuing and even growing, and the rebels had made an alliance with France. In a complete turnabout of military policy, the British ordered the Army to break off the war in the North and throw its full force into a campaign to retake the South. Such a campaign had been tried in 1776 and failed. But, by late 1780, both Georgia and South Carolina were in British hands, and Cornwallis was ready to drive north- ward through the Carolinas into Virginia. He was set back in October when backwoods militia wiped out his left wing at Kings Mountain. He fell back temporarily to a base at Winnsboro, but by the time Greene arrived in Charlotte, N.C., in December to take over what was left of the American forces in the South, Cornwallis was poised to resume his thrust northward.
Greene was too weak to come to grips with Cornwallis. Hoping to cause his adversary to scatter his superior strength, so he could secure an undisturbed encampment and time to find recruits and subsistence, Greene split his small army. He moved its main body southeast to Cheraw, S.C., on Cornwallis’s right flank and sent Gen. Daniel Morgan with 600 men westward to threaten his enemy’s left. Greene’s risky stratagem succeeded. Cornwallis di- vided his force into three parts. One he positioned at Camden to watch Greene. Another, under Banastre Tarlton, he sent to attack Morgan. He himself resumed his original course toward North Carolina. It was January 24, 1781, when Greene learned that Morgan had chopped up Tarleton’s troops on January 17 at the Cowpens in western South Carolina. Recognizing that Cornwallis would try not only to destroy Morgan but to place himself in position to prevent the Americans from being reinforced, Greene ordered all his forces to join at Guilford Courthouse for a general withdrawal into Virginia where he expected to acquire fresh troops.
Through rain and snow Greene led his foe on a bewildering chase. Cornwallis burned most of his baggage to speed his pursuit, but after three torturous weeks, he found Greene safely beyond the swollen Dan River in possession of all his boats and he himself worn down, hungry, and
ill-equipped, 230 miles from his base at Winnsboro. Disconsolately he turned back to Hillsborough, N.C., hoping to raise reinforcements among the loyalists of the region. A few days later, reinforced by Virginia militia, Greene recrossed the Dan. For three more weeks, the armies sparred, seldom over 20 miles apart, their detachments skirmishing regularly. Cornwallis hungered for a general action, but Greene, anticipating additional forces, bided his time. By March 14, with the arrival of new troops, he was ready to attack.
Greene spent an uneasy night worrying that rain might fall and render his muskets useless or that Cornwallis (camped on Deep River 12 miles away) might attack in the night and demoralize his militia. But when the morning of the 15th dawned quiet and clear, Greene, learning of the British approach, laid down his lines of battle.
The courthouse at Guilford stood in a clearing by the Great Salisbury Wagon Road (New Garden Road). From it the road sloped westward through woodlands of oak and other hardwoods to Little Horsepen Creek, a mile away. Beyond the creek it disappeared in dense timber. On the near side of the creek, on both sides of the road, lay cornfields a quarter-mile deep, their upper boundaries marked by a zig-zag rail fence. Cornwallis would have to come east on the road to the creek and up through the fields. Behind the fence, backed against the woods, Greene placed the center of a half-mile-wide line of North Carolina militia with skilled rifle companies, Delaware regulars, and cavalry on its wings. In the road he placed two 6-pounders. To the rear of this line, on a slight knoll within the woods, he formed a second line of Virginia militia. About 500 yards behind this line, on an open hill in front of the courthouse, he placed his crack troops, Continentals from Virginia and Maryland, in a large V, with his two remaining field pieces in the center.
CAPTION: This map, sketched shortly after the battle by a British engineer, was submitted with Cornwallis’ reports to his commander, Sir Henry Clinton. It clearly shows Greene’s advantages of terrain and position. Although knowing little about his foe’s numbers or deployment, Cornwallis nevertheless chose to attack.
CREDIT: William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan
RELATED TEXT: The Sun had begun to slant westward when the British advanced from the woods and approached the creek. The fieldpieces in Greene’s front line opened fire. For 30 minutes the British answered with their guns. Then, according to plan, Greene’s artillerists galloped their guns to the rear. By then the enemy ranks were moving forward. Drums snapping, bagpipes skirling, bayonets glinting, they came at a measured pace across the cornfields toward the rail fence on which a thousand American guns rested. When they were 150 yards from the fence, the militia opened its first crashing round of fire. The British line, with great holes torn in it, staggered but re-formed and continued uphill, stepping over its dead. At musket range, the redcoats delivered a volley, gave a huzza, and rushed at the North Carolinians with leveled bayonets. The Carolinians had been told they might fall back after delivering two rounds and leave the engagement to the second and third lines. Some of the militia got off another round, but many broke and fled, flinging away their weapons. The American flanks held longer, and, as Cornwallis threw regiments against them, separate combats drifted far into the woods.
With the American flanks driven aside, the re-formed British ranks strode into the woods to engage Greene’s second line. In the heavy underbrush, their files were broken, their bayonets of little use in the tangled surroundings. Fighting savagely, the redcoats drove through to Greene’s last line. There, in cleared fields, the action swayed back and forth, and there, for the first time that afternoon, Greene’s cavalry came slashing into the fight. Until now Cornwallis had had the best of it, but suddenly he saw he was checked and in danger of defeat. Attacked from the front and flank by infantry and cavalry, he directed his artillery to fire grapeshot into the American horsemen. This was a difficult decision, knowing that some of his best troops would be trapped in the indiscriminate fire. His cannon fire did its work: the American cavalry charge was checked, the infantry driven back. Then more British units poured from the woods and there was fighting close in. Greene had lost his fieldpieces to the enemy when he got word British infantrymen were working around to his rear. By now he could see that the tide was turning against him. He ordered his regiments to disengage. They withdrew “leisurely” from the smoky field, covered by a skillful rearguard.
As the afternoon turned sharply cold and a storm moved in, Greene marched toward an old camp 15 miles away.
Chilled to the bone, hungry, and exhausted, Greene reviewed the events of the day with conflicting emotions. He was disgusted by the panic of the Carolinians but proud of the way his army as a whole had stood against the disciplined British veterans. He was pleased that his regulars had not run and that Cornwallis had not dared a close pursuit. But as contests at arms are measured, no matter how savagely his army had fought, he knew he had suffered a defeat.
In camp he discovered that he had been more successful than he had dared hope. His losses were relatively light, while those of Cornwallis were overwhelming. This view was confirmed when, a few days later, Cornwallis began a painful retreat toward Wilmington on the North Carolina coast.
Greene shadowed him for a short time before making the crucial decision to move southward and reconquer South Carolina and Georgia. Cornwallis did not follow him. Instead, still obsessed that a conquest of Virginia would assure the fall of all the States to the south, he convinced himself that his garrisons strung across South Carolina could handle the wily Rhode Islander. In April he obstinately set out again for Virginia. He hoped that Greene would be drawn after him. Aware that American troops were assembling in Virginia, Greene left it to them to confront Cornwallis.
These two decisions—Greene’s for South Carolina and Cornwallis’s for Virginia—set the stage for the final collapse of British power in the South. Greene, using hard- hitting local partisans, brilliantly regained South Carolina in the ensuing months. Cornwallis, committed to an un- sound operation, fought through a hapless summer that ended with his surrender at Yorktown, October 19, 1781—seven months after his “victory” at Guilford. Although the war technically dragged on until 1783, its outcome was settled when Nathanael Greene’s great adversary in the Carolinas surrendered in Virginia.
Describing: oval portrait of Nathaniel Greene painted shortly after the war in 1783
Synopses: Major General Nathanael Greene is a heavyset Caucasian man in his late 30s. Depicted from the chest up, his long-powdered hair is pulled back at the sides, however the hair on top of his head is cut short and combed forward, laying at the crest of his forehead.
He is dressed in a dark blue coat with light brown-colored lapels. On his shoulders are dull gold epaulettes with two silver-colored stars embroidered in them to signify his rank as a major general. His coat has gold buttons and is open showing a light brown-colored vest inside that is unbuttoned at the top three buttons, allowing some of his white shirt to show.
His neck is wrapped in a white neckerchief. His double chin rests on his neckerchief.
His face looks directly at the viewer with confidence. His nose is slightly pointed, and his full lips are curved slightly upwards.
CAPTION: Nathanael Greene, a Rhode Island Quaker, proved himself an able, aggressive, and cunning soldier. He was robust and commanding in appearance, though he walked with a tiring limp, struggled against asthma, and suffered from a recurrent eye infection due to a smallpox
inoculation when a youth. He was 38 in the fall of 1780 when George Washington handpicked him for command in the South.
CREDIT: PORTRAIT BY CHARLES WILLSON PEALE, 1783. INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
DESCRIBING:
Oval portrait of Charles, Earl Cornwallis painted shortly after the war in 1783.
Synopses: Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis is a Caucasian man in his early 40s. Depicted from the chest up, his long-powdered hair is pulled back with curls just above his ears. A thin braid with a dark-colored ribbon barely shows over his left shoulder.
He is dressed in a red coat with blue lapels that feature ornamental gold braiding. Just sticking out the top of his coat are white frills from his shirt and his neck is wrapped in a black neckerchief.
His face has a calm contemplative look. His long thin nose is round on the end and his lips are thin.
CAPTION: Charles, Earl Cornwallis, short, heavyset, and also afflicted with a bad eye, was 42 in the spring of 1781. Though sympathetic with American political thought, he loyally volunteered for service in America in 1775 and fought with distinction in the North. Adept at politics, he was able by 1781 to ignore his commander in chief’s wishes and propose to London war plans of his own. His soldiers saw him as brave, just, and compassionate.
CREDIT: PORTRAIT BY THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH, 1783. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, LONDON
A detailed, full-color illustration of a 1st Maryland Regiment soldier stands prominently against a historical text background. The soldier is depicted in a confident stance, holding a long musket with a bayonet attached to the gun’s barrel at a diagonal angle across his body. His right hand grips the ramrod near the top and his left hand rests on the barrel.
He is dressed in a Continental Army uniform, which consists of a dark blue coat with red lapels and cuffs, adorned with gold buttons in a double-breasted design. Underneath, he wears a white waist-coat and beige-colored gaitered trousers, which are tucked into knee-high leather boots covered in dark brown. A black tricorn hat with a white trim sits atop his head, casting a shadow over his face, which has a strong, determined expression.
A cross-body leather strap secures his cartridge box resting on his right hip and canteen and bayonet scabbard, which hang at his left side. His musket, a standard-issue flintlock firearm of the era, is equipped with a fixed bayonet, emphasizing the soldier's readiness for close combat.
The background of the image consists of faded historical text and illustrations, providing additional context about the 1st Maryland Regiment's role in the Revolutionary War. The soldier’s bold stance and well-maintained uniform, including the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
The soldier in the image appears focused and resolute, with a slight intensity to his gaze that suggests determination. His expression is somewhat stern, with his head slightly tilted up, typical of a portrayal meant to emphasize leadership and resolve during battle.
CAPTION: The 1st Marylanders were some of the best troops in the Continental Army. They were tough, disciplined, and led by good officers. This private soldier loading his musket wears regimental dress.
Illustrations: NPS / Don TroianiAn image of a map, sketched shortly after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, sits just to the right of the First Marylander illustration. The map is an aerial view of the battlefield and includes significant roads, topographical features, and troop formations represented by red and yellow lines.
Large burgundy text in the top right corner reads, Battle of Guilford, and underneath it, Fought on the 15 of March 1781. Under the title is a map scale showing the map's equivalent to One British Mile. Finally, a key indicates that red lines represent the British and yellow lines represent the Americans.
A simple compass in the bottom right indicates that the top left of the map is north.
There are three roads depicted on the map. The main road, New Garden Road, runs vertically through the center of the map. Another, labeled Road from Reedy Fork, runs horizontally, intersecting with New Garden Road from the left about two-thirds up the map. Next to the intersection, the Court House is labeled. The final road is unnamed and runs diagonally from the bottom center to the top right of the map.
The topographical features of the map include farmland in the first third, dense woods in the second third, and a mixture of lightly wooded areas and open fields in the final third.
Six lines of British troops enter the map via New Garden Road, representing the British's march to the farmland at the start of the battlefield. The British forces form at the edge of the farmland to arrange themselves before their descent on the battlefield.
The first American line is positioned on the edge of the woods. New Garden Road divides the line in half.
After breaking through the American first line, British troops descended on the American second line located at the center of the map within the dense woods.
The final line of battle is located just before the Road from Reedy Fork, with a minor confrontation occurring near the unnamed road.
After withdrawing from the final scene, American lines retreat via the woods and the Road from Reedy Fork.
CAPTION: This map, sketched shortly after the battle by a British engineer, was submitted with Cornwallis’ reports to his commander, Sir Henry Clinton. It clearly shows Greene’s advantages of terrain and position. Although knowing little about his foe’s numbers or deployment, Cornwallis nevertheless chose to attack.
CREDIT: WILLIAM L. CLEMENTS LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
This brochure page for Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is densely packed with historical information, images, and a detailed map to help visitors explore the battlefield.
At the top left, a section titled "Touring the Battlefield" guides visitors through a self-guided driving and biking tour, explaining key battle events. The text details various locations along the route, including the American First Line, Fragmented Attack, and the British Advance, providing historical context about troop movements and battle tactics during the Revolutionary War.
Scattered throughout the page are several images of historical artifacts and statues:
"Nathanael Greene, appointed by Congress to the command of the Southern Army, born in Rhode Island, died in Georgia."
Below the title and images, there is a large color-coded map of the battlefield park, showing roads, trails, and significant sites. The American and British troop positions are marked in red and blue, with a clear route for visitors to follow.
On the right side, a "Planning Your Visit" section provides visitor information, including park hours, contact details, and accessibility features.
Throughout the page, text in different sections narrates the strategic significance of the battle, efforts in battlefield preservation, and the legacy of key figures involved in the fight for independence.
This brochure blends visuals, historical context, and practical information to help visitors experience the battlefield through walking, biking, or driving tours.
TEXT: We strive to make our facilities, services, and programs accessible to all. For information, check at the visitor center, call, or visit our website.
DESCRIBING: A vertical color photograph.
SYNOPSIS: The photograph features the 18-foot tall Signer's Monument, marking the graves of William Hooper and John Penn. The monument, surrounded by lush green trees, faces north.
IN-DEPTH DESCRIPTION: A life-sized bronze statue of William Hooper stands atop a 6 tiered rectangular rough white granite pedestal. The man raises his right hand, palm upwards, while his left arm rests by his side. He is dressed in a full suit with a waist-coat and a great coat, and his hair is neatly pulled back. On the pedestal's center, a bronze plaque contains illegible text.
CAPTION: This monument marks the graves of William Hooper and John Penn, signers of the Declaration of Independence. Hooper headed North Carolina’s delegation to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1777. Penn served in Congress from 1775 to 1780 and later on North Carolina’s Board of War, which helped supply the state’s militia.
CREDIT: NPS/William A. Bake
DESCRIBING: A bronze statue of Kerrenhappuch Turner stands depicted from the waist up, with trees directly behind the statue.
IN-DEPTH DESCRIPTION: The statue is a dark bronze depiction of a woman in 18th century clothing. She has wavy hair that sticks out from under a bonnet, and her face has an optimistic and caring look, with otherwise generic facial features, and a long nose. Over her shoulders is a shawl tied in front and the sides lie across her chest and stomach. The edges of the shawl are wavy lace. A belt at her waist cinches the dress tightly to her body.
Her left arm is at her side, cocked at the elbow with the forearm sticking out straight ahead. The left hand is turned palm up, and she gently holds a saucer and teacup at the tips of her fingers and thumb. The cup has a bright and shiny bronze finish to it. Her right arm is at her side, and the forearm is slightly raised against her lower stomach. Poised in the right hand is a teaspoon. Behind the statue is a background of light-green leafy trees with streams of light filtering through the trees.
CAPTION: Turner Monument honors Kerrenhappuch Norman Turner. One of her sons was badly wounded in the battle, and she is said to have ridden on horseback from her home in Maryland to Guilford Courthouse to nurse him back to health. The statue shows her holding a cup and towel, her tools of healing.
CREDIT: NPS
IN-DEPTH DESCRIPTION: curved, tapered powder horn made from an animal horn is displayed against a light beige background. The horn is smooth and polished, with a natural gradient of colors transitioning from a dark brown tip to a golden-hued base. The wider end of the horn is capped with a wooden plug, which is securely fastened, possibly with small nails or pegs. The narrow end tapers to a small spout, designed for pouring gunpowder, and appears to have a removable stopper.
The horn’s surface exhibits natural textures and patterns, giving it a slightly marbled or streaked appearance. It has a gentle curve, characteristic of traditional powder horns used in the 18th and 19th centuries for storing and carrying gunpowder. This type of horn was commonly used by soldiers, frontiersmen, and hunters to keep their gunpowder dry and easily accessible for flintlock firearms.
There is a small text labeled NPS near the base, indicating that this artifact is part of the National Park Service's collection. The image presents the horn with a clean, neutral backdrop, emphasizing its historical craftsmanship and utility.
CAPTION: Powder horn used by a Virginia militiaman in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
CREDIT: NPS
DESCRIBING: A colored map depicting an aerial view of land and water. The area of is approximately 1 mile by 1.25 miles.
SYNOPSIS: The map shows the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park and adjacent park land, including eight numbered features of visitor interest. Those features are along a self-guided tour route indicated with a red line. The features are further explained in the next section. Four battle lines of historical significance are shown with dashed blue lines. Additional features include buildings, parking areas, monuments, and trails.
IN-DEPTH DESCRIPTION:
The map is structured around the historic battlefield of Guilford Courthouse, showcasing significant battle moments and locations. The British forces' movement is marked in blue dashed lines, showing their approach against three American defensive lines. The American First Line, near the western edge, marks the start of the engagement. As the battle progressed, fighting intensified at the Second Line, with more sustained combat. The final major confrontation occurred at the Guilford Courthouse and Third Line, toward the park’s eastern section.
The eight features on the self-guided tour path, shown in red, are in numerical order in an irregular oval pattern starting at the Visitor Center and moving west and returning east near the Schenck Monument. The American First line is the first of these features.
The Visitor Center, marked near the American First Line, serves as the beginning of an auto and bicycle self-guided tour. The map includes foot trails, off-road bicycles, and walking trails, providing routes to monuments such as the Greene Monument, which honors General Nathanael Greene, the American commander.
Additional map elements include:
Hopkins Farmstead Site which is a quarter mile west of the American First Line. This location also marks where Cornwallis formed his troops into a line of battle.
Forest Lawn Cemetery, south of the battlefield.
Greensboro Country Park, southeast of the battlefield. A blue line is shown where The Last shots of separate action took place. A smaller, isolated confrontation where units engaged in last defensive actions.
A legend in the bottom left corner explains the meaning of different symbols, including historic roadways, walking trails, and bicycle paths. There is also a warning that relic collecting or metal detecting within the park is prohibited.
CREDIT: NPS
RELATED TEXT: Follow the self-guiding auto/bicycle tour road shown on the map below. Walk to Stop 1 near the visitor center, then drive or bike the 2¼-mile road around the park. Allow about an hour for the tour. Foot/bicycle trails at stops lead to features you would otherwise miss.
Be Careful Use caution driving the tour road. Watch for bicycles, and cross carefully at intersections of Old Battleground Road.
1.) American First Line On each side of New Garden Road, about 150 yards away, over 1,000 North Carolina militiamen divided into two brigades. They held positions overlooking three muddy farm fields. Greene knew these untested citizen- soldiers were no match for veteran red-coats, but he hoped they would fire a few shots and at least slow the British attack. But when the British rushed forward after taking the first American fire, part of Eaton’s brigade on the right side of the road fled, beginning a panic that quickly spread down the line.
2.) Fragmented Attack As the rest of the first line dissolved into the woods behind, some of the North Carolinians in Butler’s brigade on the American left joined the forces of Lighthorse Harry Lee and William Campbell. These units withdrew to the southeast, taking two of Cornwallis’ regiments with them.
3.) Sustained Firefight Two brigades of Virginia militia waited in the forest behind the first line. Gen. Edward Stevens, south of the road, and Gen. Robert Lawson, holding the line north of the road, kept up a long fight in the woods until the British broke through to the third line. A foot trail leads to the Greene Monument along the line that Stevens’ Virginians defended.
4.) Expanding Battle The monument to Maj. Joseph Winston honors those Surry County riflemen who fought stubbornly under Lee and Campbell on the American left. As Tarleton’s cavalry ended this separate fight far to the southeast, Richard Taliaferro, one of Winston’s men, was shot; he may have been the last American soldier killed in the battle. Winston and a fellow soldier, Jesse Franklin, later governor of North Carolina, are buried nearby.
5.) Battlefield Preservation In 1887 David Schenck and the Guilford Battle Ground Company began preserving the Guilford Courthouse battlefield. Using information then available, they built memorials and marked battlefield locations. Since then, newer information has been used to correct battlefield locations and enhance historical interpretation. The 1909 monument to the American cavalry honors the services of Peter Francisco, William Washington, and the Marquis de Bretigny, a French volunteer fighting for American independence.
6.) Guilford Courthouse and the Third Line The battle took its name from the first county courthouse built in 1775 near the Great Salisbury Wagon Road (New Garden Road). President George Washington visited here in 1791. The community began its decline in 1808 when the county seat was moved six miles south. Nothing remains of either the small wooden building standing here in 1781 or the town that was later named Martinville. The trail leads to the hillside position held by the southern flank of Greene’s Continentals. British units, farther north, were the first to assault this line. In the low ground in front of this position, part of connected fields that half-circled this area in 1781, British Guards and grenadiers clashed with the veteran 1st Maryland and William Washington’s cavalry. On the opposite side, Cornwallis’ order to his artillery to fire into the American horsemen stopped them but inflicted casualties on his own Guards.
7.) The British Soldier Frequent fire- fights in the woods and gullies slowed the British army as it fought toward the American Third Line. Trails take you to many monuments; one honors a British officer killed in the Third Line fighting. Other trails lead to New Garden Road and the American Third Line.
8.) Greene Monument This trail leads to the Greene Monument, the most impressive in the park. Historic New Garden Road, the axis of the battle, divided the Virginia militia that held the woods on the American Second Line. On this side of the road British Gen. James Webster’s infantry struck Gen. Robert Lawson’s brigade, breaking through after turning its northern flank.
Colonial Heritage Center This site on New Garden Road preserves part of the Joseph Hoskins farmstead, where Cornwallis’ troops formed for battle. Hoskins had left
Pennsylvania after his farm suffered damages during the Philadelphia campaign. Exhibits in the Colonial Heritage Center and historic buildings depict life before, during, and after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
DESCRIBING: A color illustration of an infantry signal drum used during the Revolutionary War.
SYNOPSIS: The drum has dark wood frames around its top and bottom, holding light tan drumheads. Ropes, threaded through the frames, secure these heads tightly. Leather pieces ensure a snug fit. The body of the drum features intricate, historically significant illustrations.
IN-DEPTH DESCRIPTION: The central illustration is egg-shaped and shows a face with a haughty expression. Tips of spontoons and bayonets jut out from behind the face. Flags flank the egg, with the left showing a white French flag with a pattern of gold fleur-de-lis. On the right is the unique Guilford Militia Flag, an American flag design featuring thirteen horizontal red and blue stripes, with a white field showcasing blue eight-pointed stars in the upper left. Cannon barrels extend horizontally from behind the egg. Along the bottom of this illustration, two smaller drums are shown, accompanied by a chain shot (two cannon balls connected by a chain) and a pyramid stack of cannon balls.
CAPTION: Drums conveyed orders and signals to the infantry. Luther W. Clark carried this drum in the battle; it was donated to the park by the local Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). You can see artifacts from the battle and the war at the visitor center.
CREDIT: NPS
TEXT: Planning Your Visit
Getting Here: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is six miles north of downtown Greensboro, NC, off US 220 on New Garden Road.
When to Visit: It is open seven days a week. This schedule can change; check the park website or call for updates. Closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1. Jump to next section for More Information.
The Visitor Center consists of: Information, exhibits, film, animated battle map program, activity schedules, and bookstore.
Your Tour: Follow the signs for self-guiding tours by car, bicycle, or on foot. You can buy a narrated tour of the battlefield in the bookstore. Colonial Heritage Center, west of the park, has historic buildings and exhibits on civilian life at the time of the battle.
Safety/Regulations: Remember, your safety is your responsibility. Do not climb on cannons or monuments. • Pets must be leashed and attended at all times. • Watch out for ticks, poison ivy, and wildlife. • Bicycles are permitted only on the battlefield tour road and in parking areas. • For firearms and other regulations check the park website. • Do not disturb plants, animals, or natural or historical features; all are protected by federal law. Emergencies call 911.
A bronze equestrian statue of Nathanael Greene stands prominently against a neutral background. Greene, a Revolutionary War general, is depicted sitting upright on his horse, wearing a tricorn hat and military uniform with a high-collared coat, epaulettes on his shoulders, and tall riding boots. His right hand holds the reins while his left rests on his hip, exuding a commanding presence.
The horse stands with its head slightly lowered, its muscles well-defined, and its back right leg is a step ahead of the other leg. The detailed craftsmanship of the statue captures the folds of Greene's coat, the texture of the horse’s mane, and the intricate tack and saddle.
The statue's base includes the text GUILFORD COURTHOUSE HOBKIRKS HILL NINETY-SIX EUTAW SPRING. In partial view is text about Nathanael Greene's military appointment, birth and
Above the statue, a blue italicized quote from Nathanael Greene describes the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, emphasizing the hard-fought nature of the battle and the heavy losses suffered by the British. The text reads:
"The battle was long, obstinate, and bloody. We were obliged to give up the ground and lost our artillery, but the enemy have been so soundly beaten that they dare not move towards us since the action, notwithstanding we lay within ten miles of him for two days. Except the ground and the artillery, they have gained no advantage. On the contrary, they are little short of being ruined." — Nathanael Greene
To the bottom right of the image, another block of text provides historical context about the statue. It explains that the monument was envisioned as early as 1848, funded by Congress in 1911, and unveiled in 1915. The statue was created by Francis H. Packer, a student of the renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
The image composition places the statue as the dominant visual element, with the text framing it in a way that highlights Greene’s legacy and the historical significance of the monument.
CAPTION: Nathanael Greene’s statue (near stop 8) honors the strategist of the Southern Campaign. As early as 1848, local citizens wanted to raise a monument to Greene. Congress funded a monument in 1911, and it was unveiled in 1915.
Francis H. Packer, a student of Augustus Saint- Gaudens, created the statue.
CREDIT: GRIIFFIIN-LUSK STUDIOS