Morgan led one of ten riffle companies at the Siege of Boston and quickly earned a name for himself as both a military tactician and soldier. His company of Virginians came to be called Morgan’s Riflemen throughout the duration of the war. Morgan retired in 1779, only to be asked to return a year later and was promoted to brigadier general by Horatio Gates. His new orders were to simply annoy British General Cornwallis and distract his men, allowing Nathanael Greene’s men to recover (see Nathanael Greene’s medal). Morgan abided by these orders until the British discovered his tactics. He then prepared for direct confrontation at the Battle of the Cowpens in 1781 against Colonel Banastre Tarleton's British Legion. Morgan used Tarleton’s tactics against him, combined with his riflemen’s accuracy and longer range to inflict massive damage from the distance. His men stopped to reload their muskets and riffles, inviting to British to commence with Tarleton’s quick advance, just in time to brutally fire close-range at the advancing British. The Cowpens is viewed as the tactical masterpiece of the Revolutionary War by modern military historians. Three Congressional medals were awarded for actions at the Cowpens, including that of Daniel Morgan.
