At Cowpens, what tactic did Morgan use to lure the British into a double envelope?

• A. Direct infantry assault
• B. Militia front firing two volleys then retreating into the regulars
• C. Night attack by cavalry
• D. Naval deception

Answer: (B)

Morgan tested a deliberate feint that turns a simple front into a trap. He placed militia in the front line and had them fire two orderly volleys, then fall back behind the main line of Continental troops. This controlled retreat looked like a retreating, disordered line, drawing the British forward and into the open. While the militia were retreating, the regular troops held their fire and then unleashed their counterattack, with supporting cavalry, hitting the British as they pressed onward. The result was the enemy advancing into positions already prepared to be struck from the sides and rear, creating a true double envelope. This tactic works because it uses movement and timing to coax the opponent into a vulnerable, tightly grouped formation, where disciplined fire and a decisive counterattack can shatter him.