The area surrounding the Cannonball Run 1/2 Marathon is home to
one of the decisive battles of the Revolutionary War. American
General Nathaniel Greene (for whom the city of Greensboro is
named) led his force of American militia and Continental soldiers
against troops of the British General Lord Charles Cornwallis in
an attempt to stop Cornwallis' drive northward through North
Carolina. Greene was forced to withdraw his troops after a
bitterly contested two hour fight.
Cornwallis eventually reached Yorktown, Virginia, in October,
where he was forced to surrender, effectively ending the War in
the South. The serious loss of British manpower suffered at
Greensboro/Guilford Courthouse foreshadowed final American victory
at Yorktown, seven months later.
You can visit the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
(known locally as "Guilford Battleground Park”) during your visit
to Greensboro. The park contains a visitor’s center with Museum
exhibits and maps of the battlefield. The park itself preserves
220 acres of the battlefield. The battlefield contains trails and
exhibits which depict the action in different portions of the
battle using maps, pictures and audio messages.
History
