The Battle of Great Bridge occurred on December 9, 1775, in the vicinity of Great Bridge, Virginia, during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. The rejection by the colonial Virginia militia troops resulted in the departure of Royal Governor Lord Dunmore and any residual traces of British authority over the Colony of Virginia in the first stages of the struggle. In response to escalating political and military tensions in early 1775, both Dunmore and colonial rebel leaders actively enlisted soldiers and competed for access to military resources. The conflict ultimately centered on Norfolk, where Dunmore sought shelter aboard a Royal Navy warship. Dunmore's troops had strategically fortified one bank of a crucial river crossing located to the south of Norfolk, namely at Great Bridge. Simultaneously, rebel forces had taken control of the other bank. Dunmore ordered an assault on the bridge in an effort to disperse the rebel assembly, but it was forcefully repelled. Colonel William Woodford, the leader of the Virginia militia during the conflict, characterized it as a "second Bunker's Hill affair". Soon after, Norfolk, which was then a stronghold for Loyalists, was deserted by Dunmore and the Tories, who escaped to naval vessels in the port. The rebel-held territory of Norfolk was annihilated on January 1, 1776 in a military operation initiated by Dunmore and carried out by rebel troops. In April 1775, tensions escalated in the British Colony of Virginia, coinciding with the outbreak of hostilities in the Province of Massachusetts Bay during the American Revolutionary War, namely the Battles of Lexington and Concord. John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore and the royal governor of Virginia, terminated the colonial legislative assembly known as the House of Burgesses. In response, the House of Burgesses formed a temporary assembly during the Virginia Conventions. The Burgesses granted permission for both existing and newly recruited militia forces to equip themselves, resulting in a power struggle for the control of the colony's military resources. Upon receiving instructions from Lord Dunmore, the British troops confiscated gunpowder from the colonial warehouse located in the capital city of Williamsburg. This action led to a clash between the royal soldiers and the local militia. Despite the peaceful resolution of the episode, Dunmore, concerned for his own safety, departed from Williamsburg in June 1775 and embarked his family into a Royal Navy vessel. Subsequently, a little British naval force was assembled at Norfolk, a seaport inhabited by merchants who had strong pro-monarchy (Tory) inclinations. The presence of the British navy may have contributed to the reduction of Whig activity in the town. Hostilities persisted between rebels and loyalists (Tories) until October, when Dunmore obtained sufficient military backing to begin operations against the rebellious colonists. In response to Dunmore's demands for military assistance, General Thomas Gage, the British commander-in-chief for North America, issued orders for small detachments of the 14th Regiment of Foot to be sent to Virginia. On October 12, these forces began raids on neighboring counties to acquire rebel military supplies. The action continued until the end of October, when a little British vessel went aground and was seized by insurgents during a conflict near Hampton. Colonial militia successfully repelled navy vessels sent to punish the citizens, engaging in a short shootout that led to the death and capture of many sailors.The user's text is "[9]". In response to this tragedy, Dunmore promptly issued a proclamation on November 7th, declaring martial rule and extending an offer to free enslaved colonists in Virginia who were eager to join the British Army. The proclamation caused anxiety among both rebel and loyalist slaveholders due to the prospect of armed emancipated slaves and the probable confiscation of their assets. However, Dunmore successfully enlisted a sufficient number of slaves to establish the Ethiopian Regiment. Additionally, he formed a group of Tories known as the Queen's Own Loyal Virginia Regiment, which was subsequently incorporated into the Queen's Rangers in 1776. The local troops provided further support to the two companies of the 14th Foot, and along with the naval forces, they constituted the only British military presence in the colony. As a result of this effective recruitment effort, Dunmore expressed on November 30, 1775 that he would soon be capable of "bringing this colony to a suitable understanding of their obligations." Upon his arrival in Norfolk, Lord Dunmore issued a command to fortify the bridge across the southern branch of the Elizabeth River, located around 9 miles (14 km) south of Norfolk near the settlement of Great Bridge. The bridge served as an advantageous defensive position due to its location on the only route between Norfolk and North Carolina. It was flanked by the Great Dismal Swamp on both sides, and the only way to reach the bridge was over tiny causeways. Dunmore sent a contingent of 25 soldiers from the 14th Foot to the bridge, where they constructed a little fortification known as Fort Murray on the Norfolk side of the bridge. In addition, they eliminated the bridge planking to increase the level of difficulty in crossing it. The fort was equipped with a pair of cannons and other smaller swivel guns. The ranks of the 14th were bolstered by minor detachments from the Ethiopian and Queen's Own regiments, resulting in a garrison strength ranging from 40 to 80 men. Virginia's legislature issued a directive to its militia forces to mobilize and proceed towards Norfolk in reaction to Dunmore's proclamation. Colonel William Woodford, commanding the 2nd Virginia Regiment, proceeded towards the bridge accompanied by his regiment consisting of 400 soldiers and perhaps 100 riflemen from the Culpeper Minutemen. On December 2, they reached the bridge and established a camp on the other side of the bridge from the British fort. Upon their arrival, the British immediately started demolishing structures in the vicinity of the fort in order to provide an unobstructed firing range. Initially, Woodford was hesitant to launch an attack on the British position due to his belief that he did not possess sufficient artillery to overcome an excessively optimistic assessment of the garrison's capabilities. Consequently, he started fortifying his position, while an increasing number of militia troops came from the neighboring counties and North Carolina. A group of North Carolina men ultimately brought cannons, but they were rendered ineffective due to the absence of mountings and carriages. Woodford was worried upon learning of reports that a substantial contingent of Scottish Highlanders had enlisted with Dunmore's army. The reports were partially accurate: the Highlanders really consisted of 120 families, albeit only a small number of the men have expertise in combat. As of December 8, the number of individuals in the militia camp had increased to around 900, with over 700 of them being physically capable of performing their duties. Dunmore discovered that the colonial militia had obtained cannons, but he was ignorant that the cannons were nonfunctional. Due to his concern over the security of the garrison, he concluded that launching an assault on their location was imperative. The strategy included a diversionary assault by the Ethiopian companies of the garrison against a location downstream from the bridge, aimed at diverting the militia's focus. Meanwhile, the garrison, supported by more men from Norfolk, would launch an attack over the bridge at dawn. According to Dunmore's most reliable information, the rebel troops were estimated to be around 400 in number. Captain Samuel Leslie arrived at Fort Murray with reinforcements throughout the night and early morning of December 8 and 9, at around 3:00 am. Upon his arrival, he discovered that the Ethiopian unit designated for the diversion was absent from the fort. They were sent on a regular mission to a nearby crossing, but Dunmore neglected to deliver instructions to ensure they would be ready for the operation. Leslie opted to carry out the assault nevertheless. Following a period of recuperation for his soldiers, he sent workers to rebuild the planks of the bridge just before daybreak. After completing the task, Captain Charles Fordyce ordered a group of 60 grenadiers to cross the bridge. They engaged in a short and intense fight with the militia guards, causing the camp outside the fortifications to become aware of their presence. Subsequently, Fordyce's troops were accompanied by a contingent of naval gunners who were specifically sent in to handle the field artillery for the assault. Meanwhile, the Tory companies positioned themselves on the Norfolk side of the bridge. The head of the militia in the camp first saw the early skirmishing as a customary morning greeting and disregarded it. Shortly after the morning wake-up call, the seriousness of the alert became evident. As the camp organized and got ready, a group of militia consisting of around sixty individuals made preparations for the British advancement by fortifying the defensive structures. The troops exercised great caution in refraining from firing until the grenadiers, who were approaching with bayonets attached, had come within a distance of 50 yards (46 m). At that point, they unleashed a rapid and overwhelming barrage of gunfire against the British formation. Fordyce, who was in the forefront of the group, was struck by a barrage of gunfire from muskets and fell only a few feet away from the defensive structures, along with other soldiers in the front lines. The British advance disintegrated as the militia's musket fire persisted; almost half of Fordyce's troops were killed, and several more were wounded. The naval artillerymen supplied suppressive fire as they withdrew over the bridge, but, their little weapons had no impact on the fortifications. At this point, Colonel Woodford had successfully arranged and prepared the troops in the rebel camp, and they proceeded to move forward to confront the British. Following a trivial exchange of musket fire from a distant position, Woodford directed the riflemen of the Culpeper Minutemen to move towards the left. From this vantage point, the marksmen, equipped with firearms that had far greater firing distance compared to muskets, began shooting at the British position located on the other end of the bridge. The naval artillerymen, armed with the only weaponry at the disposal of the British to engage the riflemen from that distance, were now in an unfavorable position and were also facing a significant danger from the advancing militia force near the defensive fortifications. They disabled their firearms and withdrew over the bridge, while Captain Leslie ordered his soldiers to withdraw within Fort Murray. Within around 25 minutes, Dunmore's endeavor to halt the insurgent accumulation in the vicinity of Norfolk had been decisively repelled. After a ceasefire was established to allow the British to evacuate their dead and injured, the Tory soldiers clandestinely departed throughout the night to go back to Norfolk. The rebels conducted a burial ceremony for Captain Fordyce, paying him full military honors, in close proximity to the combat scene. The casualty counts varied, with Dunmore's official report stating that 62 individuals were killed or injured, but a patriot who managed to escape said that the British losses amounted to 102, not including deaths among the militia. There was just one reported fatality among the rebels, a guy who had a minor injury to his thumb. Colonel William Woodford, in his letter published in Purdie's Virginia Gazette on December 15, 1775, reported that the 2nd Virginia Regiment's service at the battle was reminiscent of the second Bunker's Hill battle, but on a smaller scale. The notable distinction was that they successfully maintained their position and only one soldier sustained a hand injury. Colonel Robert Howe led men from North Carolina to support the Virginia militia forces. Dunmore attributed his decision to assault without the accompanying diversion to Leslie, however the result of the fight may not have been altered even with the diversion, considering the significant difference in troop levels.The number 19 is enclosed in square brackets. In the following days, Dunmore and his Tory adherents sought sanctuary on vessels belonging to the Royal Navy, while Norfolk was seized by the triumphant rebel troops.The user's text is. Nevertheless, the threat that Dunmore presented to the rebel cause had not been eradicated. In late December, General George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and a Virginian who was familiar with Dunmore, sent a letter to Charles Lee. The letter served as a warning about the ongoing threat, even though Dunmore had fled to the navy. He informed Lee that if the Man is not defeated before Spring, he would become America's most powerful adversary, and that only by taking away his life or freedom will Virginia achieve peace.The user's text is. Following a sequence of escalating events due to the rebels' unwillingness to let the delivery of supplies to the congested ships, Dunmore and Commodore Henry Pellow made the decision to attack the town.The user's text is. On January 1, 1776, Norfolk was destroyed after a military operation initiated by Royal Navy vessels and their ground forces, but ultimately carried out by insurgent soldiers who proceeded to plunder and set fire to the erstwhile Tory bastion.The user's text is. In February 1776, Lord Dunmore took control of Portsmouth and established it as a strategic position for conducting raids. However, in late March, General Charles Lee effectively compelled Lord Dunmore to retreat to his ship. Following more military actions in the Chesapeake region, Governor Dunmore and the British fleet departed for New York City in August 1776. Dunmore never revisited Virginia.The user's text is. In 1934, the Commonwealth of Virginia erected a roadside sign near the fighting site.The user's text is". Local communities mobilized in 1999 to save the battlefield in reaction to the imminent building risks.The number 24 is enclosed in square brackets. In 2021, the American Battlefield Trust and its allies acquired and conserved 0.67 acres of the battlefield.
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