Today in History - 1777 Attack on Norfolk

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William Woodford, (1734-1780)

On this day in 1775, Virginia's last royal governor, Lord John Murray Dunmore, orders a British naval fleet of six ships to sail up the James River & into Hampton Creek to attack Patriot troops & destroy the town of Norfolk, Virginia. British Captain Matthew Squire led the six ships into Hampton Creek & began bombarding the town with artillery & cannon fire, while a second contingent of British troops sailed ashore to begin engaging the Patriots.

Expecting the Patriots & local militia to come charging & to engage in open combat, the British were surprised to come under fire from expert riflemen, who began striking down British troops at a distance. Hearing of the British attack, Virginia's local militia leader, Colonel William Woodford, marched an additional 100 members of the militia to defend Norfolk.

With reinforcements in place, the Patriots & militia pushed the British back to their ships, where the riflemen again began picking off British troops from the decks of their vessels. Facing a humiliating defeat at the hands of an outnumbered local militia, Captain Squire ordered a full British retreat. In the unorganized & hurried withdrawal that followed, two British ships ran aground & were captured. The Patriots, meanwhile, did not suffer a single fatality.
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