With the upcoming semiquincentennial (250-year) anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the American Colonies from Imperial British rule, I decided I should start a series of geocaches highlighting well known and lesser known parts of history regarding the American War of Independence.
Battle of Great Bridge
Virginia’s Royal Governor, John Murray, the Earl of Dunmore, ordered the seizure of the gunpowder stores of Williamsburg, Virginia, the colonial capital. Word of Dunmore’s decision quickly spread, prompting militia companies from surrounding counties to converge on Williamsburg.
Dunmore fled to Norfolk and began raising an army. Dunmore was also reinforced by Tory militias and two companies from the 14th Regiment of Foot.
The primary approach to Norfolk was over Great Bridge, which spanned the Elizabeth River. The bridge was surrounded on both sides by the Great Dismal Swamp and was accessible only by narrow causeways on both the north and south sides. Both the Patriots and the British recognized the bridge’s importance. Dunmore ordered the construction of a stockade known as Fort Murray on the north side of the bridge in modern-day Chesapeake, Virginia.
On December 7, 1775, Patriot forces arrived on the bridge’s south side. For the next several days, the Tories and Patriots skirmished amongst the region's bogs and swamps. By the night of the 8th, the Patriot force had grown to roughly 900 men.
On the morning of the 9th, the Tories wheeled two cannons into place and opened fire, attempting to break apart the Colonist’s defenses. Thinking that this was simply the Tories attempting to disrupt their morning, few of the defenders moved until one militia captain called his men to arms, seeing an approaching column in red. The men in red were the Light Infantry and Grenadiers of the 14th Foot supported by a large Tory reserve which stood ready to exploit any breakthrough.
As the British soldiers advanced up the causeway six men abreast, they fired by platoons. As one platoon fired, the other would reload. As the British got closer, the Whigs unleashed a withering volley. The causeway was scattered with the dead and dying including the British commanders.
Despite the losses, the British again charged. Several reached the Patriot works before being shot down. The survivors retreated to Fort Murray, and, in the cover of night, spiked their cannons and abandoned the fort.
The battle lasted less than an hour. By the time it was over, the British had lost more than 100 men killed and wounded; whereas only one colonist militiaman was wounded. Within the next few days, the revolutionaries entered Norfolk, and Lord Dunmore fled Virginia.
Gen. (then Colonel) William Woodford lead the Colonial Revolutionaries at the Battle of Great Bridge. Woodford County, Illinois is about 35 miles southwest of the posted coordinates. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE?
Woodford County is named after William Woodford.
- TRUE = N 41° 22.695′ W 88° 35.645′
- FALSE = N 41° 23.065′ W 88° 34.602′