Battle of Great Bridge

The Battle of Great Bridge on December 9, 1775 was the first pitched battle between Continental troops and British forces in Virginia. Lord Dunmore, Virginia's Royal Governor operating from his fleet, held the causeway over the Elizabeth River — the only land approach to Norfolk from the south. Virginia Continentals under Colonel William Woodford held the far end. Dunmore was deceived by a false report that the American position was weak and ordered Captain Fordyce to lead an assault across the exposed causeway.

The attack was suicidal. Fordyce led his grenadiers in perfect formation across 400 yards of open causeway directly into concentrated American fire. Fordyce was killed, shot eleven times. Nearly half the attacking force became casualties in minutes. The Virginia riflemen fired with devastating accuracy — one soldier reportedly placed three successive shots through the cockade of a grenadier's hat.

The defeat ended Dunmore's mainland operations permanently. He withdrew to his fleet and on New Year's Day 1776, bombarded and helped burn Norfolk — destroying the largest and most prosperous city in colonial Virginia. Dunmore continued Chesapeake raids for months but never threatened to retake Virginia. He departed for Britain in 1776, never to return. Great Bridge secured Virginia for the Patriot cause and gave Virginia troops their first significant victory, demonstrating that Continental troops could decisively defeat British regulars in the right circumstances.