british naval armada during the american revolution

Andrew Sprowle, a fellow Scotsman, owned the Gosport shipyard (present day Norfolk Naval Shipyard) in Portsmouth on the Elizabeth River, which could provide aid to Dunmore’s forces. Just as Governor Josiah Martin of North Carolina had done the year before, Dunmore began operating from sea from behind England’s “wooden walls.” However, Dunmore had a trump card to play that had been unavailable to Governor Martin. Taking refuge aboard HMS Fowey, Dunmore sailed down the James River to Hampton Roads. After four years as governor, a war against the Indians, and several diplomatic fiascos, belligerent patriots chased him from his York County home, Porto Bello, in June 1775. Lord Dunmore precipitated the assault on Hampton Roads in an attempt to quell the growing rebellion in his midst. John Murray, Fourth Earl of Dunmore, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Why then did the navy under Lord Dunmore suffer defeat when it struck Hampton during the first major skirmish in Virginia in October 1775? This is the story of the first amphibious campaign in the South during the American Revolution and the tale of the last royal governor of Virginia’s leadership on land and sea. The Royal Navy consistently outnumbered the Continental Navy in number of ships, men, cannon, and munitions.

Throughout the Revolution, the Royal Navy pillaged, attacked, or blockaded Chesapeake Bay, brushing aside state navies and American ships. Farrington)Īlthough the Royal Navy reigned supreme throughout the eighteenth century, its effectiveness in Hampton Roads under John Murray, Earl of Dunmore (known as Lord Dunmore), was altered when Virginians proved they had a strong desire to defend themselves in the burgeoning American struggle for independence. Hampton commemoration held in October 2015.

Simulated attack upon Virginia Militia reenactors during a Battle of Reenactors portraying Royal Navy sailors from HMS Otter maneuver into position on the Hampton River before staging a

British naval armada during the american revolution