Complex sentence: On New Year's Day in 1776, Dunmore gave orders to burn waterfront buildings in Norfolk from which patriot troops were firing on his ships-falling into another trap, as this gave the rebels an excuse to burn the entire city.
Split into simpler sentences: On New Year's Day in 1776, Dunmore gave orders to burn waterfront buildings in Norfolk from which patriot troops were firing on his ships. Id doing so, he fell into another trap, as this gave the rebels an excuse to burn the entire city.