page_title: Burning of Norfolk
hierarchical_section_title: Burning of Norfolk
caption_attribution_description: English: Detail of a 1780s manuscript map depicting the eastern coastal areas of Virginia, including portions of "Princess Anne" and Norfolk counties. The map is oriented with North to the bottom and South to the top. Part of the mouth of Chesapeake Bay is visible at the bottom of the map. The map depicts the sites of several military actions fought on land in the early days of the American Revolutionary War, including w:en:Battle of Kemp's Landing, w:en:Battle of Great Bridge, and the w:en:Burning of Norfolk, and the site of two sea battles of the war, the First and Second Battles of the Capes, the latter also known as w:en:Battle of the Chesapeake.
context_page_description: The Burning of Norfolk was an incident that occurred on January 1, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. British Royal Navy ships in the harbor of Norfolk, Virginia began shelling the town, and landing parties came ashore to burn specific properties. The town, whose significantly Tory population had fled, was occupied by Whig forces from Virginia and North Carolina. Although these forces worked to drive off the landing parties, they did nothing to impede the progress of the flames, and began burning and looting Tory properties.
  After three days, most of the town had been destroyed, principally by the action of the Whig forces. The destruction was completed by Whig forces in early February to deny use of even the remnants to the British. Norfolk was the last significant foothold of British authority in Virginia; after raiding Virginia's coastal areas for a time, its last Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore, left for good in August 1776.
context_section_description: The Burning of Norfolk was an incident that occurred on January 1, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War.  British Royal Navy ships in the harbor of Norfolk, Virginia began shelling the town, and landing parties came ashore to burn specific properties.  The town, whose significantly Tory (Loyalist) population had fled, was occupied by Whig (Revolutionary) forces from Virginia and North Carolina.  Although these forces worked to drive off the landing parties, they did nothing to impede the progress of the flames, and began burning and looting Tory properties.
  After three days, most of the town had been destroyed, principally by the action of the Whig forces.  The destruction was completed by Whig forces in early February to deny use of even the remnants to the British.  Norfolk was the last significant foothold of British authority in Virginia; after raiding Virginia's coastal areas for a time, its last Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore, left for good in August 1776.
caption: Detail from a 1775 map showing the Norfolk area. Oriented with North to the bottom, Great Bridge is visible near the top of the map, and Norfolk is center-right.
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