Battle of Great Bridge Commemoration Medal Set, 2025 DESIGN, by the Great Bridge Chapter, Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution. Get one of the original strikes of this new commerative medal set.
250 years ago, the Patriot victory at Great Bridge Virginia marked the beginning of the end of Royal rule in Virginia.
In response to the Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore’s request for military assistance in the summer of 1775,detachments of the 14th Regiment of Foot began arriving in Gosport in August and by November that forcehad grown to 175 regulars. The Virginia Committee of Safety had been organizing forces in Williamsburg and on November 7th ,Colonel William Woodford departed in command of the 2d Virginia Regiment and began moving south.
That same day Lord Dunmore issued his infamous proclamation declaring martial law, freeing all slaves andindentured servants of Patriots, and began recruiting for his Queen’s Own Loyal Virginia Regiment and theRoyal Ethiopian Regiment.
A week later, on November 15th , the British engaged the Princess Anne County Militia at Kemp’s Landing resulting ina resounding defeat of the Patriot militia.
Recognizing the importance of Great Bridge as key terrain necessary to control lines of communication southto North Carolina and west to Suffolk and the Virginia interior, by approximately 18 November theBritish erected a fort on the north side of the Elizabeth River at Great Bridge. Referred to as the “hog pen”by the locals, the fort was garrisoned by 25 regulars and 30-40 Loyalists.
Colonel Woodford arrived on December 2nd with his ranks swollen by the addition of the CulpeperMinutemen, members of the resilient Princess Anne County Militia, and additional Patriot forces from NorthCarolina which included several field artillery pieces. The Patriots erected defensive works south of the bridgeand began skirmishing against the British and Loyalists. The correlation of military forces was quickly shiftingagainst the British resulting in a roughly 4:1 advantage in favor of the Patriots, with more forces continuingto move in.
In a war council on November 8th , Dunmore ordered an assault. Following a night marchfrom Norfolk by the 14th Regiment of Foot, at the break of day on December 9th, 1775 the Britishattacked Colonel Woodford’s fortified position. Forced to funnel through the narrow causeway andconstrained by the bridge, 120 grenadiers led by Captain Charles Fordyce bravely advanced in aformation 6 men wide and 20 ranks deep. The British advance was faced with gallant skirmishers and flankingfire as they crossed the bridge with William “Billy” Flora notably firing eight rounds and removing a plankfrom the bridge before retiring behind the breastworks.
As the British closed within 50 yards the Patriots delivered a devastating close range volley thatkilled Captain Fordyce upon which the attack faltered and the British retreated. As Colonel Woodforddescribed in his letter to the Virginia Assembly the next day, “I have the pleasure to inform you that the victorywas complete…This was a second Bunker Hill affair, with the difference that we kept our post.”
Related Items:
SAR Battle of Great Bridge Commemoration Medal Set, 2025 Design
$60.00
Pokemon Card Mega Gallade ex SAR Get Battle Janken Winner Certificate
$169.75
Pokémon N's Zoroark ex 127/100 SAR Battle Partners Japanese PSA 10 GEM MINT
$68.98
