Battle of Kemp's Landing

Battle of Kemp's Landing
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Detail of a 1770s map of eastern Virginia. Oriented with North at the bottom of the map, Kemp's Landing is near the center of the map, and Norfolk is to its right (west).
Date November 15, 1775 Location Kemp's Landing, Virginia; now in Virginia Beach, Virginia 36°49′37″N 76°09′37″W / 36.82694°N 76.16028°W / 36.82694; -76.16028 Result British victory
Belligerents
Virginia Committee of Safety Patriot militia	Province of Virginia British army Loyalist militia
Commanders and leaders
Joseph Hutchings (POW) Anthony Lawson	John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore
Strength
170 militia[1]	100 infantry 20 militia[1]
Casualties and losses
7 killed[1][2] 18 captured[1][2]	1 wounded[1]

The Battle of Kemp's Landing, also known as the Skirmish of Kempsville, was a skirmish in the American Revolutionary War that occurred on November 15, 1775. Militia companies from Princess Anne County in the Province of Virginia assembled at Kemp's Landing to counter British troops under the command of Virginia's last colonial governor, John Murray, Lord Dunmore, that had landed at nearby Great Bridge. Dunmore was investigating rumors of Patriot troop arrivals from North Carolina that turned out to be false; he instead moved against the Princess Anne militia, defeating their attempt at an ambush and routing them.

Dunmore followed up the victory with a reading of his proclamation declaring martial law and promising freedom to slaves belonging to Patriot owners if they served in the British military. This increased opposition to his activities, and he was eventually forced to leave Virginia.