Skirmish at Kemp's Landing

Skirmish at Kemp's Landing is a Virginia historical marker in Virginia Beach County, dedicated 2018.

Virginia Beach County · dedicated 2018 · S. Witchduck Road, just south of intersection with Singleton Way

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Lord Dunmore, royal governor of Virginia, led a detachment of the British 14th Regiment to this area on 15 Nov. 1775 to disrupt militiamen forming in resistance to royal authority. The Princess Anne militia, waiting in a thicket, fired on the British advance guard. Heavy return fire scattered the militia and killed several men. Dunmore's force, augmented by African American volunteers who had escaped from slavery, took a number of prisoners, including Col. Joseph Hutchings. The emboldened Dunmore issued a proclamation declaring martial law and offering freedom to slaves willing to fight for the king. Many militiamen and others subsequently signed oaths of loyalty to the Crown.

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