Virginia's Historical Highway Markers & the War of 1812
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Virginia’s Historical Highway Markers & The War of 1812 Produced by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for the 2014 Legacy Symposium Fort Monroe & Hampton University June 19–21, 2014 War of 1812 Historical Markers he following compilation presents markers alphabetically by jurisdiction, then by marker title Twithin each locality. Many of these markers, specifically those created by VDHR in part- nership with the Virginia Bicentennial of the American War of 1812 Commission, have the text below on their reverse side. These bicentennial affiliated markers are flagged in this guide with an asterisk (*). The War of 1812 Impressment of Americans into British service and the violation of American ships were among the causes of America’s War of 1812 with the British, which lasted until 1815. Beginning in 1813, Virginians suffered from a British naval blockade of the Chesapeake Bay and from British troops plundering the countryside by the Bay and along the James, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers. The Virginia militia deflected a British attempt to take Norfolk in 1813 and engaged British forces throughout the war. By the end of the war, more than 2000 enslaved African Americans in Virginia had gained their freedom aboard British ships. • Erected Markers Accomack County City of Chesapeake Tangier Island Q-7-a Craney Island K-266 The island was visited in 1608 by Captain John Smith, Seven miles northeast in the Elizabeth River is Craney who gave it the name. A part was patented by Ambrose Island, a landmark of two wars. During the War of White in 1670. It was settled in 1686 by John Crockett 1812, the British attacked its fortifications on 22 June and his sons’ families. In 1814, it was the headquarters 1813, but were repulsed by its defenders including the of a British fleet ravaging Chesapeake Bay. From here Portsmouth artillery. During the Civil War, while aban- the fleet sailed to attack Fort McHenry near Baltimore. doning Norfolk in April 1861, the Union forces scut- The Rev. Joshua Thomas, in a prayer, predicted the tled the USS Merrimack. The Confederates refloated failure of the expedition. It was in this attack that the it and transformed it into their first ironclad, the CSS Star-Spangled Banner was written. Virginia. Famous for its duel to a draw with the USS Monitor, the Virginia was scuttled at Craney Island on 11 May 1862, when the Confederates evacuated Nor- Bedford County folk. Joel Leftwich KM-6 Within a few miles of here lived and died Joel Left- City of Hampton wich, militia general, legislator, justice of the peace, and Revolutionary War veteran. In the War of 1812, he Admiral Sir George Cockburn on the Chesapeake commanded a brigade of Virginia militia that marched WY-102* in the winter of 1812-1813 to assist Gen. William Hen- During the War of 1812, a British naval squadron ry Harrison defeat the British in Ohio. While there, his arrived in Hampton Roads on 4 Feb. 1813 to establish men helped build Fort Meigs, the largest wooden- pal- a naval blockade of the Chesapeake Bay. Later com- isaded fort in North America. In the summer of 1814, manded by Adm. Sir George Cockburn, the squadron he also commanded a militia brigade that marched to remained in the Bay for two years. Its missions were the outskirts of Baltimore to assist in protecting Wash- to seize USS Constellation, to occupy Norfolk, and to ington and Baltimore from further British threats. harass, seize, and destroy commercial traffic on the Bay and its tributaries. Although the attempt to take Nor- —2— Virginia Department of Historic Resources folk failed, Cockburn’s squadron carried out numerous Historic Hampton W-87 raids on the James, Rappahannock, York, and Potomac The Native American village of Kecoughtan stood rivers. In Aug. 1814, British forces burned Washing- across the Hampton River in 1607. Soon after the ton, but were later defeated at Baltimore. English forcibly removed the inhabitants in 1610, the colonists settled there and the village grew. By the early British Approach to Hampton WY-104* eighteenth century, the royal customhouse, wharves, Following the British defeat at Craney Island on 22 warehouses, and taverns were located in the bustling June 1813, Adm. Sir John B. Warren sought revenge seaport town of Hampton. In an early Revolutionary and ordered Adm. Sir George Cockburn and Gen. War engagement, militiamen repulsed a British naval Sir Sidney Beckwith to attack Hampton. This port attack against Hampton on 24 Oct. 1775. During the town was defended by Maj. Stapleton Crutchfield’s Revolution, Hampton was the home port of the Vir- 436 militiamen and a 7-gun water battery. During the ginia State Navy. On 25 June 1813, during the War of evening of 24 June Beckwith’s 2,400 men landed near 1812, the British sacked the town. Confederates burned here at Indian Creek. The next day, Beckwith’s troops it in Aug. 1861 to prevent its use by Union troops and engaged Crutchfield’s command on the road to Hamp- slaves. ton. Capt. Servant’s company of riflemen slowed the British advance until Beckwith could use artillery to Little England W-88-1 force Servant’s withdrawal. Hampton was then open to In 1634 Capps Point, later known as Little England, British occupation. was patented by William Capps, a prominent planter who maintained a lucrative saltworks. He served as a An artist’s depiction of the occupation and burning of Washington D.C. from a book published in 1876. It shows “an inaccurate render- ing of U.S. Capitol [as] there was no center building or pediment in 1814,” according to the Library of Congress. (Library of Congress) —3— Virginia’s Historical Highway Markers & The War of 1812 burgess in the 1619 General Assembly, the first rep- resentative legislative body in the New World. On 25 June 1813, during the War of 1812, British Admiral George Cockburn sailed into the mouth of Hampton River and shelled Hampton. A complement of 450 Vir- ginia militiamen tried in vain to hold the British at bay with several small cannons mounted in the fortification at Little England. Afterward the British occupied and plundered the town. Old Point Comfort Light W-93 The lighthouse, built in 1802, is the oldest standing structure at Fort Monroe. It remains an active navi- gational aid, the property of the U.S. Coast Guard. During the War of 1812, the tower was used as a lookout by a British invasion force while they attacked Washington. The adjacent house was the lightkeepers’ quarters until the light was automated in 1973 when the house became Army property. Sack of Hampton WY-103* A marker in Lancaster County erected in 1998. (Photo: VDHR) As British Gen. Sidney Beckwith dispersed the local Henrico County militia on 25 June 1813, Adm. Sir George Cockburn feigned an attack with barges at the mouth of the Malvern Hill V-4 Hampton River. Hampton’s water battery was aban- Nearby stood the Malvern Hill manor house built for doned and the British occupied the town. Their ini- Thomas Cocke in the 17th century. The Marquis de tial march in the town became known as the Sack of Lafayette camped here in July-August 1781, and ele- Hampton. There were reports that “at little Hampton, ments of the Virginia militia encamped nearby during every horror was committed with impunity—rape, mur- the War of 1812. During the Civil War, 1 July 1862, der, pillage.” These outrages became a rallying cry for Gen. Robert E. Lee attacked Maj. Gen. George B. the defense of the Chesapeake. By the end of June, the McClellan’s Union Army of the Potomac here as it British left to raid elsewhere. retreated to the James River from the gates of Rich- mond. Although he dealt Lee a bloody defeat, McClel- lan continued his withdrawal to Harrison’s Landing. War of 1812 Military Legacy WY-105* The Malvern Hill house survived the battle as a Federal After damaging British coastal attacks during the War headquarters but burned in 1905. of 1812, Pres. James Madison recognized the need to improve the nation’s coastal defense and naval power. In 1816, Congress created the Board of Engineers for Lancaster County Fortifications and in 1818, former Napoleon aide Gen. Simon Bernard became its chief. Bernard planned a Capture of the Dolphin J-107* series of masonry fortifications, later known as the Third On 3 April 1813, one of the largest naval engagements in System, to defend every major U.S. harbor. Fort Monroe Virginia waters during the War of 1812 took place at the was the first of these forts to be constructed, beginning in mouth of Corrotoman River. One hundred five British 1819. Named for Pres. James Monroe, it protected the naval and marine forces under Lt. Polkinghorne managed entrance to Hampton Roads and the forerunner of the to subdue four American privateers: Arab, Dolphin, Lynx, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the Gosport Navy Yard. and Racer. The largest ship, Dolphin, out of Baltimore, had twelve guns and one hundred men commanded by Capt. W.J. Stafford. Stafford stubbornly refused to give up —4— Virginia Department of Historic Resources when the other ships were taken, and defended his ship of 1812 and rose to the rank of brigadier general while until he was severely wounded and his ship boarded. commanding militia forces in Norfolk. A prominent attorney in Loudoun and Fauquier counties, he served Corotoman J-85 in the Virginia House of Delegates (1810-1817) and in This place was three miles south. Little remains of the the U.S. Congress (1817-1839), where he was among house.