Historedia
Group or institution

British Royal Navy

Events
1
Episodes
5
Years
1775–1777

Every event in Historedia whose sources name British Royal Navy, with the role they cite and all of that event’s episodes. This is not a biography, and mentions are grouped by name, so two people with the same name can share this page.

Events and episodes

  1. Burning of Norfolk

    1775–1777

    Role: Naval force that shelled Norfolk and landed parties

    1. late 1775 to January 1, 1776 · Norfolk's harbor, VirginiaDunmore withdraws his force to ships in Norfolk's harbor

      After a battle and British retreat into Norfolk, Dunmore and his entire force withdrew to Royal Navy ships in the harbor with most remaining Loyalists.

    2. January 1, 1776 · Town of Norfolk, VirginiaRoyal Navy shelling and landing parties burn Norfolk

      Royal Navy ships began shelling Norfolk on January 1, 1776, while landing parties came ashore to burn specific properties in the town.

    3. by January 1, 1776 · Town of Norfolk, VirginiaPatriot occupation of a largely abandoned Loyalist town

      Norfolk's significantly Loyalist population had fled, and Patriot forces from Virginia and North Carolina occupied the town before the burning.

    4. August 1776 · Norfolk, Virginia, and surrounding Virginia coastal areasNorfolk as the last British foothold and Dunmore's final departure

      Norfolk was the last significant foothold of British authority in Virginia; after coastal raiding, Lord Dunmore left the colony for good in August 1776.

    5. 1777 · Unspecified location of acknowledgmentPatriot participation in the burning acknowledged only in 1777

      Although Patriots burned and looted Loyalist property during the destruction, the full extent of their participation was not acknowledged until 1777.

Sources

  1. Burning of Norfolk Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-13