Culpeper Minute Men travel to Hampton

Jim Bayne / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: May 2, 2007

The drums of war have been sounding for months now. In the colony of Massachusetts the citizens have been in open rebellion since spring and we have heard that they have sent their militia north into Canada.

In Virginia we have been having open conflict with Lord Dunmore and the British troops stationed in the colony. Patrick Henry and the Committee of Safety ordered the formation of two regular regiments within the colony and the formation of militia companies in 16 districts within the colony. Each district is expected to raise a battalion. The Culpeper District was to raise the largest battalion consisting of 10 companies of minute men and one company of riflemen which has been done. The Colonel is Lawrence Taliafero and the Major is Edward Stevens.

Captain John Jameson and Captain William McClanahan are two of the company commanders. The men are eager to rid the colony of the British. Our biggest problem is a lack of arms.

Many are armed only with their hunting weapon and few cannon are available. Our uniforms consisted of hunting shirts made of linen dyed the color of green tree leaves and across the shirt front were the words "Liberty or Death."

September, 1775 was spent in learning the rudiments of formations, marching etc. In early October we made ready to move toward Williamsburg and arrived on the outskirts of that town on Oct. 20. Initially we were met with some trepidation on the part of the local citizenry as they thought our appearance to be nearer that of savages than an army. However after learning that the tomahawks and knives we carried were for use against the British and not themselves we were welcomed. The pub keepers were especially happy to have us in their midst.

Our respite in the area did not last long as we received word that Lord Dunmore had ordered his troops and the British naval forces under the command of a Capt. Squire to begin raids of the towns along the James River. On October 24, the Committee of Safety placed the 2nd Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel William Woodford, on alert and also attached five companies from the Culpeper Minute Men Battalion to Woodford's command.

One of Squire's ships was driven aground near Hampton during a storm and a part of its crew was captured by the local citizenry. They removed such goods and arms as they could, set fire to the ship and later released the captured seamen.

The night of the 25th Squire landed some men in the Hampton area and they set about looting a number of homes. The evening of the 26th brought word to Williamsburg of the events at Hampton. The Committee of Safety ordered Woodford and the 2nd Virginia together with the riflemen company of the Culpeper Minute Men Battalion to Hampton. The riflemen were commanded by Capt. Abraham Buford. We traveled all night in a driving rain and arrived at Hampton about 8 of the clock in the morning.

Woodford left us in a church so that we might dry ourselves and he rode to the riverfront to see what lay before us. He found the British ships in line in the James and soon the cannonading began. Woodford came back and moved us down into homes and other buildings which provided us cover. Here we held the advantage even though we lacked cannon. We were concealed and well protected and being expert riflemen were able to pick off the British sailors as they tried to stand to their cannon.

The British were in an untenable position so Squire's ordered his flotilla to withdraw. As they were attempting to withdraw one of the ships drifted shoreward and was captured by the riflemen. Following this action Buford's company rejoined the battalion at Williamsburg and Green's company of riflemen continued repelling any attempts by the British to again land on our soil.

Jim Bayne is the immediate past president of the Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution. He can be reached at .