Truckin' on the Western Branch

In 1781 the British, led by Benedict Arnold, invaded the area, again traveling on The Road on their way to occupy Portsmouth and shut down the supplies coming through Great Bridge.

On July 18, 1777, George Kelly, Patrick Mackey, and John Brickel joined others from Portsmouth to form a Committee of Safety to help protect local farms. Norfolk County furnished 56 men for the Virginia militia. Farmers supplied their quota of wheat, Indian corn, peas, oats, pickled beef, bacon, salted pork, brandy, West Indian Rum, white biscuit, ships-bread, fine flour, and ships stuff (naval stores, including rope, tar, turpentine and cotton, used in repairing and maintaining sailing vessels). Craney Island and the War of 1812 Craney Island is a small, flat island located on the northeast corner of the Western Branch peninsula overlooking the main stem of the Elizabeth River. Ships making their way to Norfolk and Portsmouth must sail within a mile of its shoreline. In 1812 the English stopped all trade and transportation on the Chesapeake Bay and cut off access to the Atlantic. The British Admiral sent a squadron of ships—two ships of the line, three frigates, two sloops, and several smaller vessels—to set up a blockade. The USS Constellation sailing south on the Bay spotted the enemy fleet, slipped into Hampton Roads, and made her way up the Elizabeth River toward the safety of the Gosport Shipyard. The British fleet spent the next several months capturing ships and plundering towns up and down the Bay. American Brigadier General Robert B. Taylor hastily built Fort Norfolk and Fort Nelson where the river channel narrowed. The United States built a seven-gun artillery battery on Craney Island. Regulars and militia, 580 strong, and 150 sailors and marines from the USS Constellation manned the fortification. General Taylor commandeered several ships and sank them there, creating a barrier across the Elizabeth River between Craney Island and Lambert’s Point. On June 22, 1813, the British landed 700 Royal Marines and soldiers at Hoffler Creek, but they were unable to ford the creek. Other British troops attacked from the eastern side of the island, but the light artillery under Captain Arthur Emmerson drove them off and destroyed some of their barges. Several boats ran aground and stranded in the shallows where they were easy targets. The British lost 81 of their 1,300 troops, but the 730-man American force suffered no losses. The victory at Craney Island saved Norfolk and Portsmouth.

Image by Sheally

Painting by artist Sam Welty.

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