The action at Osborne's (sometimes spelled Osburn's or Osborns),
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...
was a minor naval–land engagement on April 27, 1781, in the
James River
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Ches ...
during the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of ...
. The battle resulted in the near-complete destruction of the
Virginia State Navy
A Virginia State Navy (or Virginia Navy) existed twice. During the American Revolutionary War, the provisional government of the Virginia Colony authorized the purchase, outfitting, and manning of armed vessels to protect the colony's waters fro ...
as well as a large stockpile of Virginian
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ch ...
(in use as a currency at the time).
Action
With American troops having been driven from
Petersburg
Petersburg, or Petersburgh, may refer to:
Places Australia
*Petersburg, former name of Peterborough, South Australia
Canada
* Petersburg, Ontario
Russia
*Saint Petersburg, sometimes referred to as Petersburg
United States
*Peterborg, U.S. Virg ...
at the
Battle of Blandford
The Battle of Blandford (or Blanford), also called the Battle of Petersburg, took place near Petersburg, Virginia on 25 April 1781, late in the American War of Independence. Roughly 2,300 British regulars under the command of Brigadier General ...
, and the tobacco stored the having been destroyed, on April 27, the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...
left in search of fresh supplies.
British
General William Phillips, with the light-infantry, and part of the
jägers, and of the cavalry of the
Queen's Rangers
The Queen's Rangers, also known as the Queen's American Rangers, and later Simcoe's Rangers, were a Loyalist military unit of the American Revolutionary War. Formed in 1776, they were named for Queen Charlotte, consort of George III. The Queen ...
, marched to
Chesterfield Court House, where he destroyed a range of barracks which could accommodate two thousand men, three hundred barrels of flour, and other stores. At the same time, General
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold ( Brandt (1994), p. 4June 14, 1801) was an American military officer who served during the Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of major general before defect ...
moved to Osborne's, a small village on the south side of the James River, about south of
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, a ...
, with the Seventy-sixth and Eightieth regiments, part of the Yagers and of the Queen's Rangers, and the
American Legion.
Osborne's was the rendezvous of the small force of the Virginia State Navy which had been collected with the intention of co-operating with the French fleet in a projected attempt against
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
. It appears somewhat singular that it should have been allowed to remain in so exposed a situation while the enemy remained within striking distance.
[
The British conducted their movements in secret, taking care that no information of there should reach the Americans. Consequently, the British forces came into their immediate vicinity of the Americans before their presence was known. Arnold summoned the American commander to surrender, "offering one half the contents of their cargoes in case they did not destroy any part." The nameless American commander sent word, in answer, "We are determined and ready to defend our ships, and will sink them rather than surrender."
On the receipt of this reply, General Arnold ordered two three-pounders, under Lieutenant Rogers, to open a fire on the stern of ''Tempest'', a state ship mounting twenty guns. Captain Page, with two six-pounders, "opened from an unexpected quarter, with great effect." At the same time Lieutenant Spencer led a party of Yagers, "by a route partly covered with ditches, within thirty yards of her stern," in order that all who showed themselves on deck might be picked off.][
''Tempest'', ''Renown'' of twenty-six guns, ''Jefferson'' of fourteen guns, and some smaller vessels, as well as by a body of Virginia militia, who occupied the northern bank of the river, all opened a brisk fire. When the greatly superior force of the British forces is considered, the contest was too unequal to be either long-continued or successful to the Americans. A shot from one of the British pieces cut ''Tempest''s cable; she sheered around, and exposed herself to a raking fire from Lieutenant Rogers' three-pounders; the crew, taking to the boats, attempted to escape. As the British had no boats, and the wind was blowing quite hard, Arnold could not take advantage of the panic into which the entire squadron appears to have fallen.][
The British captured two ships, three brigs, two schooners, and five sloops, all laden with tobacco, flour, cordage, etc.,. They burned or sank four ships, five brigs, and several smaller vessels, similarly laden. Upwards of two thousand hogsheads of tobacco, besides other stores, were destroyed, without any loss to the British,][ and if any loss, except that of the property, was sustained by the Virginians, it has not been recorded. The result of these predatory expeditions was a terrible blow to Virginia, — her tobacco being her circulating medium, — and, indirectly, to the cause of America.
In the ensuing days, Philips and Arnold marched northward until stopping in ]Manchester, Virginia
Manchester is a former independent city in Virginia in the United States. Prior to receiving independent status, it served as the county seat of Chesterfield County, between 1870 and 1876. Today, it is a part of the city of Richmond, Virginia.
...
(a port town across the James River from Richmond).[''The life of Frederick William von Steuben'' p. 427, https://archive.org/details/lifeoffrederickw00kappuoft]
Citation and references
Citations
References
*Henry B. Dawson, ''Battles of the United States, by Sea and Land'' (1858
available at the Internet Archive
*Benson Lossing, ''The Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution'' (1860 ed.
available at the Internet Archive
*John Franklin Dobbs, ''From Bunker Hill to Manila Bay'' (1906: New York City
available at the Internet Archive
*Charles Oscar Paullin ''The Administration of the Massachusetts and Virginia Navies of the American Revolution'' (1906), p. 16
available at the Internet Archive
{{Virginia in the American Revolution
Virginia in the American Revolution
Chesterfield County, Virginia