Revolutionary War at Portsmouth VA1697
In October 1775, Virginia's last Royal Governor, the Earl of Dunmore, made his headquarters at Gosport, one mile south of here.  After his defeat at Great Bridge and the destruction of Norfolk, he entrenched at Hospital Point, one mile north, but was driven out in May 1778. Portsmouth was again invaded by the British Sir George Collier in 1770, General Leslie in 1780, the traitor Benedict Arnold and General Phillips in 1781. Here, on this Portsmouth waterfront in August 1781, Lord Cornwallis embarked his 7000 troops and sailed to Yorktown where he surrendered to the victorious American and French forces, 18 October 1781.

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Smithfield K243
The town was established in 1752. The Masonic Hall was built in 1753. Benedict Arnold occupied the town, January 15, 1781. At Cherry Grove Landing near by, skirmishing took place on April 13-15, 1865, and the Confederates made a daring capture of a Union vessel on December 5, 1864.

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A Revolutionary War Hero B33
Near here stood the home of Sergeant Major John Champe (1752-1798), Continental soldier. Champe faked desertion and enlisted in Benedict Arnold’s British command for the purpose of capturing the traitor. Failing in his attempt, Champe rejoined the American army. His meritorious service was attested by such patriots as General Henry (Light Horse Harry) Lee. Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission, 1983

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Hood's K215
Four miles north on James River. There, on January 3, 1781, Benedict Arnold, ascending the river, was fired on by cannon. On January 10, Arnold, returning, sent ashore there a force that was ambushed by George Rogers Clark. Fort Powhatan stood there in the War of 1812.

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Cabin Point K222
Beginning about 1689, a village known as Cabin Point stood here. It was a tobacco shipping port in the 18th century. Colonial troops were stationed here during the American Revolution in 1780 and 1781. By 16 Jan. 1781 Maj. Gen. Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben arrived at Cabin Point with 700 additional soldiers to resist a further invasion of British forces led by Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold. Soon after British forces set up camp in Portsmouth on 19 Jan., Stueben put Brig. Gen. Peter Muhlenberg in charge of the troops here and left to obtain supplies. Cabin Point remained a commercial center in the 19th century for plantations south of the James River.

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Kennon's Landing V35
Located 1 1/2 miles south on the James River is Kennon’s Landing. Richard Kennon married Anne Hunt about 1735 and lived there until his death in 1761. Anne Hunt’s father was Captain William Hunt, whose father William Hunt, a supporter of Nathaniel Bacon, is buried directly across the bay at Bachelor Point. The colonial government of Virginia opened a tobacco warehouse and inspection station at the landing in 1742. Hogsheads of tobacco were weighed, inspected for quality, and stored for shipment there. During the Revolutionary War, on 4 Jan. 1781, American-turned British Gen. Benedict Arnold landed some of his troops at Kennon’s and others at Westover, then marched to Richmond.

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Battle of Petersburg QA21
25 April 1781 British Line of Attack On 24 Apr. 1781, Maj. Gen. William Phillip’s force of 2,500 British regulars landed at City Point, 12 miles to the east on the James River, as part of a major campaign to disrupt the American force’s main line of communication through Virginia. The next morning, Phillips marched his troops along River Road toward Petersburg. Shortly before noon, he and Gen. Benedict Arnold formed their line of battle in this vicinity and launched their attack on the first line of 500 Virginia militiamen positioned to defend Petersburg one-quarter mile west in Blandford.

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East Hill QA13
On the hilltop to the south is the site of East Hill, also known as Bollingbrook. There the British General Phillips, Benedict Arnold and Lord Cornwallis stayed in April and May, 1781. The house was bombarded by Lafayette May 10, 1781. There Phillips died, May 13, 1781.

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Bermuda Hundred K202
A mile north, on the site of an important Appamatuck Indian village, Sir Thomas Dale established Bermuda Hundred in 1613. The hundred was a traditional English jurisdiction of one hundred families. Dale, the deputy governor and marshal of Virginia, founded an incoporated town and the first system of private land-tenure in English America there between 1611 and 1614. Bermuda Hundred was an official port of entry on the James River in the 1700s, with its own customhouse and inspectors. Benedict Arnold headquartered there briefly during the Revolutionary War. In 1864-1865, during the Civil War, the Federal Army of the James, commanded by Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, had its base of operations there.

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Long Bridge W18
One mile south is Long Bridge over the Chickahominy River. Benedict Arnold sent Simcoe there in the British Invasion of 1781. Longstreet crossed there in the peninsular campaign, May 1862. Grant’s fifth and second corps crossed there, in June, 1864, on the way to Petersburg.

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