Wythe in Hampton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Sack of Hampton
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The War of 1812
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, September 1, 2014
1. Sack of Hampton Marker
Sack of Hampton. As British Gen. Sidney Beckwith dispersed the local militia on 25 June 1813, Adm. Sir George Cockburn feigned an attack with barges at the mouth of the Hampton River. Hamptons water battery was abandoned and the British occupied the town. Their initial march in the town became known as the Sack of Hampton. There were reports that at little Hampton, every horror was committed with impunityrape, murder, pillage. These outrages became a rallying cry for the defense of the Chesapeake. By the end of June, the British left to raid elsewhere.
The War of 1812. Impressment of Americans into British service and the violation of American ships were among the causes of Americas War of 1812 with the British, which lasted until 1815. Beginning in 1813, Virginians suffered from a British naval blockade of the Chesapeake Bay and from British troops plundering the countryside by the Bay and along the James, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers. The Virginia militia deflected a British attempt to take Norfolk in 1813, and engaged British forces throughout the war. By the end of the war, more than 2000 enslaved African Americans in Virginia had gained their freedom aboard British ships.
Erected 2011 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number WY-103.)
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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War of 1812. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is June 25, 1813.
Location. 36° 59.984′ N, 76° 22.405′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It is in Wythe. It is at the intersection of Chesapeake Avenue (Virginia Route 167) and Powhatan Parkway, on the right when traveling west on Chesapeake Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hampton VA 23661, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Peninsula and in Coastal Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Indian River Park In The Heart Of Olde Wythe (here, next to this marker); 1813 Landing of British Forces (a few steps from this marker); The Hampton Roads Golf And Country Club (approx. Ό mile away); Hampton Roads Worlds Greatest Harbor (approx. 0.3 miles away); Officer Kenneth Earl Wallace (approx. 0.3 miles away); Admiral Sir George Cockburn on the Chesapeake / The War of 1812 (approx. 0.3 miles away); Captain John C. Robinson (approx. 0.3 miles away); Olde Wythe During Colonial Times (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hampton.
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, September 1, 2014
2. The War of 1812 Marker
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, September 1, 2014
3. Sack of Hampton Marker
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, September 1, 2014
4. The War of 1812 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2014, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,193 times since then and 74 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 2, 2014, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.
