Tempting Target

Tempting Target. Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail. Virginia’s Northern Neck was an attractive target for the British. Its many tobacco plantations, spread over more than a thousand miles of shoreline, were vulnerable to invasion from the water. Launching raids from the Potomac River and its creeks, the British plundered the rich fields and offered freedom to the slaves who worked them., During 1814, Westmoreland and Northumberland counties endured more raids, suffered greater property destruction, and lost more slaves than Virginia’s other Tidewater counties combined. By mid-August, the Potomac plantations along the shores of the Northern Neck were devastated., "It is expected and not without reason that farther (sic) attempts will be made, by British troops…to land and pillage the people in this quarter… Their object is negroes and provisions.” , –William Lambert letter to Governor James Barbour, April 23, 1814, (caption) , In 25 days during the summer of 1814 there were nine major raids against counties in Virginia and Southern Maryland., (sidebar) , Explore more War of 18 12-related sites on Virginia’s Northern Neck: , Westmoreland State Park , View the Potomac River from the cliffs where in 1814 British ships and smoke from nearby raids would have been visible. , Nomini Creek , Travel by paddled or trailerable boat on the waters where British raiders came ashore twice in 1814. , Kinsale , Visit the museum and nearby monument to James Sigourney, killed in action when the British overpowered the ship he commanded.