26-27 October 1775: Battle of Hampton
The first fighting of the Revolutionary War south of Massachusetts occurred on October 26–27, 1775, in Hampton. British naval forces under the command of Matthew Squire entered Hampton Harbor intent on bombarding and burning the town in revenge for the burning and looting of a Royal Navy tender that had gone ashore during a hurricane. Squire’s assault was met by determined opposition from Patriot forces, including riflemen from the Culpeper District Minute Battalion under the command of Colonel William Woodford, who arrived from Williamsburg early on the morning of October 27 after riding all night in a rainstorm. British and Loyalist forces withdrew after suffering multiple casualties, while the Patriot forces recorded no casualties and Hampton emerged largely unscathed ...
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/the-battle-of-hampton-october-26-27-1775/