The 23rd attended the Battle of Great Bridge, Chesapeake, VA on 6-7 December to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Great Bridge, which took place December 9, 1775.

We supported the 14th RoF, Grenadier Company on their 250th anniversary of their play in the battle. Great turnout from our lads (we fielded 12: 1 officer, 1 Sjt. with 9 muskets). Also in attendance were the 7th RoF and Guards units.

Often called “Virginia’s Bunker Hill,” this short but intense battle was one of the first Patriot victories in the Revolutionary War and helped drive the British Government from the colony of Virginia.

There was a large encampment of tents and a wooden fort that we shared with the 14th grenadiers for R&R and food and drink. Some of our lads participated in a local TV film shoot. There were two battle events each day; a skirmish after lunch and then later that afternoon the grand assault across the bridge and against the rebel fortifications. The British began their attack on the rebel fortifications led by the 14th’s James Carver playing Captain Charles Fordyce (who was killed along with over a 100 casualties) and were literally wiped out in the assault. As per history, the 14th and its supporting forces took a severe drubbing resulting in a full retreat to Norfolk and subsequently leading to the British and Lord Dunmore’s fleeing VA by sea for NY.

According to James Carver (14th RoF)—for the first time ever—we were able to honour the fallen British soldiers that have been ignored these past many years. There was talk of expecting a contingent of British officers to attend this commemorative activity and a marker for the fallen. However, for reasons unbeknownst to us, there was none of that. Very unfortunate. We, the British units in attendance, held our own dedication ceremony on the very ground where the crucial events took place, apart from the town’s big time battle commemoration in which we also participated.