Dunmore was investigating rumors of Patriot troop arrivals from North Carolina that turned out to be false; he instead moved against the Princess Anne militia, defeating their attempt at an ambush and routing them.

Dunmore followed up the victory with a reading of his proclamation declaring martial law and promising freedom to slaves belonging to Patriot owners if they served in the British military.

Tensions in the British Colony of Virginia were raised in April 1775 at roughly the same time that the hostilities of the American Revolutionary War broke out in the Province of Massachusetts Bay with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

[4] Although the incident was resolved without violence, Dunmore, fearing for his personal safety, left Williamsburg in June 1775 and placed his family on board a Royal Navy ship.

General Thomas Gage, the British commander-in-chief for North America, had ordered small detachments of the 14th Regiment of Foot to Virginia in response to pleas by Dunmore for military help.

[9] Dunmore reacted to this event by writing a proclamation on November 7 in which he declared martial law, and offered to emancipate Whig-held slaves in Virginia willing to serve in the British Army.

The forces raised, led by Continental Army Colonel William Woodford, did not leave Williamsburg until November 7 due to shortages of equipment and supplies.

[13] Dunmore, who was operating from a Royal Navy ship, landed "109 Rank and file, with 22 Voluntteers from Norfolk" near Great Bridge on November 14, to investigate rumors that Patriot militia had arrived in the area from North Carolina.