Battle of Green Spring

Battle of Green Spring Part of American Revolutionary War Battle of Green Spring Date July 6, 1781 Location James City County, Virginia Result British Victory Belligerents United States Kingdom of Great Britain Commanders and leaders Anthony Wayne Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis Strength 800 5,000 Casualties and losses 28 Killed 122 Wounded 75 Killed and Wounded

Battle of Green Spring took place at Green Spring Plantation in James City County, Virginia during the American Revolutionary War.

Green Spring is a colonial era plantation developed by Royal Governor Sir William Berkeley in Virginia near the northwest tip of Jamestown Island, southwest of Williamsburg.

On July 6, 1781 United States General "Mad" Anthony Wayne was repulsed at Green Springs Farm by the British army in the last major battle of the Virginia campaign prior to the siege of Yorktown.

General Wayne with 800 men was unknowingly facing the entire British Army of 5,000 men under General Cornwallis at Green Spring. Wayne tried to confuse the enemy by sending marksmen forward and by sending runners back five miles to the Continental Army to let them know what he was facing. The British commander, not fooled by Wayne's ruse, began to advance. Wayne recognizing that he would be overwhelmed before the American army could arrive, organized a bayonet charge. Wayne was repulsed & retreated after seeing the main British force where he was then outnumbered 3-1. The British did not pursue the retreating Americans and withdrew to Portsmouth, and then later to Yorktown where they then realized they had a missed an opportunity

In the battle, the British had about 70 rank and 5 officer casualties. The Americans had 28 killed, with a total of 140 killed, wounded and captured.

External links

• NPS Yorktown Battlefield: Background on Green Spring
• History of War, General Anthony Wayne
• First hand account of the battle by a private
• website for Battle of Green Spring Reenactment Event planned for 2006
• [Diary transcriptions for 1781-1782 from apparently a unknown member of Anthony Wayne's Pennsylvania Light Infantry]