April 18, 1781

British Take Williamsburg

The troops under William Phillips and Benedict Arnold occupy Williamsburg and then destroy the shipyard on the nearby Chickahominy River. Moving west, they defeat a Virginia militia force under Friedrich von Steuben at Blandford and proceed to destroy supplies, ships, and warehouse at Petersburg, on the James River, in Chesterfield, and at Manchester, before moving back to Petersburg on May 10 to rendezvous with Cornwallis's army.