Battle--Virginia, 1781

Documented in these pictures is a small encounter between the troops of His Majesty King George III and the Continental Congress, somewhere in Virginia in the hot summer of 1781.

 

The lines of regular troops march toward each other.  The 80th Regiment (Royal Edinburgh Volunteers) form the main strength of the British force.  They are opposed by the 2nd Pennsylvania, a crack Continental regiment.

Banastre Tarleton's feared British Legion sweeps down into the flank of the Virginia militia company.  Faced with yelling riders waving gleaming sabers, some of the militia break and run.  Others stay to continue their musketry duel with the Loyalist Volunteers of Ireland.

A company of Lafayette's elite light infantry moves to plug the gap left by the retreating militia.

With the militia breaking, the commanders of the Continental force see no reason to continue the fight.  They have probed the enemy's strength and will return with a full report for the Marquis de Lafayette.