The Chesapeake Raid was an

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

campaign by

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

naval forces under the command of Commodore Sir George Collier and land forces led by Major General Edward Mathew. Between 10 May and 24 May 1779 these forces raided economic and military targets up and down

Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / ...

. The speed with which the British moved caught many of the bay's communities by surprise, so there was little to no resistance. The British destroyed economically important supplies of tobacco and coal, and destroyed naval ships, port facilities, and storehouses full of military supplies.

References

*Russell, David
''The American Revolution in the Southern Colonies''
{{coord, 38, 3, N, 76, 11, W, type:event_region:US-MD, display=title Conflicts in 1779 Battles in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War 1775–1779 Battles of the American Revolutionary War in Maryland Battles of the American Revolutionary War in Virginia Battles involving Great Britain Battles involving the United States 1779 in Maryland 1779 in Virginia Military raids