by Debi Lander for Bylandersea America 250

Before the first shots rang out at Lexington and Concord, another confrontation was brewing—this time not in Massachusetts, but in Virginia’s colonial capital of Williamsburg. In the spring of 1775, tensions between the royal governor and the colony’s patriots ignited what became known as the Gunpowder Incident, an early spark of rebellion that revealed just how volatile the relationship between Crown and colony had become.

Trouble in the Powder Magazine

At the time, Williamsburg was the seat of Virginia’s government, a genteel town of taverns, wig shops, and Georgian houses surrounding the stately Capitol. In the middle stood the Magazine and Guardhouse, a brick octagonal building erected in 1715 to store arms and ammunition for defense against Native attacks or foreign invasion.

By April 1775, tension simmered throughout the colonies, especially after years of protests in Boston. On the night of April 20, one day after the fighting at Lexington and Concord, Governor John Murray, the Earl of Dunmore, acted before any news of the bloodshed reached Virginia. Fearing that local militia might seize the colony’s weapons, he secretly ordered British sailors from HMS Magdalen to remove the gunpowder stored in Williamsburg’s magazine and transfer it to a naval vessel anchored in the James River.

At dawn, townspeople discovered the theft. Word spread like wildfire. With muskets in hand, armed militiamen from surrounding counties marched toward Williamsburg, ready to defend their rights.

Patrick Henry Steps Forward

Among the patriots roused by the news was Patrick Henry, the fiery orator from Hanover County whose “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech had electrified Virginia just weeks before. Henry led a company of volunteer militiamen toward the capital, demanding either the return of the gunpowder or payment for it.

Governor Dunmore, panicked, sent his family to a British warship for safety and threatened to free enslaved people to suppress any uprising. Eventually, an intermediary—Richard Corbin—delivered payment for the seized powder, defusing the standoff without bloodshed. Still, the episode made it clear that Virginia’s loyalty to the Crown was crumbling fast.

A Prelude to Revolution

The Gunpowder Incident was Virginia’s Lexington and Concord, revealing that royal authority could be challenged and that patriots were ready to take up arms if pushed. Within a few months, Dunmore fled the Governor’s Palace for good. He continued to provoke Virginians from offshore by issuing proclamations that unsettled the colony even further. Most notably, he offered freedom to enslaved men who escaped their patriot owners and joined the British forces. The prospect of liberation drew hundreds to his side and created deep alarm among Virginia’s slaveholding elite. By the following year, Virginia declared independence, and Williamsburg’s once-peaceful streets echoed with talk of war.

Visiting Today

You can still stand where the tension flared. At Colonial Williamsburg, the reconstructed Magazine and Guardhouse displays period weapons and tells the story of that April night. Costumed interpreters often reenact the alarm that swept through the town and the fiery debates that followed. Nearby, the Governor’s Palace showcases Dunmore’s lavish residence—an opulent reminder of the authority that soon vanished.

Take time to stroll down Duke of Gloucester Street, the mile-long avenue connecting the Palace, Magazine, and Capitol. Each site offers a chapter in Virginia’s march toward independence. As you walk, imagine the anxious footsteps of citizens who, centuries ago, stood on the brink of revolution.

🕯️ Did You Know?

The Gunpowder Incident occurred just a day after the battle at  Lexington and Concord—but news traveled slowly in 1775. Neither side in Virginia knew the Revolution had already begun in Massachusetts.

I am a huge fan of Colonial Williamsburg, so next week I will feature my ultimate travel guide to the colonial city, but for now here are a few tips.

Plan Your Visit:

• Location: Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
• Highlights: Magazine and Guardhouse, Governor’s Palace, Capitol Building
• Admission: Access with Colonial Williamsburg tickets; guided tours and military demonstrations are offered daily.
• Nearby: Don’t miss the College of William & Mary, Bruton Parish Church, and the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
• Walking the streets of Colonial Williamsburg is free and does not require a ticket.

Do You Know? Governor Dunmore: Virginia’s Last Royal Governor

John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, served as the final royal governor of Virginia from 1771 to 1776. Born in Scotland and loyal to King George III, Dunmore initially sought to maintain peace among Virginia’s factions, but his heavy-handed actions helped fuel rebellion instead.
After ordering the seizure of Williamsburg’s gunpowder in April 1775, he fled the Governor’s Palace as patriots rallied against him. From the safety of a British warship, Dunmore issued the Dunmore Proclamation, offering freedom to enslaved people who would join the British forces—an act that further inflamed tensions.

Driven from Virginia entirely by mid-1776, he sailed for England, his name forever linked with the colony’s march toward independence. Today, interpreters at Colonial Williamsburg portray Dunmore’s conflicted loyalties and the difficult choices faced by those who stood between king and colony.