Tobacco War facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tobacco War
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Date 1780–1781 Location Virginia Result destruction of 10,000 hogsheads of tobacco liberation of enslaved people
Belligerents
United States	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Charles Cornwallis, Benedict Arnold, William Phillips

The Tobacco War was a series of events that happened in Virginia during the American Revolutionary War. It took place between 1780 and 1781. British forces, led by generals like Charles Cornwallis, William Phillips, and Benedict Arnold, destroyed a lot of tobacco.

The British burned about 10,000 large barrels of dried tobacco leaves. Each barrel, called a hogshead, weighed about 1,000 pounds (450 kg). This was a big loss for the American colonists.

Why the British Burned Tobacco

The British had a clear goal during the American Revolutionary War. They wanted to win in the southern colonies. One way they tried to do this was by causing huge money losses for the Americans.

Tobacco was a very important crop for the colonists. They sold it to other countries. The money they earned from tobacco helped pay for their war against Britain. The British wanted to stop this trade completely. Their navy was already trying to capture tobacco shipments at sea. Burning the tobacco on land was another way to hurt the American economy.

Benedict Arnold's Plan

General Benedict Arnold, who had switched sides to fight for the British, tried to make a deal. In January 1781, he arrived in Richmond, Virginia. He sent a letter to Virginia's governor, Thomas Jefferson.

Arnold offered to spare the city of Richmond from destruction. In return, he demanded that Jefferson surrender all the city's tobacco supplies. Governor Jefferson refused to negotiate with Arnold or hand over the tobacco.

What Happened Next

Since Governor Jefferson refused, the British troops began destroying tobacco. Forces led by General Phillips burned about 8,000 hogsheads of tobacco. This happened in several towns, including Petersburg, Manchester, Blandford, and Osborne.

The British also burned the special barns where tobacco was dried, called curing barns. They even set fire to tobacco fields. During these attacks, British forces also freed people who were enslaved by the colonists.

Some of the burned tobacco fields belonged to Thomas Jefferson himself. Thirty of the enslaved people freed by the British were also his. Jefferson later wrote that these actions were "useless and barbarous injury."

The Tobacco War was one of the last big efforts by the British army in Virginia. It caused a lot of damage and financial loss. However, it did not change the final outcome of the Revolutionary War.