At the Battle of Great Bridge, Virginia and North Carolina militia defeat a British force consisting of Loyalists and slaves commanded by Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia. This Patriot victory secures Virginia and forces out the Virginia royal government from Norfolk, its temporary stronghold.
Tip O'Neill born
American politician Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill is born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. O'Neill represented Massachusetts in the House of Representatives from 1953 to 1987, where he later served as its Speaker from 1977 to 1987.
Congress establishes Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War
In response to the disastrous Battle of Ball's Bluff, Congress establishes the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. One of the most aggressive committees in Congressional history, it investigated President Lincoln's handling of the war and the tactical acumen of many Union commanders.
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