On August 2, 1945, the old Norfolk-Ledger-Dispatch newspaper ran an interesting article about the Battle of Craney Island by well-known local historian Rev. W.H.T. Squires, D.D.. At the end, he mentioned a letter by George D. Wise, a farmer on Craney Island, describing the attack. The letter was written on July 19, 1813, 27 days after the attack.
"Dear Brother: I am alive and tolerably well. but stripped nearly of all. I have my plantation laid waste by the English and by our own people. They have taken the Island and my plantation overrun by the soldiers.
"The British made an attack on the island and landed at my house landing and destroying all at the house even to the ... and when they went to attack the island they threw a rocket on the house where I lived and destroyed it, when they were driven back they commenced plunder.
"They got my sheep and nearly all of my hogs and part of my cattle. They went so far as to burn down plows sand every other trifling thing."
A Real Bad Day for George. --Brock-Perry
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