The Battle of Kemp's Landing, also known as the Skirmish of Kempsville, was a skirmish in the American Revolutionary War that occurred on November 15, 1775. Militia companies from Princess Anne County in the Province of Virginia assembled at Kemp's Landing to counter British troops under the command of Virginia's last colonial governor, John Murray, Lord Dunmore, that had landed at nearby Great Bridge. Dunmore was investigating rumors of Patriot troop arrivals from North Carolina that turned out to be false; he instead moved against the Princess Anne militia, defeating their attempt at an ambush and routing them. Dunmore followed up the victory with a reading of his proclamation declaring martial law and promising freedom to slaves belonging to Patriot owners if they served in the British military. This increased opposition to his activities, and he was eventually forced to leave Virginia. Tensions in the British Colony of Virginia were raised in April at roughly the same time that the hostilities of the Revolutionary War broke out in the Province of Massachusetts Bay with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Rebellious Whigs in control of the provincial assembly had begun recruiting troops by March, leading to a struggle for control of the colony's military supplies. Under orders from John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia, British troops removed gunpowder from the colonial storehouse in Williamsburg, alarming the Whigs that dominated the colonial legislature.

Dunmore's forces, including the "Ethiopian Regiment" (African Americans who had liberated themselves from slavery), marched north on Kempsville Road to Kemp's Landing, a critical crossing point near Norfolk. There, they faced off against the Princess Anne County Militia, who were attempting an ambush. The inexperienced Patriots tried to ambush the British but failed, and were quickly routed by Dunmore and his men. Dunmore’s force included experienced British Regulars, Loyalist Militia, and members of the Ethiopian Regiment, which was made up of freed slaves. The British victory temporarily gave Dunmore control of Virginia and he declared Martial Law. However, the Patriot loss, plus the release of Dunmore’s Proclamation promising freedom to escaped slaves of Patriot landowners turned the tide against him and the Crown in Virginia. The victory at Kemp's Landing allowed Dunmore to march to Norfolk, which was a loyalist stronghold, and easily take the city. However, Dunmore's victory was short-lived; he would be defeated at the Battle of Great Bridge a few weeks later, leading to his eventual departure from Virginia. After securing the town, Dunmore raised the British standard, and read out the text of his proclamation. The next day more than 100 militiamen who had previously opposed him swore an oath to the Crown, claiming that they had been forced into arms by the Patriots. Dunmore then moved on to Norfolk, where he again raised the standard, and began developing defenses in and around the town.