American patriots burned most of Norfolk but blamed Britain for it

Evidence

On the basis of depositions of witnesses and an inspection of the site, the commissioners concluded that, while British cannon fire on January 1–2 demolished 19 buildings in Norfolk, mostly along the wharf, Virginia troops destroyed 893 buildings then and another 416 “by order of the Convention” after January 16. … Throughout 1776, the destruction of Norfolk remained a pretext for independence. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 29

Categorization

• XREF: Parallels how atrocity narratives are retrospectively constructed and weaponized for political causes, echoing themes from readings on propaganda and self-serving historical memory. — connects to: Dunmore’s emancipation offer drove white Virginians toward destroying Norfolk — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 19
• SEED: Article angle: the first fiery ‘pretext’ of the American founding was largely self-inflicted — a case study in how nations manufacture the grievances they claim animate them.