Billy Flora

William "Billy" Flora, a free-born African American from Portsmouth, Virginia, etched his name into the annals of the American Revolution with an act of extraordinary bravery at the Battle of Great Bridge in December 1775. As a sentry, he was the last man to retreat from his post under heavy British fire, famously ripping up a plank from the bridge as he fell back, thus impeding the British advance and allowing Patriot forces crucial time to ready their defenses. His courageous stand, lauded even by contemporary newspapers, secured a vital early victory for the American cause in Virginia and demonstrated the unwavering commitment of individuals like Flora to the fight for independence, a fight that ironically did not yet grant them full liberty themselves.