...neral Sir Sidney Beckwith. The whole British force, including the sailors, was about 5,000 men. Governor Barbour, of Virginia, had assembled several thousand militia, in anticipation of invasion. Craney Island , then in shape like a painter's palette, was separated from the main by a shallow strait, fordable at low tide, and contained about 30 acres of land. On the side commanding the ship-channel were en...