The Royalist Governor, Lord Dunmore, took his revenge against the freedom-advocating colonists by frequently dissolving the Council of the Burgesses of Virginia from 1773 to 1776. But instead of going to their homes as directed by the Governor, the Burgesses began to assemble at the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg. It was at this tavern that they resolved to form Revolutionary Conventions.
One of these Conventions was convened in 1774, two in 1775, and finally into the famous Convention of 1776.
In April 1775, Lord Dunmore threatened to free slaves and reduce the capital of Williamsburg to ashes if the colonists rebelled against British authority! Meanwhile, the unpopular governor’s troop strength fell in number, and fearful of being attacked, he abandoned the Governor’s Palace in Williamsburg for the safety of a British ship.
The name of Dunmore became so odious that the Conventions removed it from a new county and rechristened it "Shenandoah." Also, the people began organizing for the expected conflict by organizing Committees of Safety and putting the militia on a war footing.
An ordinance of one of the 1775 Conventions conveniently divided the colony into eighteen districts. The Committees of Safety in these various districts became great factors in the war, acting as military executives in each county.
With Dunmore hiding in his ship, the great Patrick Henry, who had declared, “Give me liberty or give me death!” became the first Governor of the new "Commonwealth."