The Battle of Cape Henry was a naval battle in the American War of Independence which took place near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on 16 March 1781 between a British squadron led by Vice Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot and a French fleet under Admiral Charles René Dominique Sochet, Chevalier Destouches. Destouches, based in Newport, Rhode Island, had sailed for the Chesapeake as part of a joint operation with the Continental Army to oppose the British army of Brigadier General Benedict Arnold that was active in Virginia.

Admiral Destouches is asked by General George Washington to take his fleet to the Chesapeake to support military operations against Arnold by the Marquis de Lafayette.

Sailing on 8 March, he is followed two days later by Admiral Arbuthnot, who sails from eastern Long Island.

Arbuthnot's fleet outsails that of Destouches, reaching the Virginia Capes just ahead of Destouches on March 16.

After maneuvering for several hours, the battle is joined, and both fleets suffer some damage and casualties without losing any ships.

However, Arbuthnot is positioned to enter the Chesapeake as the fleets disengage, frustrating Destouches' objective.

Destouches returns to Newport, while Arbuthnot protects the bay for the arrival of additional land troops to reinforce General Arnold.