Revolutionary War Defenses in Rhode Island

Revolutionary War Defenses in Rhode Island

John K. Robertson, PhD.

From having but a single fortification in 1774 that protected its Newport harbor at the start of the Revolution, Rhode Island quickly developed a network of forts to protect its ports and citizens from a British presence within the state. The British on Aquidneck Island and neighboring Conanicut Island also developed forts to protect themselves from the Americans and prevent themselves from being thrown off the islands. After the British left in October 1779, fort building slowed until July 1780, when the French allies arrived. This triggered a new round of fort building centered on protecting the French on Aquidneck Island from British attempts to destroy their fleet and army. By summer 1781, fort building had ceased, and American use of the forts dwindled to a few key installations.

So, the remnants of forts we see today are the remains of American, British, and French periods of fort building. In many cases a British fort replaced an American fort and was replaced by a French fort. Revolutionary War Defenses in Rhode Island updates Edward Field’s and George Cullum’s work on Rhode Island forts produced in the late 1800s. This book covers American, British and French fortifications within the state and includes almost 300 maps and plans, including 9 period maps in color. It is designed as a reference book, and while it tells part of the story of the war in Rhode Island, it doesn’t tell the whole story — something Robertson hopes to accomplish in his future writings.