Rhode Island Ship Token 1779

Quote:
The War for Independence

The beginning of the Revolutionary War is marked by the events of April 19, 1775, when British Major John Pitcairn and six light Infantry companies, who had left Boston the previous day, on a mission to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock and seize supplies of munitions, were met with gunfire at Lexington Green, which left 8 colonists dead, and at Concord's North Bridge, where they were turned back. During their return march to Boston, firing continued along the 16 miles of roadway, resulting in 273 British and 95 colonial casualties by late afternoon.

In Narragansett Bay, the Rose, under the command of James Wallace, was making an impact. A number of merchant ships were seized. The angry merchant community of Newport petitioned the government in Providence for assistance, On June 15, 1775, June, the Rhode Island General Assembly ordered two ships to be purchased and fit out to defend the colony's shipping - the sloops Katy (later renamed Providence) and Washington.

The Katy was immediately put under the command of Captain Abraham Whipple and that day attacked a tender to the HMS Rose, made her run aground on Conanicut Island, and captured her.

In late July, 1775, Wallace's ships threatened to fire on Newport unless they received provisions. When their demands were satisfied, they left. Many residents also chose to leave Newport, believing they would be safer on the mainland.

On December 10, 1775, 200 British and Hessian troops landed at East Ferry on Conanicut Island and marched to West Ferry, where they burned the ferry house. As they returned to East Ferry, they destroyed many buildings, including fourteen homes; which caused more than 200 of Conanicut Island's 556 residents to flee to the mainland.

In December, 1776, a British fleet arrived in Narragansett Bay and, on December 7, occupied Newport.

The colonial militia batteries at Fort Dumpling (now part of Fort Wetherill) and the Conanicut Battery at Beaverneck (just south of Fort Getty) were taken over by the British. With the British in control of Narragansett Bay, the Continental fleet was prevented from leaving Providence.

An attempt was made to break the occupation of Newport in the spring of 1778, combining a land attack from the north with a sea attack by a French fleet. The fleet, however, ran into a severe storm and had to divert to Boston. Without sea support, the land forces had to withdraw.

The British did not leave Narragansett Bay until October 1779. As they departed, they destroyed the fortifications they had occupied, and burned Beavertail lighthouse as well.