September 1st to 4th. Lafayette is in Tiverton (marked by ORANGE TRIANGLE). He has command of the Eastern Shore of Rhode Island. Lafayette writes a letter from Tiverton on 9/1.
September 5th to 20th. Lafayette is in Bristol (marked by the ORANGE STAR). His headquarters was the Reynolds House. Lafayette writes a letter from Bristol on September 5. On September 8th he writes ”the Bristol post continues to be the most exposed one, and consequently I shall remain here.” Israel Angell’s diary reports he had dinner with Lafayette in Bristol on September 6 and heard that New Bedford had been attacked by the British. He dined with Lafayette on the 12th as well. On September 8th he writes to Silas Talbot from Bristol suggesting a plot to captures the British vessel Pigot. September 13th he writes to his wife Adrienne from Bristol.
September 21st through 24th. Lafayette camps outside of Warren (ORANGE SQUARE near Warren.) He writes to d’Estaing and George Washington from Warren on September 21. In his letter to Washington he comments that in response to advice from General Sullivan, he “is in a safer place behind Warren.” On September 23rd he writes to the President of Congress from outside Warren. ”The moment I heard of America, I loved her. The moment I knew she was fighting for freedom, I burnt with the desire of bleeding for her..”
September 25th. Lafayette left for Boston and the Rhode Island Campaign is at an end. (BLUE LINES OFF TO BOSTON).
By October 5 Washington has requested that General Sullivan grant permission for Lafayette’s leave from duty.
Reynolds House, Bristol. Lafayette Headquarters
Resources: 1899, The Diary of Colonel Israel Angell Commanding Offifficer, 2nd Rhode Island Regiment, Continental Army, Edward Field, Israel Angell, Norman Desmarais
August 22. Lafayette is Major General for the Day. Lafayette and General Sullivan argue over Sullivan’s letter to D’Estaing. Lafayette refuses to agree to the letter because he finds it insulting to the French.
August 23. At counsel of War Lafayette backed an immediate retreat even though he was unhappy with the American position about the French. Lafayette is bitter about the claims the French deserted the Americans.
At Butts Hill (RED DIAMOND).
August 27. American forces decide to move to Butts Hill.
August 27. Lafayette leaves that evening to ride to Boston to talk to d’Estaing. Lafayette crosses Howland Ferry (RED TRIANGLE) to Tiverton.
August 28. Lafayette rode all night. 7 hours and 70 miles. Lafayette arrives in Boston about the same time the French Fleet Arrived. Boston is marked with a BLUE STAR.
August 29. Lafayette, John Hancock and General Heath meet with d’Estaing at Hancock’s home in Boston (BLUE STAR). The French will not return to Rhode Island.
August 30. Lafayette returns at 11 PM to Portsmouth by way of Howland Ferry (RED TRIANGLE>. He has missed the battle but has taken a role in the retreat.
August 31. Lafayette escorts the last pickets are off the Island via Howland Ferry (RED TRIANGLE) after 2 AM.
“Retreat of Rhode Island” One of the medallions on the guard of the sword presented to Lafayette by the Congress. In Recollections of the Private Life of Lafayette by Cloquet.
Resources:
Kitchin, Thomas. “A map of the colony of Rhode Island.” Map. London: Printed for R. Baldwin at the Rose, Pater Noster Row, 1778. Digital Commonwealth, https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/6t053p17c (accessed January 16, 2024).
August 14th. The storm ends. Americans begin new earthworks at Butts Hill marked with RED DIAMOND. Early morning the soldiers “examine their arms and renewed their cartridges.” (Cutler’s diary) Supplies had been damaged in the storm.
August 15th. At 6 AM the whole army proceeds to march toward Newport in three columns. Americans halt advance at between 4 and 5 PM within site of the British lines. American lines run from West Main Road to Green End in Middletown marked with a RED CIRCLE.
August 16th. Americans are building a four cannon battery north of Green End marked by RED CIRCLE. The British fire their cannons at them. A diary notes that Lafayette is camped at the Bowler Farm on Wapping Road marked by the RED STAR.
August 17th. Lafayette is Major General for the day. Siege operations (marked by RED CIRCLE) are in full force. Lafayette oversees the siege works from the top of a house. The British attacked the house and Culter’s diary entry remarks: “Stood by the Marquis when a cannon ball just passed us. Was pleased with his firmness..”
August 21. Lafayette, General Green and Col. Langdon go aboard the Languedoc marked with a BROWN CIRCLE. The French only agree to take American forces off of Aquidneck Island. Americans would not agree to that and the French fleet would sail away.
Woodcut by Howard Benson in Eric O.D. Taylor’s “The Campaign on Rhode Island.” Used with permission of Benson family.
Source: Life, Journals and Correspondence of Rev. Manassa Cutler. https://archive.org/details/lifejournalscorr01cutl
Red Triangle: Americans learn the British have left northern Aquidneck Island known as Rhode Island. Sullivan orders his troops to cross over to Portsmouth at Howland Ferry.
Brown Square: At 4 PM Lafayette goes onboard D’Estaing’s ship Languedoc out to sea by Newport. The ship is out to sea by Newport. The French decide to do battle with the British fleet that has appeared outside Newport. They are also unhappy that the Americans have moved onto Aquidneck Island before them.
August 10 – 13th, 1778
Red Diamond: Butts Hill area
August 10th, Lafayette and the Americans are camped around Butts Hill fortifications in Portsmouth.
August 11th, the Americans are still by Butts Hill with Lafayette as Major General of the Day. American troops parade at 4 PM. Lafayette’s troops paraded on the left and Greene’s troops on the right. A storm like a hurricane hits the island.
August 12th and 13th, the Storm is at its most fierce. Soldiers have no tents or shelter. Lafayette and Col. Wade inspect the water-logged American camp around Butts Hill.
British and French ships are returning damaged by the storm.
Languedoc returning without masts from Storm and Battle with British fleet.
Ozanne, Pierre, Artist. Le vaisseau le Languedoc dématé par le coup de vent dans le nuit du 12′ attaqué par un vaisseau de guerre Anglois l’après midy du 13 Aoust. [194] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2004670063/>.
As a researcher for the Battle of Rhode Island Association, I was asked to investigate Lafayette’s role in the Rhode Island Campaign. I looked at the usual “Lafayette stayed here” locations and I wrote about them, but the more I researched the more I realized the very special role Lafayette played in the Rhode Island Campaign. My current project is to trace Lafayette’s movements throughout Rhode Island. It is both a timeline and an attempt to follow him on a map made by his cartographer at the time. What I am sharing now are my approximations. I have used his letters, Orderly Reports, diaries, and trusted secondary sources. Accounts do not always agree, so I have tried to make sure I had confirmations before I listed places and times. This is a work in progress and I would welcome corrections that give me more factual information.
On the Road: The Gathering of the Troops
The Marquis de Lafayette was hopeful about the Rhode Island Campaign as he marched toward Rhode Island. He wrote to General John Sullivan from Saybrook on 28 July, 1778: “I hope a pretty decent set of laurels may be collected upon that island, and we will terminate the whole by joining English country dances to French cotillions in company with the fine and reputed ladies of the charming place.” (1) (Idzerda)
The Rhode Island Campaign was the first joint effort of the American and French forces during the American Revolution. In July of 1778 the French fleet under d’Estaing sailed to America. One idea was for the French to help American forces to free New York from British control, but the fleet had problems sailing in that direction. As d’Estaing steered his fleet toward Rhode Island, General Washington wrote to General Sullivan ordering him to raise 5,000 New England troops. He was to gather provisions and flatboats in preparation to work with the French fleet in releasing the British hold on Aquidneck Island (Rhode Island). Washington put twenty year old Lafayette in charge of General James Varnum’s four regiments as well as Glover’s and Jackson’s regiments. The troops had already started on the road to Rhode Island, and Lafayette had to catch up with them. By July 28th, 1778, Washington divided the forces into two divisions – one under General Nathanael Greene and the other under the leadership of Lafayette. The divisions would include both militia and the more experienced Continental troops. Lafayette caught up with his troops in Lyme, Connecticut. He took a route through Guilford, Saybrook, Norwich and Plainfield, Connecticut before he moved into Rhode Island.
Lafayette had a major role in the Rhode Island Campaign. To his dismay, he would miss being in the action at the Battle of Rhode Island, but he was active in every other phase of the Campaign. This timeline of his movements actually serves to illustrate the various stages of the Campaign. Lafayette was intimately involved in most segments of the action from August 1, 1778 to the end of September.
George Washington gave him joint command of the American troops.
He often served as “Major General of the Day” during the Siege of Newport. That meant he had the responsibility of reviewing the troops, checking supplies, attending the hospital, and carrying out discipline. He would assess the lines and entrenchments to place fortifications. He was the eyes and ears of the commander.
He was an American representative in talks with d’Estaing. He was sent to Boston in a last ditch effort to bring the French Fleet back to Newport.
On his return from Boston he led the last of the American forces off of Aquidneck Island.
He commanded the American troops guarding the East side of Narragansett Bay.
August 1,1778. Lafayette’s first stop is Angell’s Tavern (the GREEN SQUARE) in South Scituate, Rhode Island. The 2 divisions which had headed for Rhode Island met there. This was about 12 miles from Providence, so it was an opportunity for the troops to rest.
August 2-5 1778. Lafayette goes to Providence (located at the Green Circle) ahead of his troops. He stays with Governor Bowen. He accepts Washington’s orders that he shares command with General Greene.
August 4,1778. Lafayette was aboard the French flagship Le Languedoc (Brown Square) to meet with French commander d’Estaing. The French fleet was waiting off of Point Judith and d’Estaing provided Lafayette with the ship Provence to bring him back to Providence. Lafayette writes to d”Estaing on August 5th summarizing their discussions and he also relays the hesitance of Sullivan and Greene to a plan where Lafayette would head a joint effort with French soldiers.
August 6th through the 8th, 1778. Lafayette and his men march toward Tiverton through Rehoboth, Swansea and Fall River to the Howland Ferry., marked by the BLUE STAR. Lafayette is at Sullivan’s Headquarters at Tiverton by August 8th.
Idzerda, Stanley. Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution, Selected Letters and Papers, 3 Volumes , 1776-1790. Cornell University : Ithaca,N.J. 1979.
A friend let me know that the old sheep shed at Glen Farm is gone. Only the foundation remains. When my Elmhurst students interviewed the Camara sisters many years ago, Geri Leis talked about this shed fondly. This is her clubhouse in the 1940s. In honor of the memories of the Sheep Shed, I am posting clips from interviews the Camara Sisters where they talk about what it was like to play on Glen Farm.
portsmouthhistorynotes 