portsmouthhistorynotes

A diary entry by Israel Angell gives us a glimpse of the aftermath of the Battle of Rhode Island:

August 30th. “A Cloudy morning and the wind very high it rained a Considerable in the night the Enemy Remained on their Ground this morning two English friggats Came up yesterday to prevent our retreat but could do but little they Still Remained here. I was Relieved this morning and got Some provisions and being much worn out for the want of sleep went to a hous and took a good knap there was a Cannonade kept up to day and Some small arms from the Sentries at night we Recd orders to Retreat off the Island which we did without the loss of anything, this Retreat was in Consequence of an Express from Genl Washington informing Gen Sullivan that the Brittish Ships of war and transports had sailed from New York Some days before.”

The diary entry tells us 

• That the troops were worn out.  
• They had had little to eat and had not slept.  
• The enemy remained in its position overnight and two English frigates stayed in position.
• On the day after the battle a cannonade was kept up and there was occasional gunfire at sentry positions.
• The Americans received orders to retreat because the British ships were on the way.

August 30th was also a day to tend to the dead and wounded.

• Sullivan listed the American casualties as 30 killed, 138 wounded, and 44 missing.
• Pigot reported that British forces sustained 38 killed, 210 wounded, and 12 missing.   
• American General Sullivan ordered a hundred men to bury the American dead.  
• The wounded were transported to mainland hospitals in Providence, Bristol and elsewhere.  

A diary entry by Israel Angell:

August 31st, 1778.  “Our retreat off the Island was completed by three o’clock this morning it is Supos’d that the Enemy attempted a Retreat last Evening but after finding that we Had Retreated they Returned to their ground as it was late in the morning before they took possession of the forts we left …………..After we had Crost at howlands ferry we Encampt about a mile from Sd. ferry where we tarried this day at Night……”

On the night of August 30/31, American forces departed Aquidneck Island and moved to new positions at Tiverton and Bristol.

Resources:

Diary of Colonel Israel Angell: Commanding the Second Rhode Island Continental Regiment During the American Revolution, 1778-1781.

Christian McBurney’s book on the Rhode Island Campaign.  

Paul Dearden’s book The Rhode Island Campaign of 1778.  

Action in the Battle of Rhode Island took place along East and West Roads. Sometimes there were two or more actions going on at approximately the same time. This brief timeline is an approximation.

For clarification the British and Hessian leaders are noted with a (B) and the American leaders are noted with an (A).

August 29, 1778

Dawn:
*Captain Mackenzie (B) saw empty American works. He travels to Pigot’s (B) headquarters to inform him of withdrawal. Pigot decides to hamper the retreat.

6:30 AM:
*General Prescott (B) moved out with the 38th and 54th Regiments to occupy fortifications at Honeyman’s Hill in Middletown.
*Brigadier General Smith (B) marched toward Quaker Hill by East Road with 22nd and 33rd Regiments with the flank companies of the 38th and 54th.
*On West Road Captain von Malsburg (B) and Captain Noltenius (B) with Hessian Chasseurs advanced toward Laurens (A). Behind them came Major General von Lossberg (B) leading two Anspach battalions.

7 AM:
*Von Malsburg (B) spotted Laurens (A) and Talbot (A) with their Light Corps behind stone walls to the south of Redwood House. Americans were driven back up West Road.
*Livingston’s men (A) attacked Smith’s men (B) from behind stone walls on East Road.
Commander Pigot ordered von Huyne’s Regiment (B) and Fanning’s Regiment (B) to support von Lossberg (B) on West Road.
*Pigot (B) orders Prescott (B) to send 54th Regiment and Brown’s Regiment to reinforce Smith (B) on East Road.

8 AM:
*Von Lossberg (B) sent troops toward Lauren’s positions on three sides.
*Coore’s and Campbell’s troops (B) ran into group fo Wade’s (A) pickets by the intersection of East Road and Union Street.
*British moved down Middle Road and East Road toward Quaker Hill.

8:30 AM:
*Von Lossberg (B) came to aid of Hessian Chasseurs.
*Laurens (A) and his Light Corps was forced to retreat across Lawton’s Valley to the works on a small height in front of Turkey Hill.
*Lauren retreats to Turkey Hill. Laurens was told to retire to main army as soon as possible.
Hessian (B) attackers arrived on top of Turkey Hill.

9 AM:
*Wigglesworth’s Regiment (A), Livingston’s Advanced Guard (A) and Wade’s pickets (A) waited for British at intersection of East Road, Middle Road and Hedley Street.
*Quaker Hill was the scene of intense fighting.
*Americans retreated toward Butts Hill and Glover’s (A) lines.

9:30 AM:
*From top of Quaker Hill, Smith (B) could see strength of Glover’s position.
*Smith was under orders not to begin a general engagement, so he decided against a frontal assault. *Smith withdrew forces to top of Quaker Hill.

*10 AM:
*Von Lossberg’s (B) troops arrived at Turkey Hill.
*Americans had positions on Durfee’s Hill and Butts Hill.
*Samuel Ward (A) and the 1st Rhode Island Regiment (Black Regiment (A)) held an Artillery Redoubt. *His men repulsed von der Malsberg’s (B) men.

11:30 AM:
*Von Lossberg (B) ordered von der Malsburg’s men (B) to try to attack Ward’s (A) First Rhode Island Regiment position again.
*British ships Sphynx, Spitfire, and Vigilant shelled the American positions from the West shore, but they did little damage.
*The Americans held their position.

1PM:
*British ships planned to attack American positions.
*General Greene’s (A) men dragged cannon down to beach and forced the British ships to retreat.

2 PM:
*Pigot B) reached Quaker Hill to observe the action.
*Pigot ordered Landgrave (B) and Ditfurth Regiment (B) to march to von Lossberg’s (B) troops.

4PM:
*General Glover (A) saw movement in British lines and ordered Tyler’s Connecticut militia (A) and Titcomb’s (A) Brigade of Massachusetts militia to positions behind stone walls (maybe Freeborn Street), but the British did not engage.

7PM:
*Landgrave (B) and Ditfurth (B) Regiments arrived at von Lossberg’s lines.

7PM (August 29) to 3AM (August 30) :
*There was sporadic artillery fire and light skirmishing. Musket and cannon shots were heard for seven hours.
*The Battle of Rhode Island was basically over.
*The Americans and British forces retired to their lines.

Resources:
The timeline was culled from McBurney’s Rhode Island Campaign and Dearden’s The Rhode Island Campaign of 1778. Map from Dr. Abbass’ proposal to restore Butts Hill Fort.