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Block Islanders Endured Military Law during Revolutionary Times

June 1, 2025

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When I speak to student groups I stress the hardships of Aquidneck Islanders during the British Occupation 1776-1779. Until I began to research Block Island in the Revolutionary era, I didn’t realize that they were suffering as well. The Rhode Island Assembly believed that leaving resources on Block Island might tempt the enemy to attack the island. Historian Reverend Livermore comments:
“The policy adopted was much like that of befriending a banker by taking away his money to save him from being robbed.”

Aquidneck Islanders had their livestock taken to feed the British army.

Block Islanders would find their livestock taken by the Rhode Island Colony. An act Passed by the General Assembly in August of 1775 directed that the the island livestock “be brought off as soon as possible, and landed upon the continent.” According to Block Island Historian Rev. Livermore: “Such stock as was suitable was to be sent immediately to the army. Such as was not fit for market was to be sold at public or private sale..” Almost 2,000 sheep and lambs were taken but there was no record how many cows and oxen. Captain John Sands, Joshua Sands, and William Littlefield were authorized to determine how much livestock was needed to feed the islanders. This same committee collected firearms and delivered them to the Rhode Island Committee of Safety. Then the went door to door and suggested that since the livestock was gone, Block Island men should volunteer for the American Army.

Aquidneck Islanders had no freedom of movement during the Occupation. They couldn’t get on or off the island or they would be suspected of spying.

The Colony of Rhode Island decided that Block Island residents were “in the power of the enemy” and therefore they could not leave the island.

“Whereas the inhabitants of New Shoreham, from their peculiar situation, are entirely in the power of the enemy, and very pernicious consequences may attend the intercourse of the said inhabitants with the continent, by means of the intelligence and supplies which the enemy may procure thereby:
” It is therefore voted and resolved, that the said inhabitants be, and they are hereby prohibited from coming from said Island into any other part of this State, upon pain of being considered as enemies to the State, and of being imprisoned in the jail in the county where they may be found, there to remain until they shall be discharged by the General Assembly…”

By the end of 1776 a committee (Sands, Sands and Littlefield) was given permission to gather needed supplies and bring them back to Block Island. In 1777 Block Islanders who were on the mainland were able to go back to the island.

Block Islanders were left under suspicion and without help from the mainland.

August of 1779: General Assembly

“Whereas, many evil minded persons, not regarding the ties of their allegiance to the United States in general, and this state in particular; but influenced by the sordid principles of avarice, continue illicitly to correspond with and supply the inhabitants of New Shoreham, in the county of Newport, with provisions, and other articles, to the great detriment and distress of the virtuous inhabitants of this state.”

“And whereas, the said town of New Shoreham hath been for a long time, and still is, within the power and jurisdiction of the enemies of the United States, whereby they obtain, in consequence of the evil practices aforesaid, supplies for themselves, and intelligence from time to time of the situation of our troops, posts, and shores; by which means they are enabled to make frequent incursions, and thereby commit devastations upon, and rob the innocent inhabitants of their property, and deprive them of their subsistence; wherefore, “Be it enacted, &etc.”

What this act did was to prohibit all trade with the islanders except by special permit. The offender’s property would be confiscated and he might have to do service in a continental battalion, or war vessel until the end of the war. Corporal punishment was the alternative if the offender was a female or unfit to be a soldier. There are records that some Block Islanders were treated as prisoners of war but their fates are unknown. By the end of 1779 the acts prohibiting Block Islanders from going to or from the mainland were abolished, but there were still restrictions on transport of goods. Even Governor Greene had to comply with these rules.

In July of 1780 messengers from the colony came to take whatever horses, cattle, grain, fish or cheese they deemed the Block Islanders could spare.

The Block Island historian Rev. Livermore wrote:

“Thus the Islanders, besides the depredations from the British, denied traffic on the main, unrepresented in the General Assembly of Rhode Island, unprotected by the colony from the enemy, was burdened with a heavy tax. This was taxation without representation; nay more, it was the imposition of a heavy burden upon those cut off from the common privileges on the main and abandoned to the cruel mercies of the enemy. But even this their faith and patriotism could endure while patiently waiting for the dawn of freedom.” (Livermore, pg. 102)

Livermore, S. T. A history of Block Island from its discovery, in , to the present time, 1876. Hartford, Conn., The Case, Lockwood & Brainard co, 1877. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/rc01002999/.

Rhode Island., Bartlett, J. Russell. (185665). Records of the colony of Rhode Island and Providence plantations, in New England: Printed by order of the General assembly. Providence: A. C. Greene and brothers, state printers [etc.].

Finley, A, and Young & Delleker. Rhode Island
. [Philadelphia, 1829] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/76692364/.

Resolves Against the Duties on Tea: Block Islanders in Union

May 28, 2025

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Although Block Island remained neutral in the Revolutionary War, they expressed their unity with other Rhode Island communities in a Town Meeting at New Shoreham, March 2, 1774. According to Livermore’s “History of Block Island,” Newport had sent a copy of resolves on the tea duties and Block Island was asked to unite with the other towns in the Colony. The resolves voted by the Town Meeting give us a glimpse of the grievances of the Americans.

What were the tea duties?

Cartoon from American Battlefield Trust

Americans were consuming smuggled tea and that hurt the profits of the East India Company. This company was a private business, but it was important to Britain’s economy. The British Parliament passed the Tea Act in 1773 to give the East India Company the right to ship its tea leaves directly to America. Only the East India Company could sell tea in the colonies. This lowered the price of East India Company’s tea in America. This forced the colonists to pay a tax of 3 pennies on every pound of tea. The Tea Act thus retained the three pence Townshend duty on tea imported to the colonies. The money was to go to the support of the British Army in the colonies.

What were the Block Island Resolves?

I am listing the resolves, bolding what struck me, and commenting briefly on the concern of the Block Islanders with parentheses.

  1. Therefore we the inhabitants of this town, being legally convened in town meeting, do firmly resolve, as the opinion of said town,
    • 1. That the Americans have as good a right to be as free a people as any upon the earth; and to enjoy at all times an uninterrupted possession of their rights and properties, (Americans were concerned about maintaining their rights and properties)
  2. That the act of the British Parliament, claiming the right to make laws binding upon the Colonies, in all cases whatsoever, is inconsistent with the natural, constitutional, and charter rights and privileges of the inhabitants of this Colony. (Acts like the Tea duties go against the colonial rights given in colonial charters).
  3. That the express purpose for which the tax is levied on the Americans, namely, for the support of government, administration of justice, and defense of His Majesty’s dominions in America, has a direct tendency to render Assemblies useless, and to introduce arbitrary government and slavery. (The duty is suppose to go toward the support of British forces in America. This overrides the authority of the Colonial Assemblies.)
  4. That a tax on the inhabitants of America, without their consent, is a measure absolutely destructive of their freedom, tending to enslave and impoverish all who tamely submit to it. (The phrase “no taxation without representation” is evident here. The Americans have not voted for this.)
  5. That the act allowing the East India Company to export tea to America, subject to a duty payable here, and the actual sending tea into the Colonies, by said Company, is an open attempt to enforce the ministerial plan, and a violent attack upon the liberties of America. (As East India Company is the only sanctioned tea importer, this violates the right to choices in America.)

The other parts of the Block Island resolutions give us an idea of the sympathies of the islanders.

  1. That it is the duty of every American to oppose this attempt. (This is a strong statement of duty to oppose.)
  2. That whosoever shall, directly, or indirectly, countenance this attempt, or in anywise aid or assist in running, receiving, or unloading any such tea, or in piloting any vessel, having any such tea on board, while it remains subject to the payment of a duty here, is an enemy to his country. (Even stronger language calling those who assist in this are enemies.)
  3. That we will heartily unite with our American brethren, in supporting the inhabitants of this Continent in all their just rights and privileges. (This is a call to unity with the colonists).
  4. That Joshua Sands, Caleb Littlefield, and John Sands, Esqs., and Messrs. Walter Rathbone, and Edward Sands, Jr., or the major part of them, be appointed a committee for this town, to correspond with all other committees appointed by any town in this Colony; and said committee is requested to give the closest attention to everything which concerns the liberties of America; and if any tea, subject to a duty here, should be landed in this town, the committee is directed and empowered to call a town meeting, forthwith, that such measures maybe taken as the public safety may require.
  5. And we return our hearty thanks to the town of Newport for their patriotic resolutions to maintain the liberties of their country ; and the prudent measures they have taken to induce the other towns in this Colony to come into the same generous resolutions.
    WALTER RATHBONE,
    Town Clerk:’

Perhaps the sympathies of the Block Islanders were with the other towns in Rhode Island – even if later they technically remained neutral.

Reference: Livermore, ST. A History of Block Island. Block Island Historical Society – 14th printing 2024 (original 1877).

Block Island Revolutionary Connections – Patriots

May 26, 2025

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Block Island in the Revolution is on my mind as I prepare to visit a friend on Block Island. This is a collection of information on Revolutionary Block Island. My understanding is that the island remained uncommitted during the war, but Block Island people were involved in the fight for independence.

Des Barres Map 1779
Catherine Littlefield Greene Miller

Caty Littlefield

A while back I researched women in the Revolution and I learned the story of Catherine Littlefield Greene Miller. Her family called her Caty and she was born on Block Island in 1755. Her mother descended from Block Island founders and her father, John Littlefield, was a member of the Rhode Island legislature. Her Block Island childhood ended with her mother’s death when she was only 10 years old, and Caty went to live with and aunt and uncle. At that time her uncle, William Greene, was a Supreme Court justice, but he went on to being Governor of Rhode Island. Under the guidance of her aunt and uncle, Caty learned how to read and write and how to manage a household. Caty would meet and marry General Nathanael Greene and she took a prominent role in his efforts. She opened her home in Coventry as a hospital when the Rhode Island troops were inoculated for small pox. Caty followed her husband to just about every assignment including Valley Forge.

William Littlefield

William Littlefield was Caty’s younger brother. We learn a little bit about his service in a letter he wrote to Washington to secure a federal position.

“I served my Country upwards of five years in the Continental line of the Army part of which time was in General Greenes family.”

The notes below the transcript of the letter inform us that he didn’t get the job, but he had been active in the war.

William Littlefield (1753–1822), a native of Block Island, R.I., was the younger brother of Catharine Greene, widow of Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene. Littlefield had served with Varnum’s Rhode Island brigade during the early years of the Revolution and in 1779 had become an aide to his brother-in-law. He resigned on 20 June 1780 and returned to Block Island where he fell under suspicion of trading with the enemy although he was later exonerated (Bartlett, R.I. Records, 10:45). In 1785 and 1792 he represented Block Island in the Rhode Island legislature. Littlefield received no post in the civil service and later in the 1790s apparently moved to Tennessee. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-04-02-0052

Before the war started he is listed as being an ensign in Block Island’s militia.

Captain Samuel Dunn

Another Block Island figure was involved in the Gaspee attack. The Gaspee Committeed issued this statement:
“We conclude that it was Captain Samuel Dunn, 1710-c1790 of New Shoreham (Block Island), RI that took part in the attack on the HMS Gaspee, and later went on to service in the Revolutionary War. The Gaspee Days Committee therefore recognizes Captain Dunn as a true American patriot.”

I am confused about which Samuel Dunn was part of the Gaspee action. This Samuel has a son Samuel Dunn, Jr. who was born in 1743. The elder Samuel Dunn would have been over sixty when the Gaspee incident occured.

The next blog will be on the “Battle of Block Island” that featured Esek Hopkins.