In a corner of Butts Hill Fort there is a boulder that obviously once held a plaque. The Butts Hill Fort Restoration Committee is diligently working on clearing the area around the boulder and there are hopes of restoring the plaque or making a facsimile to restore the memorial to its intended tribute. Today the original memorial is damaged and in the protective custody of the Portsmouth Historical Society. We know what it looked like in its prime.

A 1925 book “France and New England” by Alan Forbes and Paul Cadman, prominently mentioned the plaque and features an image of it. (1)

“Butts Hill Fort, on the east road between Tiverton and Newport and in the township of Portsmouth, on the north end of the island of Rhode Island, has been permanently associated with Lafayette by placing at the southeast corner of the earthworks a native boulder, on the face of which is a bronze tablet, the inscription reading as follows:

To mark the site of

Butts Hill Fort in the Field of the Battle of Rhode Island

August 29, 1778

The Major General

John Sullivan and Nathanael Greene

Commanding the Continental Troops

Pronounced by the Marquis De Lafayette

The Best Fought Action of

The War of the Revolution

Erected by the Rhode Island

Daughters of the American Revolution

1922

Even before Rev. Roderick Terry purchased the land that encompassed Butts Hill Fort, the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) were honoring the fort on the one hundred and forty-fourth anniversary of the Battle. Newspaper accounts at the time report that two hundred and fifty people gathered on August 29, 1922 to unveil a tablet that “commemorates the battle on August 29, 1778 when sturdy Americans under Gen. John Sullivan fought the best planned battle of the Revolution.” (2)

The unveiling drew members of the D.A.R. from all “corners of Rhode Island and neighboring states.” (Newport Mercury). Other organizations took part in the ceremonies as well. Portsmouth Girl Scouts gave the bugle call and sang the “Star Spangled Banner.” Invitations were sent to the Sons of the American Revolution, Rhode Island Historical Society, Newport Historical Society, Rhode Island Citizens Historical Society, Bristol Train of Artillery, Sons and Daughters of the Puritans and Quequechan Chapter from Fall River. The public was invited to attend. (3)

After the unveiling, prayers and speeches, the guests were treated to a basket lunch at the Sprague Street home of Mrs. D. Frank Hall. It was the Hall family that owned the fort property before Rev. Terry bought it and put it into the care of the Newport Historical Society.

The Lafayette quote “The best fought action of the War of the Revolution” intrigued me because I have been researching the Marquis’ role in the Rhode Island Campaign. This quotation is widely attributed to Lafayette, but I could not find a confirmation in any of his letters of the time. Lafayette missed most of the action in the Battle of Rhode Island because he was sent to Boston to persuade the French fleet to come back to Newport. He did however, lead the last of the American troops to safety in Tiverton. He greatly admired Sullivan’s skill in executing a well planned retreat.

Sources:

  1. Forbes, Aland and Paul Cadman. The French in New England. Boston, State Street Trust, 1925.
  2. Newport Mercury, Sept.2, 1922.
  3. Fall River Evening Herald, August 25, 1922.