Note: These short military histories of men who commanded at the Battle of Rhode Island are focused on their experience up to the Battle of Rhode Island. I am researching for a role playing activity about the decisions made at the Battle of Rhode Island.

Col. Nathaniel Wade 1750 – 1826

During the Rhode Island Campaign he commanded 385 members of the Massachusetts Militia.

Wade was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts and drilled with the Ipswich Minute Men. On December 24, 1774, his company signed on as “Minute Men, to be ready for military operation, upon the shortest notice.” At the beginning of hostilities, his unit pursued British soldiers retreating from the battles of Concord and Lexington and fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill. In May of 1777 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. As a member of Col. Keye’s Regiment, he went to Rhode Island as part of the secret expedition of General Spencer. The planned invasion of Aquidneck Island never took place, but he stayed in Rhode Island for a time and headed up his own regiment. When orders were given on July 31st, he headed from East Greenwich to Tiverton. As Captain and later Colonel, he commanded troops throughout the campaign in Rhode Island.

Col. Henry Jackson – 1747-1809

Jackson started his military career as an officer of the First Corps of Cadets in Boston. During British occupation, it was disbanded. After the British left Boston, the cadets organized a company with 87 officers and men called the Boston Independent Company in 1776. Jackson was their commander. The unit was made part of Continental service as Jackson’s Additional Continental Regiment. Jackson led this regiment in the Philadelphia campaign of 1777. Jackson was a lifelong friend of Henry Knox who became Secretary of War. Jackson faced criticism for retreating without orders during the Battle of Monmouth. He commanded about 200 Massachusetts Continentals at the battle.

See Christian McBurney’s article for more information on Jackson and the accusations of retreating without orders. https://allthingsliberty.com/2020/10/colonel-henry-jackson-accused-by-his-junior-officers-of-misconduct-at-the-battle-of-monmouth-court-house/