1780-81: A Year of Planning
Latest changes:
2013-09-05: created /
Settling into Newport
1780 July: The Rhode Island Continental Regiment (see flag at right)
served as guards and local guides for the French as they
established their camps and defensive battlements at Newport.
Upon disembarkation many of the men were quite ill and required hospitalization. As was usual in most wars until the 20th century illness was the main cause of death for soldiers. Deaths in the French Expeditionary Force (including later re-inforcements) during its thirty months in the U.S. are given in the table below.
aux Etats-Unis de 1777 à 1783", which includes the navy and d'Estaing's expedition in 1778-79.] |
French Army Camps on Aquidneck Island[The following Interpretation and modern references are by Richard Sheryka, Chairman of the W3R-RI Military Committee.]Gen. Rochambeau lodged in a house belonging to William Vernon (who was living in Boston MA at the time), It is interesting to note that George Washington's new home under construction in Virginia called Mt. Vernon and that its exterior boards were cut and painted to look like stone blocks -- just like the boards on William Vernon's home in Newport. Lauzun's Legion was stationed near Castle Hill (South of Brenton's Point). The infantry units were camped east of Newport, roughly along the line of the current Bowery and East Bowery Streets. Several cannon were placed just south of this line and just north of the current Narragansett Avenue, forming a defensive line along the narrow waist of the island. There was also a northern defense line, based on older British defense works, part of which -- the earthworks of the Redoubt Saintonge -- can still be seen on Vernon Avenue in Middletown. Some say these works were originally constructed by the British before the Battle of Rhode Island and later improved by the Saintonge Regiment. |
An Effective British Blockade1780 July 20 -- Shortly after the French arrived at Newport thirteen British ships-of-the-line under British Admiral Thomas Graves arrived outside Newport, effectively blockading the smaller French naval squadron in the harbor. Weeks, then months, slipped by with no opportunity for reinforcing the French army by sea or using the French ships to harrass supply vessels for the British garrison in New York City.1780 Sep 20-22 -- Washington met with Rochambeau in Hartford CT. Washington did not speak French, and Rochambeau did not speak English, yet they worked together to coordinate a successful joint military operation that involved troops and ships from Boston to the Caribbean islands. Since it was now clear that the remaining French troops were not en route from France, and since no significant military operation was possible without the assistance of the French navy, the commanders agreed that Rochambeau's troops should settle in for the winter at Newport. |
Hussars Move to Lebanon CT1780 November: Lauzun's hussars (who had now acquired horses) went to winter quarters at Lebanon CT, 5 miles south of Willamantic. They remained in Lebanon for seven months, until 1781 June. During this time the hussars delivered messages and guarded the French engineers as they mapped and improved the roads to the chain of campsites that would be used during the French troop movements from Newport RI to New York NY. In 1780 Dec 13-15 Gen. Rochambeau visited Boston MA, lodging in Governor John Hancock's home. 1780 Dec 15: Chef d'escadre Ternay died in Newport RI and was buried there. Command of the French squadron at Newport passed to capitaine de vaisseau Des Touches. |
Blockade Thwarted, RI Regiment Mauled1781 January -- The British sent a naval squadron to blockade Newport. In spite of the bad weather the 64-gun Eville and two French frigates mauled the British ships.1781 March -- Washington conferred with Rochambeau in Newport RI. Washington stopped at Lebanon CT to review Lauzun's hussars. The allied command decided to consolidate their forces near Dobbs Ferry NY ==> Also in this month British Gen. Cornwallis suffered 500 dead or wounded (25% of his force) at Guilford Courthouse NC. 1781 May: The First Rhode Island Regiment was encamped in Crompond NY (now Yorktown Heights NY).under the command of Colonel Christopher Greene. This regiment had approximately 200 men, many of whom were of African descent. The regiment was there to guard the approaches to Pines Bridge to prevent use of that bridge by the forces opposing the Revolution (British troops and Tory forces). On the morning of May 14, 1781, a Tory unit called DeLancey's Refugees crossed the Croton River and surprised the First Rhode Island Regiment, which was overrun in fierce fighting. Both Col. Greene and Major Ebenezer Flagg died, along with many of the troops. Many others were wounded, and over twenty soldiers were captured. The officers were buried in the Crompond Presbyterian Church Cemetery. The soldiers were buried in a mass grave somewhere near their headquarters (Davenport House). Read about  the plan to create a monument
[Yorktown (NY) Historical Society] at the site of this battle.
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Finally, a Plan for Action!1781 May 21-23 -- General Washington met with General Rochambeau and Armiral Barras at Wethersfield CT (just south of Hartford). Admiral Barras argued against any plan for transporting the French troops from Newport to the Chesapeake Bay to help drive British forces from the southern states, noting he did not have adequate naval strength to defend a fleet of transports against the British fleet stationed in and near New York.The allied commanders decided to march the French troops to New York to prepare for a possible attack there, supported by the French fleet under Admiral de Grasse, currently in the Caribbean Sea. The artillery units would bring by land only a few field guns and mortars. The heavy artillery and most of the munitions would be left with Admiral Barras in Newport for later delivery by sea. The historic march of the allied French and Continental
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