The Narransett Bay, where the French fleet arrived prior to the Battle of Rhose Island, can be seen behind the interpretive marker at Rhode Island Battlefield in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

The Narransett Bay, where the French fleet arrived prior to the Battle of Rhode Island, can be seen behind the interpretive marker at the battlefield in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

Historical Marker Database

Rhode Island Battlefield

Declared a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Heritage Park in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, is the site of the Battle of Rhode Island that took place on August 29, 1778. The battle was one of the first combined American-French military operations of the war. In addition, the 1st Rhode Island Infantry, a brigade composed of European Americans, American Indians, and many African Americans, saw action there. Located on Turkey Hill, Heritage Park offers interpretive signage explaining the history of the battle and views of the surrounding battlefield landscape and Narragansett Bay.

The Narransett Bay, where the French fleet arrived prior to the Battle of Rhose Island, can be seen behind the interpretive marker at Rhode Island Battlefield in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. — The Narransett Bay, where the French fleet arrived prior to the Battle of Rhode Island, can be seen behind the interpretive marker at the battlefield in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
Historical Marker Database

Several nearby sites also interpret the battlefield and its history. Nearby Patriots Park, at the junction of West Main Road and Route 24, features a memorial honoring the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, whose ranks included white, Black, and Native American soldiers and which helped repel repeated Hessian attacks.

Patriots Park in Portsmouth, Rhode Island — Patriots Park in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, preserves a portion of the landscape associated with the Battle of Rhode Island, fought on August 29, 1778.
Kacey Victoria (CC BY-SA 4.0)

About a half-mile northeast of the main battlefield, Butts Hill Fort served as an American command post, supply and communications center, and defensive position. Its substantial Revolutionary War earthworks remain visible today.

A sunlit grassy field stretches toward a dense line of leafy trees, with long shadows cast across the ground. — Site of the Butts Hill Fort
Historical Marker Database

Full Map View Nearby Monuments

Rev War | Battlefield

Rhode Island Battlefield

Portsmouth, RI

Rev War | Marker

1st Rhode Island Regiment

Portsmouth, RI

Rev War | Cemetery

Friends Meeting House, Portsmouth, RI

Portsmouth, RI

Butts Hill Fort

Portsmouth, RI

Rev War | Marker

General Lafayette Marker, Tiverton, Rhode Island (RI-8)

Tiverton, RI

Rev War | Marker

Prescott's Headquarters, Middletown, RI

Middletown, RI

Fort Barton

Tiverton

Rev War | Marker

General Lafayette Marker, Bristol, Rhode Island (RI-3)

Bristol, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Joseph Reynolds House

Bristol, RI

Miantonomi Hill

Newport, RI

Green End Fort, Middletown, RI

Middletown, RI

Naval War College Museum, Newport, RI

Newport, RI

Rev War | Marker

Equality Park, Newport, RI

Newport, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

The White Horse Tavern, Newport, RI

Newport , RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Hunter House, Newport, RI

Newport, RI

Rev War | Battlefield

Newport

Newport, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Touro Synagogue

Newport, RI

Rev War | Museum

Artillery Company of Newport Museum

Newport, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Vernon House, Newport, RI

Newport, RI

Rev War | Library

Redwood Library, Newport, RI

Newport , RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Rose Island Lighthouse & Fort Hamiton

Newport, RI

Civil War | Fort

Fort Adams, Newport, RI

Newport, RI

Conanicut Battery, Jamestown, RI

Jamestown, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Kentish Guards Armory and Drill Field

East Greenwich, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Site of the First Colonial Navy

East Greenwich, RI

Rev War | Museum

Varnum Armory Museum

East Greenwich, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

James Mitchell Varnum House, East Greenwich, RI

East Greenwich, RI

Gilbert Stuart Museum

Saunderstown, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Gaspee Monument

Warwick, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

The Major General Nathanael Greene Homestead

Coventry, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Joy Homestead, Cranston, RI

Cranston, RI

Civil War | Historic Site

General Ambrose Burnside House

Providence, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

John Brown House Museum, Providence, RI

Providence, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Governor Stephen Hopkins House

Providence, RI

Civil War | Heritage Site

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument

Providence, RI

Civil War | Historic Site

Burnside Park

Providence, RI

Rev War | Historic Site

Old State House, Providence, RI

Providence, RI

Rev War | Battlefield

Bedford-Fair Haven

Fairhaven, MA

Slater Mill

Pawtucket, RI

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Pawtucket, Rhode Island (RI-168)

Pawtucket, RI

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Plainfield, Connecticut (CT-208)

Plainfield, CT

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, South Walpole, Massachusetts (MA-183)

South Walpole, MA

Rev War | Battlefield

Martha's Vineyard

Vineyard Haven, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Norwich, Connecticut (CT-176)

Norwich, CT

Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park

Groton, CT

U.S. Coast Guard Museum

New London, CT

John Quincy Adams Birthplace

Quincy, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, New London, Connecticut (CT-178)

New London, CT

Fort Trumbull State Park

New London, CT

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Waterford, Connecticut (CT-207)

Waterford, CT

Rev War | Historical Society

Lebanon Historical Society and Museum

Lebanon, CT

Rev War | Historic Site

John Trumbull Birthplace

Lebanon, CT

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Framingham, MA (MA-21)

Framingham, MA

Civil War | Historic Site

Clara Barton Birthplace

North Oxford, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Southborough, MA (MA-20)

Southborough, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Boston, Massachusetts (MA-194)

Boston, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Roxbury, MA (MA-27.5)

Roxbury, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Stonebridge Rd., Wayland, MA (MA-22)

Wayland, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Boston, MA (MA-28)

Boston, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Wayland, MA (MA-23)

Way, MA

Rev War | Cemetery

Granary Burial Ground

Tremont, MA

Rev War | Battlefield

Boston

Cambridge, MA

The Liberty Tree

Boston, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker at Charlton, Massachusetts (MA-64)

Charlton, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Weston, MA (MA-24)

Weston, MA

Rev War | Museum

Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum

Boston, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Boston Common

Boston, MA

Rev War | Marker

General Lafayette Marker, Watertown, Massachusetts (MA-7)

Watertown, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Old South Meeting House

Boston, MA

Civil War | Historic Site

Boston African American National Historic Site

Boston, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Northborough, MA (MA-18)

Northborough, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Shrewsbury, MA (MA-17)

Shrewsbury, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Old State House

Boston, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Watertown, MA (MA-26)

Watertown, MA

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Boston, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Waltham, MA (MA-25)

Waltham, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Marlborough, MA (MA-19)

Marlborough, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Paul Revere House

Boston, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Worcester, MA (MA-16)

Worcester, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Old North Church

Boston, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Cambridge, MA (MA-27)

Cambridge, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Worcester, Massachusetts (MA-119)

Worcester, MA

War of 1812 | Historic Site

USS Constitution

Charlestown, MA

War of 1812 | Museum

USS Constitution Museum

Charlestown, MA

Rev War | Battlefield

Bunker Hill

Charlestown, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Sturbridge, Massachusetts (MA-103)

Sturbridge, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Leicester, MA (MA-15)

Leicester, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Chelsea, Massachusetts (MA-11)

Chelsea, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Arlington, Massachusetts (MA-143)

Arlington, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Jason Russell House

Arlington, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Nathan Hale Homestead

Coventry, CT

Rev War | Historic Site

Munroe Tavern

Lexington, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Spencer, MA (MA-14)

Spencer, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Old Belfry Tower

Lexington, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Old Lyme, Connecticut (CT-45)

Old Lyme, CT

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Lexington, Massachusetts (MA-57)

Lexington, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Buckman Tavern

Lexington , MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Harrington House

Lexington, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Captain William Smith House

Lincoln, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Hartwell Tavern

Lincoln, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Stafford Springs, Connecticut (CT-102)

Stafford Springs, CT

Rev War | Historic Site

Hancock-Clarke House

Lexington, MA

Rev War | Museum

Concord Museum

Concord, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Meriam's Corner

Concord, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Wright's Tavern

Concord, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Tolland, Connecticut (CT-12)

Tolland, CT

Rev War | Historic Site

Barrett House

Concord, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Old North Bridge

Concord , MA

Rev War | Battlefield

Minute Man National Historic Park

Concord, MA

Rev War | Battlefield

Lexington and Concord Battlefields

Concord, MA

Rev War | Marker

Henry Knox Trail Marker at Brookfield, MA (MA-13)

Brookfield, MA

Rev War | Historic Site

Major John Buttrick House

Concord, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Bolton, Massachusetts (MA-13)

Bolton, MA

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Old Saybrook, Connecticut (CT-55)

Old Saybrook, CT

Rev War | Marker

Lafayette Tour Marker, Lynn, Massachusetts (MA-62)

Lynn, MA

Related Battles

Battle Facts

Rhode Island | August 29, 1778

Result: Inconclusive

Estimated Casualties

441

American
181

British
260

View Full Battle Overview

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