Battle+of+Rhode+Island



//__Important figures in the Battle of Rhode Island__//

1. __John Sullivan:__ John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants. He was born on February 17 1740 and died on January 23 1795. He became a very young commander. [|Washington] send General Sullivan to Quebec as a commander for the fallen [|John Thomas]. John S. took command of the force and sent them to a counter attack against the British which was unsuccessful. The failed counter attack led to the first controversial between him and the congress.The congress searched a scapegoat for the failure of the invasion of Canada. He got exonerated and promoted to major general.and Sullivan came back to Washington. Washington placed him in Long Island in command to defend it against the British. [|General Howe's] forces tried to envelop New York City. Sullivan's bravery was indisputable when he engaged the [|Hessian's] which attacked them with pistols both hands. Regardless he got captured. General Howe and his brother [|Richard Howe] convinced John Sullivan to have a conference with members of the Congress in Philadelphia which might lead to peace. He spoke in front of the Congress but the result was not what he expected to happen. [|John Adams] said that the British try that we repudiate our independence. After this John Sullivan was released in a prisoner exchange to rejoin Washington.In the year 1778 he had to go to Rhode Island where he led troops. He worked together with the French Navy which besieged the British-occupied Newport. The French fleet got scattered by a storm so the attempt got called off. This caused the real Battle of Rhode Island. In his home country John Sullivan was a hero. He was elected President re in the years 1786, 1787 and 1789. __ Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet __ Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet was British Army officer in the American Revolution. He was born on 20 September 1720 and died on August 1, 1796.He was born in London, England and died in Stafford, England.

In the 1758 he became Major and from this time his career went only up. He became Lieutenant Colonel. He also became commander from 1769 to 1795.

On June 17, 1775 his career in the American Revolution began. Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet led the left flank of the British in the[| Battle of Bunker Hill]. He was promoted to the permanent grade of Colonel because his actions in the Battle of Bunker Hill illustrated courage and bravery. In the year 1777 he was made a Major General. His career went up further. He was placed in command in Rhode Island where he got promoted again. He became a Lieutenant General in 1782.

In the Battle of Rhode island he fought with 3.000 men against 5.000 men which got led by John Sullivan.

//**__ Battle of Rhode Island __**//

In 1776, the British Army took control of Newport and occupied all of Aquidneck Island. In the year 1777, general [|James Varnum] suggested to George Washington to take slaves (black people) and Indians in the war. George Washington suggested this idea to the [|Governor Nicholas Cooke]. He agreed and on February 8, 1778 the General assembly opened an act which allowed every slave (black people) or Indian to join the army. After the Battle would be won everyone of them would be free. This act raised the amount of soldiers in the army for about 100 people. This soldiers the First Rhode Island Regiment which got led by [|Colonel Christopher Greene]. He was white but all the ranks where taken by black or Indian people. The newly organized army faced combat for the first time in the Battle of Rhode Island on August 29, 1778 on the southern slope of Lehigh Hill. They could hold their position which was very important on the Americans army right wing. The bravery of these soldiers earned special attention from the General John Sullivan. On December 7, 1776, a British fleet sailed into Newport Harbor with an invading army that quickly took control of Newport and the rest of Aquidneck Island. With a mixture of 6.000 Hessians and British soldiers,the british secured a very important port and strategic base to support its plan to split the northern colonies at the Hudson River. After another attempt to dislodge the enemy out of their territory which failed again the Americans had a great plan which took place in the year 1778. The Americans would attack them from the land side and the French which had a significant fleet were going to attack them from the sea. The french fleet was commanded by [|Admiral Charles-Henri d'Estaing]. This was the first joint American-French operation of the war. The attack began on August 8, 1778 as d'Estaing´s fleet sailed past the British to unload 4.000 French troops. On the next day General Sullivan commanded his force of 10.000 soldiers from Tiverton to Portsmouth at the north end of Aquidneck Island. from there he started marching to Newport.

At this time a British fleet which got led by Admiral Richard Howe arrived at the mouth of [|Narragansett Bay]. This forced d'Estaing to sail out to confront the enemy. As the two fleets were ready to fight a very big storm came up which damaged and scattered many ships. Both fleets needed repairs so the British fleet returned to New York and the French fleet went to Boston. John Sullivan abandoned the siege and withdrew his forces to the north end of the island. When British General Pigot heard from this he directly sent his army in immediate pursuit. General Sullivan arranged himself and his army on the high ground with[| General Nathanael] on the right flank, covering West Main Road, and [|General John Glover] on the left, controlling East Main Road. The British halted as they confronted the American front line and they took opposing positions on [|Quaker Hill], [|Turkey Hill] and[| Almy Hill]. The General Pigot launched an assault on the American right from Turkey and Almy Hills. The force was mainly made out of Hessians and was turned back by General James Varnum´s force. They hided behind stone walls. On the next day the two forces faced each other across the valley and fired and shot with cannons. On the next day Sullivan successfully ferried his troops back to the mainland. The Battle of Rhode Island was the largest Battle fought in New England, but ended inconclusively.