The BoRIA Post
The official newsletter of the Battle of Rhode Island Association featuring news, events and Rhode Island history. Learn more at www.battleofrhodeisland.org.
February 2025 Edition
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Historian John Dower Lecture in Portsmouth
BoRIA’s Lecture Series sponsored by a grant from the RI State Legislature (Senator Linda Ujifusa) along with our partners at the Portsmouth Historical Society, the Middle Passage Port Marker Project and NAACP Newport presented a lecture from historian John Dower in honor of Black History Month. Mr. Dower, spoke to a large crowd of history enthusiasts at the Common Fence Point Wellness Center. The lecture focused on the 1st Rhode Island Regiment (aka the Black Regiment) in 1778. Jason Roomes, a 1st RI reenactor, whose ancestor fought for the 1st RI Regiment, was also on-hand and spoke briefly before Mr. Dower’s presentation. The lecture was filmed and will be on our YouTube page in a few weeks.
BoRIA Receives Grant from RI Society of the Sons of the Revolution
BoRIA has been awarded a $1,000 grant from the RI Society of the Sons of the Revolution to support ongoing vegetation removal efforts at Butts Hill Fort. “This location is crucial for educating local and state wide residents of the significance of the Battle of Rhode Island in the context of the American Revolution.”, stated Mr. Roy Lauth, President of the Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the Revolution.
The Sons of the Revolution was founded in 1876 by members of the Society of the Cincinnati wishing to broaden participation in preserving the American Heritage on the eve of this country’s centennial. Its mission is to promote knowledge and appreciation of the achievement of American independence and to foster fellowship among its members. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization devoted to the principles and ideals of its founders, the modern Society maintains its headquarters, in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia with 30 societies in the United States and Europe.
The Rhode Island Society was formed in Newport on August 29, 1896.
BoRIA Participates in RI Teachers Professional Development Series on the Revolutionary War
The BoRIA recently contributed to an important educational initiative focused on the Revolutionary War. At the request of the Rhode Island Historical Society and the Secretary of State’s 250th Commission, Fred Zilian delivered an overview of the Rhode Island Campaign and the Battle of Rhode Island to 27 elementary to high school teachers. This professional development session, held on February 27th at the Newport Historical Society, is part of a series preparing educators for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026. Copies of Dr. Patrick Conley’s book, the Battle of Rhode Island, were provided to all participants.
Fred Zilian who is on the BoRIA Website Editorial Board, brings exceptional credentials to this educational role. Following a distinguished 21-year career as an Army infantry officer, he served as an educator at Portsmouth Abbey School from 1992 to 2015, where he taught history, ethics, and German. He later joined Salve Regina University as an adjunct professor from 2016 to 2022. He offers lectures on diverse historical topics and conducts specialized tours of Newport and the Battle of Rhode Island sites. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in international relations/strategic studies from Johns Hopkins University.
Another Historic Teardown in Tiverton?
By Christian Silvia
The Joseph R. Hicks House is the oldest home in north Tiverton but could soon be demolished for condominiums. Photo: East Bay RI
With the destruction of the historic Lafayette House still fresh in Tiverton’s collective memory, another 18th century home could be next in line for the wrecking ball. Bristol developer John Lannan has applied for and received a permit to demolish the Joseph R. Hicks House at 439 Main Road. It is the oldest surviving home in north Tiverton. The 439 Developers LLC purchased the home and the two acres on which it sits for $251,000 in November 2022, and Lannan said the plan is to tear down the 1780 home and put in a condominium development with eight housing units, two of which would be designated as affordable.
“I do have the approvals but I think we’re waiting for one more state permit from memory, but other than that we’re ready to go,” Lannan said. Any construction will have to wait until after the winter. But in the meantime, Lannan said a historical survey will be completed, and video will be taken to present to the town for historical purposes.
As Lannan’s condominium plan includes an affordable housing component, he applied for a comprehensive permit before the Tiverton Planning Board and was approved unanimously in mid-November. Comprehensive permits are called for under the state’s affordable housing regulations, and allow developers expedited, streamlined town approvals for projects that contain affordable housing components if the town in which their planned has less than 10 percent of its stock designated as affordable. Few, if any, cities and towns in Rhode Island meet that 10 percent standard, including Tiverton. At that November meeting, board members acknowledged that the house is historic but is owned by a private citizen legally allowed to demolish it.
Lafayette House parallels? Interim Town Administrator Patrick Jones said last week that the difference between Lannan’s plan and the Lafayette House, which surprised almost everyone when it was torn down last month, is that Lannan has been in contact with the town’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board, something that was not done with the Lafayette House.
“On this one, historical preservation is speaking with the owner and I do believe that everything is falling in line with the current ordinances,” Jones said, adding that the town is currently very limited in what it can do to preserve older homes. Even so, the advisory board’s Susan Anderson and Lannan have different opinions on the current state of the home. Anderson said that during a recent tour, she found the Hicks House in relatively good condition — “It was fine inside,” she said. “Floors were fine, there was one loose step on the stairway going up but the walls were fine it just has to have a little bit of cosmetic work.” But Lannan said the home is in disarray and was neglected over the years. “Nobody took care of the thing, you know,” he said. “It’s a sad commentary.”
This article originally appeared in East Bay RI on Jan 21, 2025.
Chaos of British Raids on Bristol Captured in FreshMaps Story Videos
Storytellers Chelsea Johnston, a historian, and Christian Wolanski, a student at the Met School, share stories of the burning and bombing of Bristol during the American Revolution for the FreshMaps project.
Imagine the scene on the streets of Bristol in 1778, as British soldiers marched through town, setting fire to homes and churches suspected of being friendly to rebel forces. Flames were put out with fresh buckets of milk. Soldiers kicked a bowl of punch out of the arms of a loyalist as women and children poured out into the streets. An elderly man was dragged from his sick bed and taken prisoner. Rebel prisoners were used to shield the marching British from local militia who tried to fight back.
These are the stories captured in the latest Revolutionary RI History Hunt video series, developed with the Bristol Historic & Preservation Society (BH&PS). Director Dr. Catherine Zipf shared, “We at the BH&PS can’t wait to see these Bristol’s sites go live. It has been such fun to work with Michelle on this project, plus we’ve learned so much in the process. We hope the public enjoys learning more about the Bristol raids.”
FreshMaps founder Michelle Girasole remarked on the project, “From the start, we loved the direction that the folks at BH&PS wanted to take for their map, choosing to feature a young British soldier and a young Colonial woman as the storytellers. Their scripts were so lively and re-created the scene in such a compelling way.”
Stay tuned for the Bristol FreshMaps launch event to be announced in March.
2025 Seminar Series: “The Underwritten of the American Revolution”
The Varnum House, Varnum Armory, and the BoRIA are collaborating with historian Robert Geake to present a new seminar series titled “The Underwritten of the American Revolution.” This multi-year initiative aims to shed light on lesser-known stories from Rhode Island’s involvement in the Revolutionary War. The inaugural seminar is scheduled for June 2025 in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The event promises to be a rich educational experience, featuring a panel of invited speakers who will share their expertise on overlooked aspects of Rhode Island’s Revolutionary War history. In addition to the presentations, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in guided tours and visit local museums, offering a comprehensive immersion into one of the state’s historical narratives.
This first seminar will feature keynote speakers Christian McBurney and Dr. Shirley Green, with additional talks by Norman Desmarais and Robert Geake. This series represents a significant effort to broaden public understanding of Rhode Island’s complex role in the American Revolution, bringing to light stories that have often been overshadowed in traditional historical accounts.
By Robert Scott Davis
Estimates have appeared in print for generations that 3,000 to 5,000 Black soldiers served in the American military in the Revolution. These claims seldom offer documentation, being instead what historian Michael Lanning defined as only a “general consensus” of the number of African American patriots. Lack of records, reliance on anecdotal evidence, and other factors make any estimate of the number of these soldiers only an educated guess, but modern scholars make arguments for 10,000 or more Black Patriots.
by Robert A. Geake
Of the many contributions made by Rhode Island to the American Revolution, perhaps the most historic, was the attempted formation of a regiment of soldiers composed entirely of enslaved men who had enlisted under terms that if met, would earn them their freedom. This “Black Regiment” as it came to be known, never materialized entirely as envisioned by Colonel Christopher Greene, General James Mitchel Varnum, or ultimately General George Washington, who approved the plan. The regiment would ultimately become an amalgamation of enslaved black and indigenous men, as well as free indigenous soldiers, mixed race volunteers, and white indentured servants. For those enslaved men of color who did enlist, their very service in the Continental Line challenged misconceptions of the enslaved man’s capabilities, their courage, and their loyalty to the American cause. This paper addresses these misconceptions, and how they were changed during the lifetimes of the men who served and for generations of their descendants.
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You can enter our monthly raffle by reading any of our articles and filling out the form at the bottom of the article page. Entering the contest will also add you to our mailing list, which you can opt out of at anytime. Winners will be chosen at the beginning of each month and notified via the email they used to register. Limit one entry per person per month. Enter every month to increase your odds of winning!
Congratulations to our February contest winner Matt N. from Tiverton, RI.
Did You Know?
This month’s Did You Know is courtesy of The Varnum Armory Museum (VAM) in East Greenwich. It contains a significant collection of artifacts, documents, and art related to Rhode Island in the Revolutionary War. Here are 10 facts about RI in the Revolutionary War and their relation to our museum collection.
1. The Gaspee Affair: A Pre-War Spark:
Long before the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Rhode Islanders attacked and burned the British customs schooner HMS Gaspee in 1772. This act of defiance is considered one of the first overt acts of rebellion against British authority. VAM has an oil painting that purports to be the earliest representation of the Burning of the Gaspee.
2. Early Declaration of Independence:
On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island’s General Assembly passed an “Act of Independence,” renouncing allegiance to King George III, two months before the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
3. Varnum’s Vision for an Integrated Army:
General James Mitchell Varnum of East Greenwich was a strong advocate for the inclusion of African American soldiers in the Continental Army. He played a key role in the formation of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, which included enslaved Africans who were promised freedom in exchange for military service. This was a radical concept for the time and demonstrates Varnum’s progressive thinking on military strategy and social justice during the Revolution. VAM’s parent company, the Varnum Continentals, Inc, owns and operates Gen. James Mitchell Varnum’s 1773 estate as a museum today.
4. The First Rhode Island Regiment:
Rhode Island authorized the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, which included African American soldiers who were promised freedom in exchange for their service. This was a very early example of integrated military units. VAM’s collection features artwork depicting the 1st RI Black Regiment and also includes an original letter authored by Thomas Nichols who gained his freedom from enslavement to serve in the unit.
5. Naval Prowess:
Rhode Island, with its strong maritime tradition, played a significant role in the early development of the Continental Navy. East Greenwich where VAM is located, is believed by many to be the birthplace of the US Navy. We also have an Esok Hopkins signed document, one of our Navy’s first Captains.
6. British Occupation of Newport:
The British occupied Newport for over three years (1776-1779), causing significant disruption and hardship for the local population. VAM contains an original edition of the London Magazine of 1778 that contains an engraving depicting the Siege of Newport.
7. French Alliance and Newport:
Newport became a crucial staging ground for the Franco-American alliance, with French forces landing there to support the Continental Army. VAM has on display a collection of dug relics from the Battle of RI which was the first campaign where there was French and American cooperation.
8. Nathanael Greene’s Strategic Genius:
Rhode Island’s Nathanael Greene, one of George Washington’s most trusted generals, played a pivotal role in the Southern Campaign, employing brilliant strategic maneuvers that contributed to the eventual British surrender at Yorktown. VAM has General Greene’s wartime sash and a 2-page letter about the exchange of prisoners of war.
9. Privateering and Economic Warfare:
Rhode Island was a hotbed of privateering during the Revolution. Its ports, especially Newport before the British occupation, launched numerous privateer vessels that harassed British shipping, capturing valuable supplies and disrupting British trade. This form of economic warfare played a significant role in weakening the British war effort and supplementing the Continental Army’s resources. VAM contains a very rare large ledger sheet dated 1777 depicting the on hand supplies of the Providence Magazine for the RI militia and Continental Army.
10. Economic Disruption:
The war heavily effected Rhode Islands economy. Especially in Newport, where trade was a large part of the local economy. The British occupation, and the war itself, caused major economic damage to the region that lasted for decades. VAM’s mission includes teaching the public about the devastating cost of the War and its affects on Rhode Islanders.
To view the artifacts mentioned above, or to book a tour of the VAM please click here.
