French Archives Shed New Light on Butts Hill Fort

The Battle of Rhode Island Association (BoRIA) has completed an important new research project that has uncovered some of the most significant primary-source evidence yet identified concerning Butts Hill Fort, the largest surviving Revolutionary War earthwork in New England.

To better understand the fort’s condition and strategic role during the American Revolution, BoRIA commissioned noted historian Dr. Robert A. Selig to conduct research in French military and national archives. His investigation focused on documents created by officers serving with the French expeditionary force under the Comte de Rochambeau during its deployment on Aquidneck Island in 1780 and 1781.

The research yielded a wealth of previously overlooked material, including maps, engineering reports, military correspondence, and firsthand descriptions of the fort. Among the most important discoveries are detailed assessments prepared by French Chief Engineer Jean Nicolas Desandrouins and a remarkable letter written by engineer François-Ignace Ervoil d’Oyré. Together, these documents provide the most detailed contemporary descriptions of Butts Hill Fort currently known.

The newly uncovered records confirm the fort’s critical role in defending Aquidneck Island and controlling communications between Newport and the mainland. They also demonstrate that French military engineers devoted considerable effort to improving and maintaining the fort during the year preceding the Yorktown Campaign. Their work helped ensure that Newport remained a secure base for the allied French and American forces as plans were developed for the campaign that would ultimately lead to British General Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown in 1781.

Beyond their historical significance, these discoveries provide valuable new information for ongoing efforts to document, interpret, preserve, and eventually enhance public understanding of Butts Hill Fort. As Rhode Island prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Rhode Island in 2028, the findings offer a clearer picture of the fort’s importance within the larger story of the American Revolution and the vital contributions of America’s French allies.

Dr. Robert A. Selig is one of America’s foremost authorities on the French role in the Revolutionary War. For more than four decades, he has researched the Franco-American alliance and the French expeditionary force led by Rochambeau. Through extensive work in archives across France, Germany, and the United States, Dr. Selig has uncovered and translated numerous primary-source documents that have expanded modern understanding of the Revolution. His scholarship is widely respected by historians, museums, and preservation organizations and has helped illuminate the critical role played by French forces in securing American independence.