Interactive Timeline
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This timeline is accurate, but it will be replaced with an interactive timeline that will cover events leading up to the Revolution through the end of the War.
The first collaboration between the United States and French Monarchy took place in Rhode Island during the summer of 1778. King Louis appointed Charles Henri Theodat, Comte d’Estaing to command the French navy’s powerful Toulon squadron. The squadron was ordered to sail for the Americas. The French fleet were poised to sail towards New York. As the French arrived near Sandy Hook New Jersey they realized that their ships were too deep for the shallow waters. Admiral Howe also had his fleet stationed nearby, waiting for the French fleet. D’Estaing sent a letter to General Washington stating that he cannot support him around New York. He suggested that he could support the efforts in Newport.
Timeline
The French fleet under the command of Admiral d’Estaing depart the southern part of France
D’Estaing’s ships sail to Point Judith
10 AM
3 PM
D’Estaing sends the 50-gun Sagittaire and the 64-gun Fantasque up the Narragansett Channel between South Kingston and Conanicut Island.
6 AM
1 PM
3 PM
The British forces withdraw from their defenses.
6 AM - 8 AM
9 AM
12:30 PM
8 PM
The Americans Advance on Newport
3 AM
6 AM
4 PM & 5 PM
12 PM
1:30 AM
Evening Hours
General Marquis de Lafayette departs Newport and rides to Boston
Admiral Howe ordered the HMS Ariel to sail between Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.
8 PM
10 PM
At dawn the British see the empty American works.
6:30 AM
7 AM
8 AM
8:30 AM
9 AM
9:30 AM
10 AM
11:30 AM
1 PM
4 PM
This was a day to tend to the dead and wounded.
American forces depart Rhode (Aquidneck) Island for positions in Tiverton and Bristol.
Resources:
Information was gathered from Christian McBurney’s book The Rhode Island Campaign