Unlocking the Hidden History of Butts Hill Fort

BoRIA is pleased to report that two consecutive summer field seasons (2024/2025) at Butts Hill Fort are revealing remarkable new insights into one of Rhode Island’s most significant Revolutionary War sites. Designated a National Historic Landmark, Butts Hill Fort served as the principal American defensive position during the 1778 Battle of Rhode Island and remains one of the best-preserved Revolutionary War earthworks in New England.

Originally constructed by British forces during their occupation of Aquidneck Island from 1776 to 1779, the fort was greatly expanded in 1780–1781 by French military engineers under Rochambeau following the arrival of French forces in Newport. Approximately 80% of the fortification survives today, making it an extraordinarily important survivor of the Revolutionary War military landscape in Rhode Island.

Led by Dr. Alexandra Uhl and Dr. Hugo Reyes-Centeno, teams of graduate and undergraduate students have employed cutting-edge, non-invasive technologies—including LiDAR and ground-penetrating radar—to explore what lies beneath the surface without disturbing this nationally significant historic landscape. These surveys are helping identify the probable locations of British barracks, defensive features, and other remnants of the British and later French efforts while preserving the archaeological integrity of the fort for future generations.

This fieldwork builds upon the extensive historical research commissioned by BoRIA and conducted by two nationally recognized experts: Dr. Robert A. Selig, the leading authority on Rochambeau, and Dr. John Robertson, former West Point faculty member and a respected expert on Revolutionary War military fortifications. By combining documentary research with advanced archaeological technology, BoRIA is developing the most comprehensive understanding of Butts Hill Fort since the Association began its restoration and research efforts in 2021.

The knowledge gained through this work will strengthen future interpretation, educational programming, archaeological planning, and restoration of this extraordinary Revolutionary War landmark. BoRIA is deeply grateful to the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, whose generous support has made this archaeological research possible.

To learn more about the Butts Hill Fort archaeological project, visit the University of Kentucky’s EduceLab project page click here.