Certain tales of the Revolutionary War, such as the Battles of Lexington and Concord, are well-known to all, while others, even those that happened right in the places where we live, get little mention. For instance, have you heard about the Bombardment of Bristol?
About six months after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, British Captain James Wallace patrolled Newport Harbor, gathering food and supplies for the British Garrison that was trapped in Boston. When he showed up in Bristol after a frustrating encounter with Newport townspeople and Minutemen, he demanded that they provide him with 200 sheep and 30 cattle. Like their Newport neighbors, and in the spirit of young Americans throughout the colonies, the Bristol townspeople were not inclined to obey these British orders.
When they ignored Wallace's demands, he opened fire on the town for about an hour and a half until Colonel Simeon Potter, a Bristol Town Council member, convinced him to stop the bombardment and come to a compromise. Bristol agreed to give Captain Wallace 40 sheep if he and his ships would cease fire. The bombardment ended, the sheep were gathered and delivered the next morning, and Captain Wallace sailed off to raid other towns.
Accounts vary on the damage that was done to Bristol during the bombardment, but it's been said that up to 20 buildings were burned and many things of value, including clothing and jewelry, were taken during the concurrent raid that he ordered.
If lesser-known Rhode Island history interests you, you'll be pleased to hear that FreshMaps is collaborating with The Battle of Rhode Island Association to create Revolutionary Rhode Island map experiences. Stay tuned to learn more!
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