To the editor:

This August will mark the 240th anniversary of the Battle of Rhode Island in 1778, which culminated in Portsmouth. This battle, between the British occupiers of Aquidneck Island and American Continental forces, involved over 12,000 men and was one of the largest battles of the Revolutionary War as well as being the last major military action in New England.

To acknowledge this important Revolutionary battle, the Portsmouth Historical Society invited Christian McBurney, author of “The Rhode Island Campaign” (Westholm Publishing, 2011) and several other books on Rhode Island history, to give a lecture on the battle at the Portsmouth Free Public Library on Monday, Feb. 12. He discussed the background leading up to the battle and a timeline of the critical phase of the battle conducted in Portsmouth on Aug. 29.

The standing-room-only audience listened intently while McBurney described the actions of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment and other American and British ground units, as well as several Royal Navy ships, during the final two days of the battle. Using maps developed specifically for this lecture, he walked his listeners through the last hours of the battle, which took place south of the Butt’s Hill area of Portsmouth near today’s Portsmouth High School.

Due to popular demand, the Portsmouth Historical Society plans to bring Mr. McBurney back to give his lecture again later in the year.

Esmond (Doug) Smith

Vice president, Portsmouth Historical Society

58 Heritage Drive

Portsmouth