The Bristol Historical & Preservation Society (BH&PS), the Battle of Rhode Island Association, and the Bristol 250 Commission have joined forces to sponsor a weekend of events, May 16-18, celebrating the 250th anniversary of two Revolutionary-era incidents that occurred in Bristol, known collectively as the Bristol Raids.

The Raids

On Oct. 7, 1775, the British sailed into Bristol Harbor and demanded a ransom of 200 sheep and 30 cattle. When Bristolians failed to pay, the British fired cannons at the town. After about two hours, Simeon Potter, whose wharves were at the center of the bombardment, rowed out to the British and negotiated a cease fire, with Bristol agreeing to pay 40 sheep. The British accepted the sheep and departed, raiding farms on Poppasquash Point on their way.

Then, on May 25, 1778, the British landed on the northwest side of Bristol, turned north to raid Warren, and then turned south. As the British made their way into Bristol, they started to burn selective houses and captured men they thought were agitators. About 30 structures were burned, including the Church of England (St. Michael’s Church), which the British believed held Patriot stores of gunpowder and munitions (it did not).

At the south end of town, the British encountered the Patriot militia and the two forces skirmished. During the fight, the British used the prisoners they had captured as living shields for their troops. The fighting was fierce, but eventually, the rebels prevailed and the British retreated to their ships.

The Raids, redux

This time, cannonballs will not be lobbed into houses and buildings will not be burned….but (spoiler alert!) the British will once again be run out of town.

The weekend will begin with the arrival of the Tall Ship Lynx. The Oliver Hazard Perry, Rhode Island’s own Tall Ship, has had to cancel due to flooding in its engine room this past weekend. But the Schooner Lynx, a Nantucket-based Tall Ship that is a 23-year-old interpretation of an 1812 privateer, will be filling in.

People will still be able to tour the Lynx but only on Saturday, as the ship needs to depart for Nantucket on Sunday. For more info about Lynx visit https://www.tallshiplynx.org/.

Dog owners take note: The Lynx is planning to join the reenactment by firing their own guns — it will be very loud and impressive. It would be best to leave your pets at home!

On Saturday May 17, the first of two full scale re-enactments of the Bristol Raids is at 10 a.m. The second re-enactment is at 1 p.m. and will portray the burning of Bristol. Both events are free and open to the public.

“We are so excited to bring Bristol’s history literally to life,” said BH&PS Executive Director Catherine W. Zipf. “One of the best ways to learn history is through live action. We hope people will feel the impact these events had on Bristol and come to understand their importance in the overall course of the American Revolution.”

Visitors will have several other opportunities to engage with this history. Advance tickets for most of these events can be purchased at www.bhpsri.org.

Friday, May 16

A Newport to Bristol Historic Sailing Education Program is scheduled rom 3 to 7 p.m. Find out what sailing the high seas was like. Board the Tall Ship Lynx at Fort Adams in Newport and sail, like the British did, into Bristol Harbor. Bus transportation from Bristol to Newport is provided, along with light refreshments onboard the ship. Tickets are $275, with a $25 add-on for a welcome reception.

The welcome reception is dockside at the Herreshoff Marine Museum with hors d’oeuvres, music and a cash bar. Show the British how we do things on our side of the pond. Costumes of all kinds are welcome, or just come as you are. Tickets are $45 for general admission and $40 for BH&PS members.

Saturday, May 17

Public tours of the Lynx are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Tours are $10 and are on a first come, first served basis at the door (no advance tickets will be sold). Other activities on the dock include event-related crafts and scientific demonstrations.

Coffee with the Captain is from 8 to 9 a.m. Join the Captain dockside for a tour of the Tall Ship Lynx and learn more about life on board an 1812 privateer. Tickets are $30 general admission; $25 for BH&PS members.

A re-enactment of the bombardment of Bristol is at 10 a.m. Witness Bristol townsfolk confront the British and watch the action unfold. Members of the United Train of Artillery, the Kingston Reds, the HM Tenth Regiment of Foot in America, the 54th Regiment of Foot, the 2nd RI Regiment, and the Bristol Train of Artillery will present the story of these events at the Herreshoff Marine Museum dock, using the Lynx as a stand-in for the British ships. Free and open to the public.

A re-enactment of the burning of Bristol is at 1 p.m. Cheer the Patriots on as they drive the British out of Bristol. The re-enactment teams will start “burning houses” at Guiteras Field at the intersection of Hope and Washington streets and then move south along Thames Street to Independence Park, where they will re-enact a skirmish between British and Patriot forces. After the skirmish, the Patriots will pursue the British south along Thames Street to Rockwell Park.

A reception and cider tasting is from 5 to 7 p.m.at the Bristol Historical & Preservation Society, 48 Court St. Alcoholic beverages — mainly rum and whiskey, but also hard cider — were an important part of life at sea and of Bristol’s economy. Join archaeologist Suzanne Chereau for an informal presentation on the history of rum distilling in Bristol, while you enjoy fruit pies paired with hard cider varieties from the Sowams Cider Works.

Participants can get a look at pieces from this history — artifacts from the Pierce Distillery, formerly on Thames Street will be on display. It is $35 for general admission; $30 for BH&PS members.

Sunday, May 18

A Sea Chantey Night with David Coffin and The Whelks is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Singing chanteys was an everyday occurrence on ships during the Age of Sail and helped a crew synchronize their movements and lighten the workload. The song leader, the chanteyman, was relied on for humorous wordplay and, of course, salty language.

David Coffin has performed throughout New England since 1980. His venues range from concert halls and coffeehouses to schools, radio and museums. The Whelks, based in Warren, use three-part harmony for folk, Irish and unique contemporary songs with guitar, violin and upright bass accompaniment. Perri DiLorenzo, Erin Lobb Mason and Mark Dobbyn are members of the acoustic trio.

Bring your own chair, purchase light refreshments and sandwiches, and buy drinks at a cash bar. Tickets are $25; $20 for BH&PS members. Buy an additional ticket for $25 for a whiskey and rum tasting by Bristol distillers O’Brien and Brough.

Tickets for all events are on sale on the website at www.bhpsri.org. Visit www.bhpsri.org/the-brits-attack-bristol for an up-to-date event schedule.