Rhode Island Forts

American Forts: East

RHODE ISLAND

Last Update: 01/JANUARY/2023

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2023 American Forts Network

Dorr's Camp
(1842), Chepachet
A local militia encampment (about 200 - 250 men), with entrenchments and artillery breastworks (seven guns), was located on Acote Hill during one week in June 1842, during the so-called Dorr Rebellion, an armed state constitutional reform crisis between Thomas Dorr's "People's Rights" Party and Governor Samuel King's "Law and Order" Party. An alternate government was formed and convened here to oppose Providence regarding electoral and suffrage reforms. The camp was abandoned just before state troops arrived and declared martial law in the town. A monument was erected in 1912 at the site, now part of the Chepachet Cemetery. See also The Dorr Rebellion by Clifford W. Brown, Jr., from the Chepachet Free Will Baptist Church

Woonsocket Armory
(1912 - unknown), Woonsocket
The RI National Guard Armory at 350 South Main Street had a "dummy" training battery used for coast artillery practice. In 1922 it was officially named Battery Flynn.

Camp Arnold
(1861 - 1862), Pawtucket
A Civil War training camp located in Riding Park that replaced Camp Hallett in Cranston.

Pawtucket Armory
(1895 - 2000 ?), Pawtucket
The RI National Guard Armory at 172 Exchange Street had a "dummy" training battery used for coast artillery practice. In 1922 it was officially named Battery Gatchell.

Prospect Hill Fort (2)
(1777 - 1780), Providence
A large Patriot fort, begun May 1777, located near the present-day Roger Williams Memorial on Beacon Hill, at Congdon and Bowen Streets. Also known as College Hill Fort. It was 300-by-150 feet, with four bastions, dry moated, capable of mounting up to 58 guns. Barracks were nearby. A seven or nine-gun detached outer battery was on the north side of the fort. Also referred to as the Beacon Redoubt. Property sold off in June 1782.

A signal beacon was erected on Beacon Hill in July 1775, in use until 1779. Sources differ on the exact placement, possibly at the Prospect Hill Fort, or at the then crest of the hill at Prospect and Lloyd Streets, or possibly at Prospect and Meeting Streets. Over the course of time it may have also been moved to each of these locations.

Providence Powder House
(1765 - unknown), Providence
A colonial militia powder house was once located on Powder House Lane (now South Court Street) at the northwest corner of Prospect Street and Old Goal Lane. It was reported repaired in 1781.

Nearby were the two circular Patriot Ferry Lane Redoubts (or Powder Magazine Redoubts) (1779), one just north (location ?) and the other just south (on Angell Street) of the Powder House.

Fox Hill Fort (1)
(1775 - 1780), Providence
A Patriot six-gun fort built in August 1775. Located near Fox Point, the site was probably bounded by present-day Brooke, Thompson, and Tockwotten Streets, just north of present-day India Point Park. No longer exists. The present point at the river has been extended by modern landfill.

Providence Redoubts
(1778 - 1780), Providence
A series of at least six earthen redoubts were constructed by the Patriots west of the Providence River in the spring and summer of 1778. One of these was Fort Sullivan (see below). One large redoubt was said to be located near Broad Street between Pearl and Somerset Streets. Another was located by the river's edge, possibly near the end of Henderson Street, opposite Fox Point. Two others were located somewhere north of Fort Sullivan. The location of the sixth redoubt is not known, but was possibly north of the town. Any others that may have been built are also not known.

Fort Sullivan
(1778 - 1780), Providence
A Patriot earthen fort once located at the old Hayward Park at Chestnut and Friendship Streets, near the present-day Johnson and Wales University campus. Known as the West Redoubt until after the war. No remains, the hill was leveled and developed soon after the war. Hayward Park was later destroyed in the 1960's for highway development (the old I-195), which has since been rerouted to the south.

Sassafras Hill Fort
(1775 - 1780, 1814 - 1815), Providence
A Patriot work (July 1775) located on Sassafras Hill at Sassafras Point, near the present-day Municipal Wharf. Trenchworks also built in July 1775 connected this fort with Field's Point (and Fort Independence built slightly later), and extended west to near Mashapaug Pond in Elmwood. Reoccupied by the local militia during the War of 1812. This is possibly the same as Robin Hill Fort misidentified by later historians, confusing the two sites of Sassafras and Robin Hills. (see below)

Fort Independence
(1775 - 1780, 1814 - 1815), Providence
Located on Robin Hill (elevation 80 feet) near Fields Point. Built in October 1775, known as Field's Point Fort during the American Revolution, the later name was bestowed only after the war. Possibly also later known as Robin Hill Fort, although that name is also associated (and confused) with the nearby Sassafras Hill Fort (see above). Fort Independence was once connected by trenchworks to Sassafras Hill and later to Fort William Henry at the water's edge at Fields Point proper (see below). The fort was rebuilt in 1814. The long abandoned earthen fort was rebuilt and restored with stone in a new park (bounded by Fort and New York Aves. and Shipyard Street) by the Works Progress Administration in 1937, but the entire area was dynamited and bulldozed in 1942 for new industrial activity in the area. A D.A.R. monument (1907) was once at the site. According to one source it may have been relocated to nearby Columbia Park at Vermont and Michigan Aves., but if so, it is now lost.

A chain and log boom defense was ordered for the river between Field's and Kettle Points in October 1775, but was never fully implemented. A Floating Battery may have been placed there after August 1775.

Fort William Henry
(1814 - 1815), Providence
Located at the southeastern tip of Fields Point, as it existed at the time. It was once connected by trenchworks to Fort Independence and Sassafras Hill Fort. No longer exists, site destroyed in 1942. The present point of land has been greatly expanded and extended with fill since WWII.

Old State Arsenal
(1840 - present), Providence
A state militia armory and museum located at 176 Benefit Street. Home of the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery.

Camp Burnside
(1861), Providence
A Civil War training camp located at the old Dexter Parade Grounds bounded by present-day Dexter, Parade, Westminster, and Cranston Streets. The Providence Armory was later built on the southern portion of the site.

Camp Smith
(1863), Providence
A Civil War recruiting camp for blacks of the 14th RI Heavy Artillery Regiment. Undetermined location. After a few months training was moved to Dutch Island due to an overwhelming influx of recruits.

Providence Armory
(1907 - 1996), Providence
The RI National Guard Armory at 310 Cranston Street had two "dummy" training batteries used for coast artillery practice. In 1922 they were officially named Battery Crocker (10-inch DC) and Battery Babcock (12-inch mortar). Home station of the 243rd Coast Artillery Regiment.

Newman Garrison
(1674 - 1676), Rumford
A fortified parsonage, once located on the north side of Newman Ave. near Meeting House Pond. It was destroyed during King Philip's War. Rumford was considered part of Massachusetts until 1862.

Old Rehoboth Garrisons
(1674 - 1676), East Providence
Several garrison houses were once here, including Seekonk Garrison and the Thomas Willett Stockade Fort (east of the Riverside R.R. Station). All were destroyed during King Philip's War in 1676, except Seekonk. East Providence was once known as Rehoboth, and was part of Massachusetts until 1862.

Hog Pen Point Fort
(1775 - 1779, 1814 ?), East Providence
A Patriot oval-shaped four-gun earthwork (built November 1775) located on Fort Hill near Bold Point, formerly known as Hog Pen Point. Possibly used by the local militia during the War of 1812. Some earthwork traces may still remain (?) at Bold Point Park, located off of Pier Road.

In 1918 the Coast Artillery temporarily emplaced a 3-inch AA gun battery here.

Kettle Point Battery
(1775 - 1778), East Providence
A Patriot earthwork battery, built October 1775, was once located here. Two guns were reported in June 1778. No remains.

A chain and log boom defense was ordered for the river between Field's and Kettle Points in October 1775, but was never fully implemented.

Bullock's Point Fort
(1776 - 1778), Riverside
A large Patriot work at Bullock Point at the end of Bullock Neck. No remains.

Camp Hallett
(1861), Cranston
A Civil War training camp used before Camp Arnold was built in Providence.

Pawtuxet Bridge Redoubt
(1777 - 1778), Pawtuxet
A Patriot redoubt for 200 men, with additional defensive entrenchments, was possibly built on the north side of the Pawtuxet River bridge in January 1777. Troops were stationed here from December 1776 until September 1778 (or later).

Pawtuxet Neck Fort
(1775 - 1781, 1798 - 1799, 1814), Pawtuxet Neck
A Patriot earthwork fort with a blockhouse, built October 1775, armed with three to six guns (reports vary), located on Fort Hill about midway on the point. Also known as Long Neck Fort. Garrisoned by the Pawtuxet Rangers. Abandoned after the American Revolution. Reactivated during the brief French - American Naval War. Rebuilt as a stone fort after 1812. Abandoned after the war. Many of the stones and timber were later used (after the Civil War) to build private homes in the area. Stone monument located at 52 Fort Ave..
(website and info courtesy of Capt. Ken Gilbert, Pawtuxet Rangers, R.I. State Militia)

Warwick Neck Fort
(Rocky Point Park)
(1776 - 1779), Warwick
A strong Patriot fort or battery built at Rocky Point to prevent the British from landing here to make a land advance against Providence. A battery was also located at Warwick Point.

A line of defensive entrenchments was constructed in late 1776 from the head of Brush Neck Cove and north of Horse Neck along the north side of the old road from Apponaug to Old Warwick, and another line ran from the head of Warwick Cove to Mill Cove. Portions of the lines were reported to be still visible in 1896.

A Patriot battery was proposed for Conimicut Point in 1776, but was probably never built. A battery across the river at Nayatt Point was favored instead. The shoals between Conimicut Point and Nayatt Point made it difficult for larger British warships to advance further upriver.

Pomham's Fort
(1644 - 1676), Warwick
A Narragansett Indian earthwork fort with a palisaded strong house, built by the Massachusetts colonial militia for mutual protection. The site is located near the eastern arm of Greenwich Bay on Paine and Fort Streets, now overgrown.

Camp Ames
(1861), Warwick
Civil War muster camp at Spring Green Farm for the Third Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. Monument (1908) at site.

Joshua Tifft's Fort ?
(1675), Coventry
A "renegade" settler's fort or supposed "place of refuge". Undetermined location. Tifft was charged with treason and executed in January 1676 for his role in helping the Narragansett Indians against the English settlers of Plymouth Colony during King Philip's War. Tifft was present with the Indians at the Great Swamp Fight in December 1675. He had married into the Pokanoket tribe in 1662.

Fort Daniel
(1775 - 1782 ?), Chepiwanoxet
A Patriot nine-gun fort and watch post built by the Kentish Guards to prevent British ships from entering Greenwich Cove. Located on a bluff on the north side of the mouth of Greenwich Cove, opposite Long Point. No remains.

East Greenwich Armory
(Varnum Continentals)
(1913 - 1996), East Greenwich
The RI National Guard Armory at 6 Main Street had a "dummy" training battery used for coast artillery practice. In 1922 it was officially named Battery Mosher.

Quidnessett Fort
(1776 - 1779), North Quidnessett
A Patriot fort/redoubt and/or shore battery was once located here, probably at Pojac (Pojack) Point, but also possibly on Potowomut Neck (Warwick Township).

Nayatt Point Fort
(1776 - 1779), Nayatt
A Patriot fort or shore battery was once located here, along with a guard post (1777) at James Brown's house. The nearby Nayatt Point Lighthouse was built in 1856.

Another Patriot post was possibly located in Barrington, or this may be a reference to the same post. Another guard post (1777) was located at the house of Nathaniel Smith at Rumstick Point on Rumstick Neck.

Windmill Hill Encampment
(1778 - 1779), Warren
A Patriot regimental winter encampment located on Windmill Hill north of the town center, along the Palmer River. Occupied from September 1778 to June 1779.

Warren Powder House
(1770's), Warren
A militia powder house was destroyed by the British in the May 1778 raid on the town. It was located at Main and Market Streets, across Main Street from the Baptist Meeting House. A commercial building was built on the site in 1809.

Burr's Hill Fort
(1775, 1778 - 1779), Warren
A Patriot watch post was here after November 1775. A breastwork and guard post was erected on the Burr's Hills bluffs after the British attacked the town in May 1778. Located on the "west end of the second hill from the north", according to one source. Burr's Hill was set aside as a public park in 1921, after the bluffs were found to be the 17th-century burial grounds of the Wampanoag Indians. Extensive gravel mining had taken place here in the late 19th-century.

King Philip's Fort
(1660's - 1675), Bristol
The main village of the Pokanoket Indians, serving as Metacom's (King Philip's) stronghold. The colonials drove out the Indians in 1675, and built a temporary fort nearby to command the location. (see below)

Narrows Fort
(1675), Bristol
A small colonial militia defense located on a small hill at the Kickamuit River Narrows to command the principal land entrance to King Philip's lands. Also known as Capt. Benjamin Church's Fort, or Mount Hope Fort. The site was occupied for only about a month. The hill has since eroded away (gone by 1906), located near the end of Narrows Road and King Philip Ave.. A lone brick chimney was reported still standing here in 1845.
(thanks to Wendy Baker for providing info)

Bristol Fort
(1776, 1778 - 1780), Bristol
A small Patriot battery or breastwork was begun on Fort Hill, just north of downtown, in December 1776. In 1778 it was the site of a Patriot command post used by French Gen. Lafayette while he stayed at the house of Joseph Reynolds. The Reynolds House is still extant. Varnum's Brigade may have also used the hill in September 1780. The hill is now developed with residential houses.
(thanks to Wendy Baker for providing info)

Bristol Mud Battery
(1776 - 1779), Bristol
A Patriot 8-gun battery that originally protected the town port, located on what is now Thames Street between State and Church Streets. A turf and stone earthwork was later extended south along the shoreline to present Burton Street. The British bypassed the fort from behind when they raided the town in May 1778. No remains.
(thanks to Wendy Baker for providing info)

Popasquash Neck Batteries
(1776 - 1778), Bristol
A Patriot six-gun battery was once located on the western side of Popasquash Neck, within present-day Colt State Park. Another smaller battery was located at the southern tip of Popasquash Point at the western entrance to Bristol Harbor. The smaller battery at the point was active in firing on several British ships stationed off of Hog Island in 1777 and 1778, and was captured and destroyed by the British in May 1778 when they raided Warren and Bristol. There was no mention of the western battery in that attack.

A field hospital for sick French troops was later located at the William Vassal estate on Popasqush Neck in the summer of 1780.

Bristol Ferry Battery (1)
(1776 - 1779), Bristol
A Patriot three-gun battery that protected the ferry landing at Bristol Point. Located at the end of Ferry Road, the site is now covered by the approach to the Mt. Hope Bridge. A 50-man redoubt was built nearby in 1777 (before June) to cover the shore battery. Another battery was also located at the opposite landing in Portsmouth. (see also page 2) The two opposing batteries engaged each other many times while the British occupied Aqidneck Island.

Bristol Gun House
(1808), Bristol
A Second System Federal/state armory was proposed for this town to store 10 cannon on traveling carriages for use in times of crisis. If built, location undetermined.

Fort Leverett
(1675), North Tiverton (or Fall River, MA)
Built by the colonial militia near Pocasset Swamp. Exact location undetermined.
(see also MASSACHUSETTS page 4)

Howland's Ferry Battery (1)
(1775 - 1779), Tiverton
A Patriot six-gun battery was built here by December 1775 to cover the ferry landing to Aquidneck Island (Portsmouth). Nine guns were reported in December 1776. A large barrack was built to the rear of the battery by October 1778. A Patriot gun battery was also located on the Portsmouth side of the river (see page 2).

Fort Barton
(1776 - 1780), Tiverton
A Patriot redoubt that still exists in a park on Highland Road at Lawton Ave., across from the Town Hall. Originally named Tiverton Heights Fort, and probably not named "Fort Barton" until after the 1830's by later historians. Fifteen guns were reported in December 1776, but only five were reported in October 1777. Tiverton was the main staging area for the August 1778 campaign for the Battle of Rhode Island. An observation tower and several markers are located at the site. See also History of Tiverton from Town of Tiverton

Fort Durfee (2)
(1778 - 1779), Tiverton
A Patriot redoubt and signal beacon located on a height just above and north of Fort Barton. Not named as such during the war, the name was bestowed by later historians, after local militia officer Major Joseph Durfee, or another Durfee whose property the fort was built on.

Nannaquaket Neck Battery
(1776), Nannaquaket Neck, Tiverton
A Patriot battery located at the base of Nannaquaket Neck, at the present-day intersection of Indian Point and Penny Pond Roads. It is presumed that this work was one of five earthworks that were erected by the Patriots on the east side of the Sakonnet River after they withdrew from Aquidneck Island in December 1776.

Fogland Point Battery
(1777 - 1779), Fogland Beach
A Patriot battery located at Fogland Point to cover the ferry landing to Aquidneck Island.

High Hill Point Battery
(1777 - 1779), near Fogland Beach
A Patriot five-gun battery located on High Hill Point south of Fogland Beach.

John Irish's Blockhouse
(1670's, 1777), Little Compton
A settlers' blockhouse once located on Brimstone Hill on the west side of present-day West Main Road (RI 77). It was still extant during the American Revolution as the "Rouse House", and was used as a Patriot "watch house", one of five so reported in town (see below). No longer extant.

Little Compton Watch Houses
(1777 - 1779 ?), Little Compton Township
Five Patriot coastal lookout posts were established at various locations in town. One was said to be the Rouse House (the old John Irish House), located on Brimstone Hill west of West Main Road (see above), and commanded by Capt. John Davis. The others were said to be the Red House, commanded by Capt. Ephraim Simmons (later owned by Amasa Gray (aka the Duffield House)), still extant at 361 West Main Road (private property); the Col. William Richmond House at Treaty Rock Farm (private property); the Capt. Benjamin Coe House (still extant ?), located near the Seaconnet Cemetery (570 West Main Road); and the William Taggart House (long demolished), commanded by Col. Thomas Church, located near Church's Cove and the 1854 Stone House Inn. The original 17th-century Richmond House was destroyed by fire and replaced in 1865. The Amasa Gray-Duffield House was greatly modified over the years, and suffered a major fire in 1984, destroying a large section.

Sakonnet Point Post
(1776 - 1780), Sakonnet
A Patriot lookout/signal post was probably once here.

(see page 2 for colonial defenses of Newport - Aquidneck and Conanicut Islands)

(see page 3 for modern defenses of Newport - Narragansett Bay)

Quonset Point Post
(1776 - 1779), North Kingstown
A Patriot lookout/signal post was possibly once here at various times.

Camp Endicott
(Davisville Naval Construction Training Center)
(1942 - 1994), near Davisville
A Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees) Training Center located north of Quonset Point, on 475 acres annexed from the Navy's Advance Base Depot Davisville. This is the location where the ubiquitous "Quonset Hut" was invented. Today there are no visible remains, mostly demolished in 1999 - 2000. Portions of the former Navy base are now being redeveloped by the state.

Nearby was Camp Thomas (1942 - 1946), the Navy's Advance Base Depot Receiving Barracks, located on 142 acres in the northeast corner of NCTC Davisville. No remains.

Camp Dyer
(1898), North Kingstown
A Spanish-American War state guard muster camp at Quonset Point. This site was already in use (since 1892) as the state's National Guard annual summer encampment. Known as Camp Beeckman in 1917. The site was later incorporated into the Quonset Point Naval Air Station (1941 - 1974), now the Quonset State Airport. During WWII (1942 - 1944) the Army emplaced here 24 20mm AA and eight 40mm AA guns. The Quonset Air Museum (opened 1992) is presently here, a working museum inside the last remaining brick hangar on the East Coast. The RI Air National Guard still uses a portion of the former base.

Smith's Castle
(1637 - 1676), Cocumscussoc
A garrison and trading post built just north of Roger Williams' original trading post. Richard Smith, Sr. died in 1666, bequeathing the house to his son, Richard Jr.. This was the base of operations for colonial troops against the Narragansett and Wampanoag Indians during "The Great Swamp Fight" of 1675. It was destroyed by the Indians in 1676, and rebuilt as a plantation house in 1678. The much altered house is now a museum, located at 55 Richard Smith Drive. It was fully restored in 1996. Nearby is the Smith's Castle Mass Gravesite (1675).

Roger Williams' Trading Post
(1636 - 1651), Wickford
Roger Williams' first trading post established in the colony. He sold out in 1651 to Richard Smith, Sr.. The blockhouse was destroyed during King Philip's War in 1676. Located on the west side of US 1 just south of Smith's Castle.

Wickford Fort
(1776 - 1777 ?), Wickford
A Patriot fort or shore battery was once located at Poplar Point. Fired on a British ship in 1777. At least one gun (or the only gun ?) was transferred to Point Judith in November 1777.

Queen's Fort
(1675 - 1676), Exeter
Indian survivors of "The Great Swamp Fight" (Dec. 1675), which was near West Kingston, took refuge here. This was a stronghold or ceremonial center of the Narragansett Indians. The site was never discovered by the colonial militia during King Philip's War. The extant ruins of the semi-circular construct consist of a low wall of rocks on a hilltop, located in the northeast corner of the town on the south side of Stony Lane, east of Lantern Lane and Queens Fort Brook. The property was known as "Wilkey's Fort" in the 1880's. The wooded site, owned by the Rhode Island Historical Society, has been heavily vandalized and altered in modern times, with some features filled-in and buried.

Stony Fort
(1675), near Slocum
A Narragansett Indian stronghold located about six miles south of Queen's Fort near the Exeter - South Kingstown town line, east of the Chipuxet River.

Indian Fort
(1675), West Kingston
An otherwise unnamed Narragansett Indian stronghold located about three miles southwest of Stony Fort, on the east bank of the Chipuxet River north of Larkin Pond. Shown on an 1895 state atlas. This may have possibly been known as Pesicus' Fort.

Canonchet's Fort
(Great Swamp State Wildlife Management Area)
(1675), near West Kingston FORT WIKI
A Narraganset Indian fortified village located on an island in the Great Swamp (aka Great Swamp Fort), now Great Neck, east of the Usquepaug River and about three miles west of the Indian fort near Larkin Pond (see above). Somewhere between 100 and 340 Indian warriors were massacred here by the colonial militia in the "Great Swamp Fight" (December 1675). The 1906 granite monument for the fort and battle is located about one mile or so north of the presumed actual site on Great Neck.

Barber's Heights Post
(1779), Plum Beach, North Kingstown
A Patriot lookout/signal post and/or shore battery was possibly located here. Patriot troops were known to have encamped here in 1779, between May and October.

Bonnet Point Fort
(1776 ?, 1777 - 1779, 1810's, 1860's ?), Bonnet Shores
An elliptical earthwork battery, also known as Bonnet Point Battery, or Boston Neck Fort. Possibly built as early as 1776, or was simply a watch post at that time. Bonnet Point Battery was rebuilt during the War of 1812, and was possibly also used during the Civil War. Trace remnants still exist, located in a small wayside park, with a granite monument, at 250 Col. John Gardner Road.

A WWII minefield observation station for the West Passage is also located nearby on Bonnet Point (on private property), an outpost of Fort Burnside.

Jireh Bull's Garrison
(1675), South Kingstown
A stone house once located on Tower Hill on the west side of Middle Bridge Road, along Pettaquamscutt Cove. It was destroyed during King Philip's War, days before the "Great Swamp Fight", and was rebuilt in 1684. The site was excavated in 1918. Surrounded by private property.

Tower Hill Post
(1775 - 1776), South Kingstown
A Patriot lookout/signal post was once here on Tower Hill. Possibly also used later by the Kings County militia at various times during the war.

Point Judith Forts
(1776 - 1781, 1812 ? - 1820's ?), Point Judith
A Patriot lookout/signal post was once located here, probably as early as January 1776, at least by March 1776. The first actual fort was probably not built until November 1777, which saw action in January 1778 against a British ship. In 1818 a second fort was reported here as a six-gun fort, now in reserve after the conclusion of the War of 1812. It was long abandoned by the 1850's when its ruins were last noted. The present Point Judith Lighthouse was built in 1857, replacing the earlier 1816 and 1810 towers.

Green Hill Post
(1776 - 1779, 1780), Green Hill
A Patriot lookout/signal post was once here. Probably located on the high ground on Green Hill Neck behind the barrier beach.

Fort Ninigret (park) ? ?
(1520's ?, 1637), Charlestown
A stone and earthwork bastioned fort used by the Niantic Indians in 1637, possibly as a defense against white settlers or Pequot Indians. Originally this was an early European fort (name unknown) as evidenced by its military architecture, presumed to have been built by Dutch traders sometime after 1627. Scholars continue to dispute the nationality of the original builders (possibly Portuguese from the 1520's ?). The present name was probably given in 1676 or later when this land became part of the Wampanoag/Narragansett Indian Reservation after King Philip's War concluded. The preserved site on Fort Neck has been a public park since 1883 when the Indian reservation was disestablished by the state. European military artifacts were found nearby in 1921.
See also Fort Ninigret - A Portuguese Fort by Dr. Manuel Luciano da Silva (1971)

Fort Chemunganoc ?
(1630's ?), near Carolina ?
A Narragansett Indian stronghold. Described in historical sources as a 60-yard square stone and earthwork with no bastions. It may have been built by Dutch traders in the 1630's for the Niantic Indians against the Pequot Indians. Exact location undetermined (possibly on Shumuncanuc Hill ?)

Camp Burlingame
(Burlingame State Park)
(1942 - 1946), Charlestown
An Infantry Battalion coastal defense base camp, located at the former C.C.C. camp in Burlingame State Park. Posted here was the HQ 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment; "B" Company, 181st IR; "A" Battery, 211th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm howitzers); and Detachment, "E" Company, 22nd Quartermaster Regiment. The infantry of "B" Company patrolled the coast between Jerusalem and Watch Hill. The field artillery was emplaced in prepared earthwork positions along the coast, in areas not covered by the Coast Artillery. After 1943 the camp housed US Navy personnel from Charlestown Naval Air Station, and also became a POW camp.

Detached units included "A" Company, 181st IR posted at Fort Rodman, MA; "D" Company, 181st IR posted at Fort Adams, RI; and "C" Company, 132nd Combat Engineer Battalion posted at Fort Kearny, RI.

Quonochontaug Post
(1776 - 1779), Quonochontaug
A Patriot lookout/signal post was once here. Probably located on the high ground on Quonochontaug Neck behind the barrier beach.

Noyes' Neck Post
(1776 - 1779, 1780), Weekapaug
A Patriot lookout/signal post and/or field battery was once here. Probably located on the high ground along present Noyes' Neck Road.

Westerly Armory
(1901 - 1996), Westerly
The RI National Guard Armory at 41 Railroad Ave. once had a "dummy" training battery used for coast artillery practice. In 1922 it was officially named Battery Merrill (6-inch DC). The armory was the home station of the 5th Company, Coast Artillery, RI NG, later becoming Battery E, 243rd Coast Artillery Regiment.

Watch Hill Post
(1776 - 1779, 1780), Watch Hill
A Patriot lookout/signal post and/or field battery was once here. Probably located on Bear Hill.

¤ COAST and HARBOR DEFENSES of EASTERN LONG ISLAND SOUND (partial)
Harbor Defense of Long Island Sound - FORT WIKI

¤ Fort Mansfield
(Napatree Point Conservation Area)
(1898 - 1917), Watch Hill
Located on Napatree Point. It was a subpost of Fort H.G. Wright on Fishers Island, NY. Batteries here are Battery Wooster (1901 - 1917), Battery Crawford (1901 - 1917), and Battery Connell (1901 - 1917), which is broken up and submerged in the surf zone due to a hurricane in 1938. A fire-control tower no longer remains. Site managed by the town and the Watch Hill Conservancy.

¤ Oaks Inn Military Reservation
(1942 - 1944), near Misquamicut
A four-gun 155mm gun battery on Panama mounts, with barracks (no remains), was located near the site of the former Oaks Inn on the north side of Shore Road (RI 1A) at Newbury Drive, overlooking Winnapaug Pond to the south. Battery 114 was proposed to be built here. The Panama mounts still existed until the site was bulldozed for residential development in 2008 (Champlin Woods Condos).

¤ ALSO: Additional fire-control stations in Rhode Island associated with HD Long Island Sound were located at Block Island (three remain), Green Hill (gone), Charlestown (Quonochontaug Neck) (one remains), and at Weekapaug (Noyes' Neck) (gone).

Fort Island
(1637), Block Island
A Niantic Indian stronghold located on a small five-acre island near the south shore of Great Pond, near Indian Head Neck. Discovered and attacked by Massachusetts colonial troops under John Endicott in 1637.

Capt. James Sand's Garrison
(1670's), Block Island
A settlers' stone house used for protection against Indian attacks during King Philip's War, located near the old mill pond at Old Harbor (exact location of house undetermined). Sands died of old age (73 years) in 1695. The island was first settled by whites in 1661.

Narragansett Bay I - page 2 | Narragansett Bay II - page 3

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