. The magazine of American history with notes and queries. nd, three years later,the Gaspee was captured and burned by armed Rhode Islanders in theupper part of Narraganset Bay. All of these daring acts took place longbefore the battle of Lexington opened, in 1775, the grand drama of theAmerican Revolution. Foreseeing that the die must soon be cast, the Assembly of RhodeIsland, December 5, 1774, ordered the dismantling of Fort George to pre-vent its use by the enemy, and for safety, removed to Providence its fortycannon and a large supply of ammunition. Batteries were erected also onFox, Sassa
. The magazine of American history with notes and queries. nd, three years later,the Gaspee was captured and burned by armed Rhode Islanders in theupper part of Narraganset Bay. All of these daring acts took place longbefore the battle of Lexington opened, in 1775, the grand drama of theAmerican Revolution. Foreseeing that the die must soon be cast, the Assembly of RhodeIsland, December 5, 1774, ordered the dismantling of Fort George to pre-vent its use by the enemy, and for safety, removed to Providence its fortycannon and a large supply of ammunition. Batteries were erected also onFox, Sassafras, Field, Kettle, and Bullocks Points, to defend Providenceriver ; upon the west side and southern end of Popasquash Neck to guardthe passage between it and Prudence Island; and upon the southernextremity of Warwick Neck to command the entrance to Greenwich quick succession, other places were so protected as to guard against theaggressions of British ships, whose crews were burning houses and barns, MAPor NARRAGANSEPFT 1778 S CALE1 5 J. 472 DEFENSES OF NARRAGANSET BAY, RHODE ISLAND plundering the islands and shores, keeping the watch-worn inhabitants inconstant alarm, and even threatening to destroy Newport. Such werethese depredations that the Continental Congress was memorialized toprotect Rhode Island with its one hundred and thirty miles of coast-lineand two navigable rivers exposed to the enemy. Early in 1776, the Marine Committee of Congress, by active exertionsand at great expense, had fitted out a squadron of eight vessels, mountingover one hundred guns, which sailed upon a cruise under CommodoreHopkins of Rhode Island. He had been very successful in making capt-ures ; and, being desirous of obtaining a supply of powder, then veryscarce, he made a descent upon Nassau, New Providence, the capital of theBahama Islands, captured its two forts with over an hundred cannon and alarge amount of military stores, besides taking many prisoners of war, in-cludin
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