1778 series of military raids by British troops during the American Revolutionary War
These raids destroyed Continental Army supplies and damaged two Rhode Island towns, disrupting American preparations for an assault on British-held Newport.
Key Facts
- Date of first raid
- May 25, 1778
- Date of second raid
- May 31, 1778
- Force size, first raid
- 500 British and Hessian soldiers
- Force size, second raid
- 100 soldiers
- Towns attacked
- Bristol, Warren (RI); Freetown (MA)
- British commander
- General Sir Robert Pigot
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Continental Army had cached supplies along the shores of Mount Hope Bay in preparation for a planned assault on British-occupied Newport, Rhode Island. General Sir Robert Pigot, commanding the British garrison at Newport, ordered preemptive raids to neutralize this threat and deny American forces the resources needed for their offensive.
On May 25, 1778, 500 British and Hessian soldiers landed between Bristol and Warren, Rhode Island, plundering Bristol, destroying boats, and eliminating military supplies with minimal effective local resistance. Six days later, 100 soldiers attacked Freetown, Massachusetts, where local militia successfully held a bridge and limited the destruction. Both raids targeted homes, municipal buildings, and religious structures in addition to military assets.
The raids significantly damaged the towns of Bristol and Warren and disrupted Continental Army preparations for an attack on Newport. The destruction of cached supplies and military defenses weakened American offensive capability in the region, while Freetown's militia demonstrated that organized local resistance could limit British raiding effectiveness.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
General Sir Robert Pigot.
Side B
1 belligerent