13 January 1776 A.D. British
Forces Raid Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay, RI
Editors. “British raid Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay.” History.com.
N.d. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-raid-prudence-island-in-narragansett-bay. Accessed 12 Jan 2015.
British raid Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay
In the early morning hours
of January 13, 1776, British forces raid Prudence Island, Rhode Island, in an effort to steal a large quantity of
sheep. But, upon landing on the island's southern beaches, the British were
ambushed by fifteen Minutemen from Rhode Island's Second Company led by Captain
Joseph Knight, who had been tipped off to the Brits' plans and rowed across Narragansett Bay from Warwick Neck the previous morning.
A brief but deadly battle
ensued before the British were forced to retreat. Three British marines were
killed and seven injured during the ambush. Two Minutemen were wounded; one
died and the other was taken prisoner. Afraid of further violence, residents
abandoned the island between 1776 and 1777, and the island's homes and windmill
were burned.
Rhode Island's Second
Company continued to guard the area between Providence, Warwick Neck and
Chopmist on Rhode Island for the next three years. Captain Knight rose to the
rank of major in 1777, taking command of the Third Providence County Regiment.
The Rhode Island General Assembly chose to end the Minutemen system in 1777 and
the Second Company was reorganized as the Fifth Company of Scituate Militia.
Major Knight and his regiment served the Patriot cause throughout the Rhode
Island campaign of 1778. Knight received a further promotion to the rank of
lieutenant colonel in 1778 and remained in the militia until his retirement in
1800, by which time he had served 34 years in the service of Rhode Island.
During his tenure, Rhode Island had progressed from colony to independent state
to member state of the federal union.
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