Fort Barton
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Fort Barton (1777-1781) - A Revolutionary War Fort established in 1777 as Tiverton Heights Fort near Tiverton, Newport County, Rhode Island. Renamed Fort Barton after Lieutenant Colonel William Barton who capturing British General Richard Prescott in a daring raid against British held Portsmouth on 9 Jul 1777. Abandoned in 1781.
History of Fort Barton Established as Patriot Tiverton Heights Fort in 1777. Built as an earthworks in a rectangular form about 150' by 100'. The fort was said to be armed with seven guns, 18 and 24 pounders, placed at the corners. Fort Barton was used as the Patriot staging area for the Battle of Rhode Island in August 1778. Prior to the battle, Patriot armies gathered at Fort Barton, which struggled to accommodate the more than 10,000 men. The soldiers were transported by flatboats from Howland's Ferry to Portsmouth. The attack was repulsed and General Nathanael Greene, General John Sullivan, and French General Marquis de Lafayette, witnessed the retreat of Continental forces. The failure of the attack was blamed on the lack of cooperation from the French fleet. The fort was abandoned in 1781 as the war drew to a close.
Current StatusAn observation tower, earthworks redoubt, scenic overlook and at least three markers are located at the site.
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Visited: 3 Jun 2012
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