Fort Greene (Newport, Rhode Island) Explained

Fort Greene
Location:Easton's Point, Newport, Rhode Island
Pushpin Map:Rhode Island
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Mapsize:250px
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Rhode Island
Coordinates:41.4969°N -71.3217°W
Type:Coastal Defense
Ownership:City of Newport, Battery Park
Open To Public:yes
Built:circa 1794
Builder:United States Army
Used:circa 1794-1815
Materials:stone
Demolished:circa 1820
Battles:War of 1812

Fort Greene in Newport, Rhode Island was a small fort built circa 1794 at Battery Park in the Point section of Newport, last active in the War of 1812.[1] It was named for General Nathanael Greene of the Revolutionary War, who was born in Rhode Island. It was built as part of the First System of US seacoast fortifications circa 1794. The location is now Battery Park at Easton's Point (now usually called The Point), which was sometimes called North Point in the 18th century. It was on the site of a previous battery built in the American Revolution with state resources, called the North Battery.[2] [3] The seawall remains from Fort Greene and is curved at this point.[4]

Fort Greene mounted approximately 12 guns and was intended to house a company of about 100 men, but was never completed.[5] The fort was described in the Secretary of War's report on fortifications for December 1811 as "an elliptical stone battery... now in a state of ruin".[6] Contemporary forts in Newport included the first Fort Adams and Fort Wolcott.[7] In the War of 1812 the fort was garrisoned by the Newport Artillery. It appears to have been abandoned at some time after that war.

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Notes and References

  1. Wade, pp. 57, 59
  2. Wade, p. 16
  3. http://www.northamericanforts.com/East/ri2.html#north North Battery at American Forts Network
  4. http://www.northamericanforts.com/East/ri3.html#greene1 Fort Greene (Newport) at American Forts Network
  5. Wade, p. 57
  6. Wade, p. 243
  7. Wade, p. 59