Fort Dumpling (Jamestown, Rhode Island)

Jamestown · Rhode Island · American Revolutionary War

History & Significance

A battery on the eastern side of Conanicut Island that later was rebuilt and named Fort Dumpling occupied the site during the American Revolution. Colonists abandoned this site when a British fleet of 81 ships landed in excess of 6,000 troops in Newport on December 8, 1776.

Both British and Hessian soldiers occupied and improved upon these earthworks as part of their occupation of Conanicut Island. Following British evacuation in 1779, the site remained undeveloped until 1798, when construction began on a permanent fortification under Major Louis Tousard, officially called Fort Louis and later Fort Brown but commonly called Fort Dumpling throughout its existence.

This defensive installation, built in 1799–1800, was a round Martello-style fortified tower intended to support Fort Adams in blocking enemy ships from entering Newport Harbor. It was never really used operationally and in the 19th century became a stabilized ruin after gunners at Fort Adams used it for target practice, though it remained a romantic image appearing on countless artist's canvases and prints.

What remained of Fort Dumpling was blown up in 1898 to make way for more modern defenses. The site was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

Map

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Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Wetherill
• https://riparks.ri.gov/History-HistoryFortWetherill
• https://jamestownhistoricalsociety.org/from-the-collection-conanicut-battery/
• https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=242649
• https://jamestownhistoricalsociety.org/national-register-of-historical-places-in-jamestown/
• https://preservation.ri.gov/pdfs_zips_downloads/national_pdfs/jamestown/jams_ocean-street_fort-dumpling.pdf
• https://sah-archipedia.org/essays/RI-01-0008-0004-0005

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