[History page] [Battle of Germantown]
More About 1st Rhode Island History
"I Joined The Army to Obtain My
Freedom"
1st Rhode Island Regimental Flag
Colonel Christopher Green
Commanding Officer 1st Rhode Island,
assumed Command in the late Summer of 1777.
Col. Green was Killed in Action at Points Bridge,
on the Croton River, May 14, 1781.
West Chester County, New York.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge photos, click back button to return to page)
Disembarking July 11, 1778 at Newport, Rhode Island
Death of Col. Christopher Green at Pines Bridge, on
the Croton River, West Chester, NY, May 14, 1781
French and Rhode Islanders during Grand Parade thorough
the streets of Providence, R.I. one day prior to marching South 1781.
Note: Pictures above depict the
arrival of French forces under command of
General Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Count de Rochambeau.
Note: It is a well know fact that Hessian troops fought on the side of the British forces.
However,
Did you know ????
A regiment of German troops, fought on the side of the Americans at Yorktown?
A Regiment of German Infantry, arrived as part of the
French Army under command of General Rochambeau and fought at Yorktown as part
of the Light Infantry, led by General Lafayette.
*When the French arrived at Providence, R.I. under the command of General Rochambeau, with them, was the Royal Deux-Ponts Regiment of Germans, who were employed by the French. In 1781, these troops made the march from Rhode Island, along with French and American forces to Yorktown. The French wore white-coated uniforms and the Germans wore blue and yellow. The Germans grenadiers of the French army, took part in the successful assault on the British held Redoubt No.9 during the siege of Yorktown. This victorious attack helped enable the American Continental Forces to roll up the British line of defense and win final victory at Yorktown.
Uniform of Royal Deux-Ponts Regiment
NIGHT
ASSAULT BY FRENCH TROOPS
OCTOBER 14, 1781
On the night of October 14, 1781, attacks against Redoubt # 9 and Redoubt #10
were ordered. The assault on Redoubt #9 was a French undertaking, with American
forces assaulting Redoubt #10. The French Royal Deux Ponts and Gatenois
Regiments took on the Hessian Erbprinz Regiment. Because it was dark, and both
the French and Hessian troops wore dark blue coats, many were killed by
"friendly fire" as they could not be easily identified as friend or
foe.
By: Byron W. Childress
*Note: Letters written by German sous-Lieutenant (grenadier) Wilhelm (Guillaume in French) Graf von Schwerin, to his uncle, Reingard Graf zu Wied in Nieuwied, Germany. Letter of October 21, 1781.
[Home] [News] [Photos] [Links] [Schedule] [History] [More History] [Members] [Slide Shows] [Slide Show Theater] [Guest Book]]
Copyright © 2006 by First Rhode Island Regiment of Foot. All rights reserved