Rhode Island’s Revolutionary War history may not share the luster of nearby Massachusetts’, but the smallest colony was the site of one of the largest battles of the war. The town of Newport occupied a strategic location on the Atlantic coast, and it was occupied and defended by American, British, Hessian, and French troops at different times throughout the war. This led to the construction of several batteries and redoubts in and around Newport. This system of fortifications was tested in 1778 during the Battle of Rhode Island, the first coordinated campaign by the new American and French allies. The battle ended indecisively, which is perhaps the reason it is not mentioned with the same reverence as Bunker Hill or Yorktown. Although the battle has been largely erased from memory, the fortifications still exist.