The Rhode Island Revolutionary rolls are an 1899 copy of documents relating to Rhode Island regiments involved in the Revolutionary War, contained in a 59-page, oversize volume.
The first 12 pages contain 12 "General Abstracts" of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment, commanded by Israel Angell, covering January 1778-May 1780. These list officers with their rank, dates and amount of pay, term of service, and casualties. A new abstract was generated every one to two months during the period. Following this are muster rolls (with names, dates appointed, ranks, and remarks) for several companies in the 1st Rhode Island Regiment: Elijah Lewis' Company (January 1777-December 1779, pp. 14-34); Thomas Coles' Company (July 1779, p. 35), the 4th Company (July 1779, p. 36), the "second Company of foot" (July 1779, p. 37), and Captain E. Slocum's Company (July 1779, p. 38).
Pages 39-51 comprise pay abstracts for Squire Millard's Company, Waterman's Regiment, 1776-1777 (pp. 39-45); Thomas Rice's Company, Waterman's Regiment, 1776-1777 (p. 46); and Amos Green's Company, Noyes' Regiment, 1777 (pp. 47-50). The final documents in the collection are muster rolls for Olney's Regiment (1781) and for staff and officers not attached to any company.
On January 1, 1777, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment was organized, commanded by Colonel Christopher Greene. Most of the officers and men came from the 9th Continental Regiment, who in turn had come from Varnum’s 12th Continental Regiment. By 1778, Rhode Island faced difficulties recruiting enough soldiers to meet the quota set by the Continental Congress. On February 14, the Rhode Island Assembly voted to allow "every able-bodied negro, mulatto, or Indian man slave" to enlist; the reward for service would be freedom from slavery. Approximately 140 African Americans volunteered, and were mustered into the 1st Rhode Island Regiment over the course of the Revolutionary War. The public dubbed it the "Black Regiment," although it was never exclusively African American. The regiment saw action at the Siege of Boston and the battles of Red Band and Rhode Island.
The 2nd Rhode Island Regiment was organized on January 13, 1777, from Hitchcock's Regiment, after the death of Colonel Daniel Hitchcock. The regiment fought at the battles of Monmouth, Rhode Island, and Springfield (New Jersey). From 1781-1783, the 1st and 2nd combined to form the Rhode Island Regiment.