A Skirmish on Gooseberry
Posted on June 23, 2026 by Jenny ONeill
Illustration by Ray Shaw
Westport militiamen described a brief “skirmish” with British soldiers who were in search of livestock on Gooseberry. The difficulty of obtaining fresh meat for the British soldiers was an ongoing challenge, and an effort was made to guard the shoreline to prevent the enemy from “committing depredations.” Soldiers were quartered in houses on Horseneck Beach and on Howland Road.
Although Westport was far from the major battles of the Revolution, it had a front row view of the British naval activities in Buzzards Bay. British naval vessels frequented the Elizabeth Islands in search of fresh meat for their soldiers. Cuttyhunk and Naushon Island’s Tarpaulin Cove were convenient and secluded locations for British vessels to pick up beef and mutton supplied by local loyalists for transport to Newport.
Source:
Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21085, Sylvester Brownell, Mass. R.I.
Mass R.I. Brownell, Sylvester S.21085
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/300022