Revolutionary War cannons vs. family loyalty: the strange Dorr Rebellion of Rhode Island in 1842

Thomas Dorr’s Failed Arsenal Attack in Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s 1842 Dorr Rebellion was a fight for basic rights. The state still used its 1663 charter, which meant only men who owned land could vote.

This left out 60% of men, mostly mill workers. Thomas Wilson Dorr, a rich lawyer with a soft spot for the poor, wrote a "People’s Constitution" and got himself voted in as a second governor.

On May 17, he led men with old Revolutionary War cannons to take over the state arsenal. But the guns failed to fire, his men ran, and the whole thing fell apart.

The rebellion still pushed Rhode Island to write a new constitution that same year.

The Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park tells this story of America’s first try at "people power" revolution.

Rhode Island Kept Its Colonial Charter Way Too Long

By 1842, Rhode Island still used its 1663 colonial charter as its constitution. This old document forced men to own $134 in real estate to vote.

Only 40% of white males could vote, leaving factory workers and immigrants with no say.

Rural areas got more power too – Newport kept 6 seats with 8,000 people while Providence got just 4 seats despite having 23,000 people.

The charter lacked proper controls, with the governor serving mostly as a figurehead.

Harvard-Educated Lawyer Turned Against His Own Class

Thomas Wilson Dorr came from Providence’s rich families. He went to Harvard and became a lawyer but gave up his easy life to fight for voting rights.

After winning a seat in the Rhode Island General Assembly in 1834, he tried many times to fix the constitution but got nowhere with rural leaders.

By 1841, Dorr led the Rhode Island Suffrage Association pushing for all white men to vote. He first backed Black voting rights but dropped it to win over Irish immigrants.

The People Voted For Change Without Permission

In October 1841, Dorr’s supporters held their own "People’s Convention" where they wrote a new constitution letting all white men vote after living in Rhode Island for one year.

Their "People’s Constitution" won an unofficial vote with 14,000 votes that December.

The charter government fought back with their own "Freemen’s Constitution" making small changes, but voters turned it down 8,689 to 8,013.

The government then passed the "Algerine Law" making it a crime to join the People’s government.

Two Governors Claimed The Same State

Thomas Dorr won election as "People’s Governor" with 6,000 votes on April 18, 1842. The problem?

Charter Governor Samuel Ward King refused to leave office.

On May 3, Dorr took office with a big parade through Providence, with workers, shopkeepers, mechanics, and militia marching with him. Both governors asked President John Tyler for help.

Tyler turned them both down but secretly favored the charter government.

Law And Order Broke Down Across The State

The charter government set up martial law and asked for federal troops to stop "lawless groups.

" President Tyler sent someone to watch but wouldn’t send in soldiers, saying "danger of violence is getting smaller by the hour. " Meanwhile, the charter government started arresting People’s government officials.

This pushed Dorr toward fighting back.

When he came back from Connecticut, about 3,000 supporters greeted him, many carrying guns and ready to fight.

Rebels Grabbed Old Cannons From The Revolutionary War

On May 17, 1842, Dorr’s followers went to the United Train Artillery Company at the old town meeting house. After putting up fake resistance, the friendly militia handed over two old cannons from the Revolutionary War.

Word spread quickly about plans to attack the state arsenal among both sides. By nightfall, both groups got ready for a showdown at Providence’s arsenal on Cranston Road.

Family Members Faced Off At The Arsenal

Late on May 17, Dorr led his supporters to the state arsenal, which hundreds of charter loyalists guarded. Among those guards stood Dorr’s own father Sullivan, his brother, and his brother-in-law.

Even Black people who once backed Dorr now fought against him.

Colonel Carter told the arsenal to surrender in the name of the People’s government, but Colonel Blodgett said no. A thick fog came in from the bay, making it hard to see and wetting everyone’s gear.

The Cannons That Wouldn’t Fire

Around midnight, Dorr set up his forces and ordered the Revolutionary War cannons fired at the arsenal’s main gate. Both cannons failed to go off.

Maybe the fog made the gunpowder wet, or the old weapons just didn’t work, or someone messed with them.

When the fog cleared at dawn, most of Dorr’s 300 supporters had run away, leaving him with just a few loyal followers. Dorr ordered a retreat as Governor King showed up with 700 men and a dozen artillery pieces.

Last Stand On Acote’s Hill

After the arsenal failure, many people quit the People’s government as support fell apart. Dorr ran to Connecticut for a month, then came back in late June 1842 with armed supporters.

He gathered his remaining forces on Acote’s Hill in Chepachet, hoping to restart the People’s Convention with fewer than 300 men.

The charter government called up 3,500 state militia soldiers to march on Chepachet and end the rebellion for good.

The Rebellion Ended Without A Shot

On June 28, 1842, Dorr looked at the odds against his small force and disbanded his troops without fighting. Charter forces stormed the empty Dorrite fort on Acote’s Hill, taking over 100 prisoners.

Dorr escaped to New Hampshire while Governor King put out a warrant with a $5,000 reward for his capture. Hundreds more Dorrites got rounded up in the following days, with many losing their jobs and going to jail.

The Failed Rebellion Changed Rhode Island Forever

In October 1843, Dorr returned to Providence and got arrested right away. He stood trial for treason and received a life sentence.

After 20 months in prison, a newly elected governor pardoned him in June 1845 because of public pressure.

The charter government adopted a new constitution in November 1842 that removed the property requirement for native-born citizens but kept it for immigrants.

Dorr died in 1854, always believing that his People’s government was legitimate and legal.

Visiting Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Rhode Island

The Blackstone Valley Visitor Center at 175 Main Street in Pawtucket offers free admission and a 20-minute film about mill history connected to the Dorr Rebellion era.

You can visit Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark Thursday through Sunday from 10-4, with guided tours on Fridays and Saturdays at 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 2:30 PM.

Tours might get canceled when the heat index goes above 87 degrees.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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