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Massachusetts State Seal
Commonwealth Museum   Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin
Commonwealth Museum Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin

Command of Castle Island

An illustration of Castle Island.

Castle Island was a small island in Boston Harbor, which served as the British military base during the Siege of Boston at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The fort on the island, called Castle William, was partially destroyed in 1776 when the British evacuated the city. Revere helped rebuild the fort and was stationed there as a lieutenant colonel. When a commanding officer was away, Revere was ordered to take command of the fort.The fort was renamed Fort Independence after the war, and Castle Island was made into a peninsula in the 20th century.

An order for Lieutenant Colonel Paul Revere to retake control of Castle Island from the man who served as interim commander, August 6, 1779.
An order for Lieutenant Colonel Paul Revere to reassume command of Castle Island from the interim commander after returning from an expedition, August 6, 1779. (Massachusetts Archives)

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