During the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), many men from East Providence supported the fight for American independence, leaving behind their farms, trades, and families to serve in local militias or the Continental Army. Some were soldiers, formally enlisted and trained to fight in battles, defend Rhode Island’s shores, or march beyond the colony under leaders such as George Washington. Others were Patriots, individuals who supported the cause of independence in ways that did not require military service, providing supplies, carrying messages, gathering intelligence, or assisting the war effort at home. While every soldier fighting for independence was a Patriot, not every Patriot took up arms. Their combined efforts connected this small community to the larger struggle for freedom, and the biographies that follow highlight the lives and legacy of the Revolutionary soldiers and Patriots who once called East Providence home.