Christopher Greene was born on May 12, 1737 at Warwick, Rhode Island, the second son of Philip and Elizabeth Wickes Greene. He was a member of the Greene family famous in that region since its early history, descendants of John Greene, surgeon, who emigrated from Salisbury, England, to Boston in 1635, moved to Providence and finally to Warwick.
Christopher Greene appears to have been a business man of many interests, for he was associated with relatives in the operation of extensive works built on the south branch of the Pawtuxet River-forges, anchor works, dams, and sawmills.
He became a freeman in 1759, and a member of the Rhode Island legislature in 1771 and 1772, representing the town of Warwick. His share in the Revolution began when he was chosen lieutenant in the “Kentish Guards, ” established by the Rhode Island legislature in 1774, and marched with them in April 1775 when news of Lexington alarmed the country.
In May 1775 the legislature organized an army of observation and defense, consisting of fifteen hundred men, armed, equipped and officered, and appointed Greene major of the regiment of King’s County and Kent under Col. James Mitchell Varnum. Shortly thereafter Greene’s regiment marched to join other New England troops stationed outside Cambridge. Greene volunteered to go with Benedict Arnold’s expedition to Canada and was commissioned lieutenant-colonel in command of the first battalion. He was with the forces which went by boat up the Kennebec, then marched through the woods to the St. Lawrence, suffering perilous hardships. They reached the vicinity of Quebec about November 10, but the fatal assault on that city which ended in the death of Gen. Montgomery and the capture of most of the patriot troops did not come until December 31. Greene was held prisoner at Quebec until August 1777, when he was released by exchange. Upon his return he was promoted to the rank of colonel of the 16t Rhode Island Infantry, and in October he was placed in command of Fort Mercer on the Delaware, just below and nearly opposite Philadelphia. With Fort Mifflin it guarded the approach to the city, and because of its strategic position was bound, if held, eventually to cause the evacuation of Philadelphia by the British. Scarcely had he reached the fort with his tired troops when it was attacked on October 22 by Col. (Count) Donop with twelve hundred Hessians. Greene’s troops numbered only a few hundred, but they finally forced the Hessians to retreat with heavy losses. For this gallant defense the Continental Congress voted Greene a sword. Transferred to Rhode Island in January 1778, he took part in the Battle of Rhode Island on August 29, 1778, in command of his famous Rhode Island regiment of negro troops recruited from slaves freed for patriotic service. In 1781 he was appointed to the command on the lines in Westchester County, New York, with his headquarters on the Croton River. Here he was surprised on May 14, 1781, and was killed.
On January 6, 1757, he had married Ann Lippitt, by whom he had several children.
