Complex sentence: In 1779, as British sailors retreating from Newport near the end of the American revolutionary war, left a trail of destruction behind them, which included burning the lighthouse and removing the optics, which left the light dark for the rest of the war.
Split into simpler sentences: In 1779, as British sailors retreating from Newport near the end of the American revolutionary war, they left a trail of destruction behind them. This included burning the lighthouse and removing the optics, which left the light dark for the rest of the war.