The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-08-30
The Negro In the Revolution.

the Negro Tn the Revolution.
On March l4th, 1878, Alexander Hamilton
wrote to John Jay, then President Of Con-
greSs; warmly CONNIE riding plan of Colonel
Laurens. the object Of which was 10 raise
three or four battaliuns OF negroes IN SoLt.
Carolina.
The project was warmly approved by Mai.
Gen. oreene, and J,aurens himself, who pro-
posed to lead the blacksj was enthusiastic in
his hopes.
But the Legislature OF South Carolina
decided, as might have been expected from,
the most tory Of States in the Revolution, AZ
1t now is the most traitorous in tho emanciI d.
sion-for 1t is by that name that this war will
be known IN history. 1t rejected Laur.ns'
prop"sal-b's own words give tho best &C.
count Of failure.
- was outvuted, having only reason on
my side, and being opposed by a trip IL lieatlctl
monster, that shed the banefnl influence of
avarice, prejudice, and pusillanimity in al
ohF assemblies. 1t was some consolation to
me-, however, to find that philosophy and
truth bad made some little progress since my
last effort, as / obtained twice US many sui.
frages as bcfore.''
But the real lesson which this rejection Of
negro aid taught this country was u bitter
one. South Carolina lost twenty five thou
sand negroes, and in Georgia between three
escaped. The British organized them, madu
great use Of them, and they became s:danger-
GUS and wcll-disciplined bands Of nafaH.
dcrs.' AS tho want Of recruits in the -Amerf.
can army increased, negroes, both bond and
free. were finally and gladly taken. In tho
derartnl. mt under General Washington's
command, on August 2ith, l77S. there were
nearly eight hundred black soldiers. This
does not inelade. however, the black regi-
t,'ent of Rhode Island slaves which had been
Organized.
In 1873 General varnnm proposed 10
Washington that battalion Of negro slaves
DC raised. to be commanded by Col. Greene,
Lieut.. Col. Olney, and Major Ward. Wash.
ington approved Of the plan, which, however,
met with strong opposition from the Rhode
Island Assembly. The black regiment was,
however, raised, tried, "and not found want
ms." AS MIR. hIuore declares,
In the battle of Rhode Island, August
10Th, 1913, said by Lafayette to have been
the best fought action of the whole war;
this newly raised black regiment, under Col.
Greene, distinguished itself by deeds Of des-
peratc val"r, rcpei'ing three times tho fierce
assaults of an overwhelming force Of Hcssian
troops. And so they continued to discharge
their duty with zeal and Adclity-nevcr losing
any OF their first laurcls so calamity won. It
is not improbable that Col. John Laurens
witnessed and drew some Of his inspiration
from the scene of their fist trial in the
'icld.''
A company of negroes from Connecticut
was also raised and commanded by tho late
Gen. Humphreys, who was attached to thu
family OF Washington. OF this company CO.
temporary account Say that they " Conducted
themselves with fidelity aud efficiency through
out the war;" So, little hy littls, the negro
came to be an effective aid, after all the form.
a rejcctions OF his service. In 1850, an act
was passed in Maryland to procure one thou
sand men to serve three years. The property
in the State was divided into classes of six
teen thousand pounds, each Of which was,
within twenty days, to furnish one recruit,
w10night he either freeman or a slave
In T56l, the Legislature resolved to raise,
immediately, seven hundred and fifty negtoes,
to be incorporated with the other ttuups.
In Virginia an act had been passed in III,
declaring tina, free negroes, and free negroes
only, might be enlisted on the footing with
white men, Great numbers Of Virginians
who wished to escape military sevice, caused
their slaves TO enlist, having rendered them
to the recruiting officcrs as substitutes for
tree persons, whose lot or duty it was to
serve in the army, at The Satire time repre-.
senting that these slaves were fteetiien. ION
tho expiration of the term OF enlistment, tho
former overs attempted t. force them to
return to a state of servtudc, with equal dis
rrgatj Of the principles OF Justice aud their
own solemn PROMISE"
The miluity Of such proceedings soon
raised a storm Of indignation. and the result
was the passage Of an Act Of Emancipation.
securing freedom to all slaves who had served
their term in the war.
Such are tho principal facts collected in
this remarkable and timely publication. 1t
is needless TO say that VIZ commend it TO tho
careful perusal Of all who desire conclusive
information "n a most important subject. 1t
is evident that VIC are gong through nearly
the same stages of timidty, ignorance, and
blind conservatism which were passed by our
torciathers, and shall come, il not too late,
upon the same results. 1t is historically true
that Washington apparently had in the begin.
ming these Scrnples, but was among the irst
to lay them aside, and that experience taught
him and many Others the folly Of scrupling to
emp!"y in regular warfare and in the regular
way men who would Otherwise aid tho enc
my. These are undcniable facts, we'll worth
more than mere reflection, and We according
ly commend the work in which they are set
forth, with al! our heart, TO the reader.
Continental Monthly.
Very Lucid.