The broad ax., 1914-09-05

/ The Colored man in this country has
been a loyal soldier, and his record is
eoeval with that Of the history Of our
country. Starting in the year, 1775,
with the Revolutionary War, history
tells US that Varnum's Rhode Island
Battalion was the first large aggrega-
tion of Colored troops which served in
any war, numbering some 5000 men.
These were all volunteers, and enlisted
from the States of Connecticut, New
York, and New Hampshire. Each of
these States also furnished a company
in addition to these individual enlist
ments. Thus before the close Of this
war there were few companies, brigades,
or regiments which did not contain some
Colored men as soldiers.
These companies and brigades appear
to have been made up from the free
Colored people of the States; but be-
fore the war closed many slaves were
pressed into the service of the Army,
as the Shareholders did not care to lose
their human property, as they termed
it. Hence even at that early period
it became the policy of the country to
use Colored troops in our military con-
fliets.
The issue of employing slaves to fight
our battles nevertheless became a burn
ing one, and in May, 1775, the Massa-
ehusetts committee of safety voted that
thereafter "only free men should be
enlisted as soldiers" During that same
year, in the month Of July, Gen. Gates,
then in command, issued an order pro-
hibiting further Colored enlistments,
though still retaining in the service all
who had up to that time enlisted.
AS an evidence of the heroism of the
Negro soldier in the early period of
the country I quote the following from
the Annals of Congress, under date of
December 5, 1775:
To the honorable General Court of
the Massachusetts, Bay:
The subscribers beg leave to report
to your honorable house-whieh we do
in justice to the character Of so brave
a man-that under our observation we
declare that Negro man named Salem
Poor, Of Col. Frye's regiment, Capt.
Ames's company, in the late Battle of
Charleston, behaved like an experienced
officer as well as an excellent soldier.
To set forth particulars of his con-
duet would be tedious. We would only
beg to say in the person of this Negro
eenters a brave and gallant soldier.
The reward due to so great and dis
tinguished character we submit to
Congress.
iona Bremen, colonel; Thomas Nix
on, lieutenant colonel; Joseph Baker,
lieutenant; Jonas Richardson, captain;
Ebenezer Varnam, second lieutenant;
William Smith, captain; Richard
Welsh, lieutenant; William Preeott,
colonel; Epham Corey, lieutenant;
Eliphalett BOdwel, sergeant; William
Hudson Ballard, captain; John Nor
ton, sergeant.
This is, indeed, a splendid and a
weIl-attested tribute to the gallantry
of worthy Negro soldier Of the Revo-
lutionary War, and is only one Of the
many instances wherein black men
offered their lives as willing sacrifices
for a country the people Of which for
years held their race in. bondage.
The record also shows that Gen.
Washington, on the 30th Of December,
1775, issued a proclamation authorizing
the enlistment Of free Colored people.
Those soldiers bore an honorable part
in all the engagements from Bunker Hin
to Yorktown History records some
very noted instances Of valor displayed
by individual Colored Revolutionary
Continued on page seven.