The Denver star., 1916-10-14
.COLORED men IN
THE REVOLUTION
Brief Story Of Their SsrIes
10 WashIngton's Army.
ARTICLES OF ENLISTMENT.

British Attituoo Toward OtoVeVy wa
Largely Responsible For Early En-
pIoymsnt Of Frssmsn In War Fer
American ndspsndsnes-Why WASH
jooton Rsseindsd His First Order.
The employment Of colored men be-
came a subject of much importance at
an early stage Of the American War
of Independence. The British natural
ly regarded slavery as an element OF
weakness in the condition of the colo
MES, in which the slaves were numer-
Gus, and laid their plans to gain the
colored men and induce them to take
up arms against their masters by prom
Using them liberty on this condition,
says the San Francisco Chronicle.
The situation was looked upon by
the public men Of the colonies as alarm
ing, and several Of them urged the
congress to adopt the policy Of emanci-
patton. But, while the general ques-
ton of emancipation was defeated. the
exigencies of the contest again and
again trougN up the Practical one Of
employment for Negroes. whether bond
or free.
In May, 1875. Hancock and Warren's
committee Of safety introduced the fol-
lowing formal resolution:
Resolved. That it is the opinion Of
this committee, as the contest now be-
tween Great Britain and the colonies
respects the liberties and privileges Of
the latter, which the colonies are de-
termined to maintain. that the admis-
sion Of any person as a soldier into
tot, D.,
are freemen. will be inconsistent with
the principles that are to be supported
and reflect dishonor on these colonies
and that no slaves be admitted into
this army upon any consideration
whatever"
Washington took command of the
army around Boston on July 3. l1I5.
The instructions for the recruiting Off
GERS from his headquarters at Cam
bridge prohibited the enlistment of
any Negro"
Notwithstanding all this. the fact re
mains. as Bancroft says, that 1.-The roll
| of the army at Cambridge had from Its
| first formation borne the names Of
| men of color" Free Negroes stood In
| the ranks by the side Of white men. In
| the Begin ing of the war they had er-
tered the provincial army. and the
colored men. like others. were retained
| in the service"
A committee on conference. consist.
ing Of DIR. Franklin. BENJAMIN Harm.
son and Thomas Lynch. met at Cam.
bridge. Oct. Is, 1715. with the deputy
governors Of Connecticut and Rhode
Island and the committee of the coun-
81 nH 70 far
with General Washington and advise
a method for renovating the army. On
the 23d OF October the Negro question
was presented and disposed Of as fol-
lows: Ought not Negroes to be ex-
cluded from the new enlistment es-
pecially such rs are slaves?" All were
thought improper by the council Of ON.
GERS. 1t was agreed that they be re-
jected altogether.
In general orders issued Nov ~.
1115, Washington says. Neither Ne
groes. boys unable to bear arms or old
men unfit to endure the fatiyues OF the
campaign are to be enlisted" Wash
ington, however, in the last days of the
year. under representations to him that
the free Negroes who had served in
his army were very much dissatisfied
at being discarded and. fearing that
they might seek employment I'm the
British army. took the responsibility to
depart from the resolution respecting
them and gave license for their being
enlisted.
Washington promised that II there
was any objection on the part of con.
gress he would discontinue the enlist.
ing OF co!ored men. but on Jan 10
1II6, congress determined that the
free Negroes who had served faithfully
in the army at Cambridge may be re
enlisted therein. but no Others"
The entire aspect of the affair chang
ed when in ITO the south began to be
invaded. South Carolina especialls
was unable to make any effectual eff
forts with militia by reason OF the
great proportion Of citizens necessary
to remain at home to prevent insur. |
rections among the Negroes and their |
desertion to the enemy. who were as. |
siduous In their endaavors to excite |
both revolt and desertion
The result was that In all the south
crn states the legislatures passed reso
lutions to enlist Negroes. and the col
ored patriots OF the Revolution are ar
much entitled rs their white brethren
to credit for the ardor with which they
fought the enemy. whether they were
bondmen or freemen. 1t has never
been possible to give an exact state
ment as to the number Of Negroes who
served In the Revolution for the reason
that they We're generally mixed in regi.
ments and not calculated separately.
New Teachers at Prairie View College
Among the new members OF the fac.