The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1916-10-21
.COLOREO Men IN
THE REVOLUTION
Brief Story Of Their Service
In WashingtOn's Army.
ARTICLES OF ENLISTMENT.

MllClE Ut ENLISTMENT.
British Attitude Toward Slavery Was
Largely Responsible For Early EN-.
pioyment Of Freemen In War For
American ndependence-Why Wash.
inston Rsscinded His First Order.
The employment Of colOred men be-
came q 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
ising 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-
tion of emancipation was defeated. the
exigencies Of the contest again and
again brought up the practical one Of
employment for Negroes. whether bond
or free.
In May, 1775, Hancock and Warren's
committee Of safety introduced the fol-
lowing formal resolution:
"Pesolved, 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 solder into
the army now raising, but only such as
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. 1775.
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 it's
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 en-
tered the provincial army. and the
colored men, like others. were retained
in the service"
A committee on conference, consist
ing Of DR.. Franklin, Benjamin Harri-
son and Thomas Lynch, met at Cam
bridge. Oct. IL, 1775. with the deputy
governors Of Connecticut and Rhode
Island and the committee of the coun-
ell Of Massachusetts, Bay to confer
with General Washington and advise
method for renOvating the army. On
the 23d Of October the Negro quesuOm
was presented and disposed Of as fol-
lows: "Ought not Negroes to be ex-
cluded from the new enlistment. es-
pecially such as are slavesT All were
thought improper by the council Of off,
GERS. 1t was agreed that they he re-
jected altogether.
In general orders issued Nov. 12
1775. Washington says. Neither Ne
groes, boys unable to bear arms or old
men unfit to endure the fatigues 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 colored men. but on Jan. Is.
1776. congress determined that the
free Negroes who had served faithfully
in the army at Cambridge may he re-
enlisted therein. but no others
The entire aspect Of the affair chang;
I'd when In l779 the south began to be
Invaded. South Carolina especially
was unable 20 make any effectual ef-
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
fesertiOn to the enemy. who were as
'iiduous In their end.avors to excite
both revolt and desertiOn
The result was that in all the south
ern states the legislatures passed reso-
Iutions to enlist Negroes. and the COL
ored patriots Of the Revolution are as
much entitled as their white brethren
to credit for the ardor with which they
fought the enemy. whether they were