The broad ax., 1916-10-21
NEGROES IN THE AMERICAN REV
OLUTION.

subject of much Importance at an early
stage of the American War of Independ-
ence. The British naturally regarded
slavery as an element of weakness in
the condition of the Colonies, in which
the slaves were numerous, and laid their
plans to gain the Colored men and in
duce them to take up arms against their
masters by promising them liberty on
this condition.
The situation was looked upon by the
public men of the colony as alarming,
and several of them urged the Congress
to adopt the policy of emancipation.
But while the general question of eman-
cipation 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 IS
Committee of Safety introduced the fol-
lowing formal resolution: Resolved,
That it is the opinion of this COMMITTEES,
as the contest now between Great Brit
ain and the Colonies respects the lib
critics and privileges of the latter, which
the Colonies are determined to main
tain, that the admission of any person
as soldiers 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
this Colony, and that no slaves be ad-
mitted into this army upon any consid-
Grafton 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
negroes. 1t may also be noticed
that they were forbidden to enlist "any
person who is not an American born,
unless such person has a wife and fam
lily, and is a settled resident in this
country
Notwithstanding all this, the fact re-
mains, as Bancroft says, that "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 beginning of the war they had
entered the Provincial army, and the
Colored men, like others, were retained
in the service after the troops were
adopted by the continent
A committee on Conference, consist
ing of DR.. Franklin, Benjamin Harri-
son and Thomas Lynch, met at Cam
bridge, October IS, 1775, with the Dep
uty Governors of Connecticut and Rhode
Island, and the Committee of the Coun-
ell of Massachusetts Bay, to confer
with General Washington, and advise
a method for renovating the army.
On the twenty-third of October the Ne
gro question was presented and dis
posed of as follows: "Ought not Ne
groes to be excluded from the new en-
listment, especially such as are slaves?"
All were thought improper by the com-
ell of officers. 1t was agreed that they
be rejected altogether.
In general orders, issued November
II, 1775, Washington/says "Neither
Negroes, boys unable to bear arms nor
old men unfit to endure the fatigues
of the campaign are to be enlisted"
Washington, 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 dis
satisfied at being discarded, and fearing
that they might seek employment in the
British army, took the responsibility 20
depart from the resolution respecting
them and gave license for their being
enlisted.
Washington promised that if there
was any objection on the part of Con-
gress he would discontinue the enlisting
of Colored men, but on January -,
1916, 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 changed
when in 1879 the South began to be in
vaded. South Carolina, especially, was
unable to make any effectual efforts
with militia, by reason of the great pro-
portion of citizens necessary to remain
at home to prevent instructions among
the Negroes and their desertion to the
enemy, who were assiduous in their en-
deavors to excite both revolt and de-
sertion.
The result was that in all the South