Norwich bulletin., 1921-07-07
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAS
HISTORY


The employment of negroes became
subject. of much Importance at an
early stage of the American War Of
Independence. The British naturally
regarded slavery as an element Of
weakness in the condition Of the Colo
MES, in which the slaves were nuner-
Gus, and laid their plans to gain the col
ored men and induce them to take up
arms against the masters by promising
them their 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 " policy of emancipation. But
while the general question of emanci-
patton was defeated. the exigencies Of the
contest again and again brought up
the practical one of employment for ne
groes, whether bond or tree.
In May. ITS. Hancock and Warren'S
committee OF safety, introduced the fol-
lowing resolution: Resolved. Tnat
K is the opinion Of this committee, as
| the. contest now between Great Britain
and the colonies respects the liberties and
| privileges of the latter, which the col
| onies are determined to maintain. that
| the admission of any person as soldiers
into the army now raising, but only such
as are freemen. will be inconsistent with
| the principle that are to be supported.
and reflect dishonor on the colony, and
| tat no slaves he admitted into this army
upon any consideration Whatever"
| Washington took command Of the army
around Boston on July g.. IT'S. The
| instructions for the recruiting officers
from his headquarters at Cambridge pro-
hibited the enlistment Of any negroes"
1t may also be noticed that they we're for
| hidden to enlist amy person who is not
an American born. unless such person
has a wife and family, and is a settled
resident of this country"
Notwithstand all this, the fact re-
| means as Bancroft saws. that tho roll
! Of the army at Cambridge had. fir ~ 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 coiored men.
| ike others, were retained in the service
after the troops were adopted BY the con-
| tinent"
/ committee on. conferences. consistins
| & Br Franklin, Ben iamin Harrison. and
| Thomas Lynch, met at Cambridge. Octob-
| ar H. 1175 with the. deputy governors
| Of Connecticut and Rhode Island and
the committee on the council Of Massa-
| chusetts Bay to confer with General
| Washington and advise d method for rem
| If October the negro question was pre-
s5nted ana disposed Of as follows Ought
not negroes 10 be excluded from the
new enlistment. especially such as are
slsves7' All were thought Improper by
the council Of officers It was agreed
that they be rejected altogether.
In general orders. issued November
u, 1875, Washington says: Neither
negroes, boys unable to bear arms. nor
- = - =
the campaign are to be enlisted"
Washington, however. in the last days
of the year, under representations to hin
that the free negroes Who had served in
his army were very much dissatisfied al
being discarded and fearing chat they
might Seek employment in the British
army, took the responsibility to depar
from the resolution respecting them and
gave license for their being enlisted
Washington promised that If there wa.
any objection on the part Of congress- HI
would discontinue the enlisting. Of coloret
men. but on January Is. 1878, con gres:
; determined '"That the free negroes wht
had served faithfully III the army d
Cambridge may be re-enlisted therein
The entire aspect Of the AFFAIR chang
ed when in 1873 the south began to be
invaded. South Carolina, especially, wa
unable to make any effectual efforts witt
mlutla, DIV reason OIL the Great proper
ton Of citizens necessary to remain a
home to prevent instruction among tn
! negroes and their desertion to the. enem.
Who were assiddous IN their endeavor
: to excite both revolt and desertion.
The result was that in all the south
ERR States the legislatures passed reso
lutions to enlist negroes. and the col
ored patriots of the Revolution are a
much entitled as their white brethren 70
! the ardor with which they fought tn
common enemy. whether they were bonds
men or freef1len 1t has never been pos
s.ble to give an exact statement as t
I the number Of negroes who served in tn
: Revolution. for the reason that they wer
= generally mixed in regiments, and nc
. calculated separately.
Observation-Disclosures the washingto
I Centenary)