Evening star., 1932-01-24
proved himself prophet when he mad'
that Prediction

| army An English nlstOrldu quoseo
Lord Dunmore as saying that since Gie
colonists were so anxious for more 1Iee.
dom themselves than was CONSISTENT
with the free institutions of the mother
country and the charter of the colony,
that since they were so ANXIOUS 10
abolish fanciful slavery In depen-
dence on Great Britain, he would try
how they liked abolition of real slavery
by setting free all their Negroes ana
indentured white servants, VINO were,
in fact, little better than white slaves.
A colored man who had been TAKEN
prisoner at Long Island escaped anu
reported that 300 of his race had oeen
enlisted on Staten Island by the bfltEn
to be formed into regiment. =,
| Five months after he issued the
| proclamation Lord Dunmore wrote TO
the secretary Of state: Your lordshlp
will observe that have been endeavor-
ing to raise two regiments here" TN
| Virginia" one of white people, the other
black. The former goes on very slowly,
but the latter very well, and would
have been in great forwardness had
not fever crept in among them which
carried off great many fine fellows
Had it not been for that horrid dis
| order" he wrote later on, L am salts
fed I should have had no doubt OF
| penetrating into the heart OF this
! colony
There is no doubt whatever that
many colored men fought under the
| British flag. Thomas Jefferson declared
that under Lorn CORVALLIS alone the
state Of Virginia probably lost 80 O,0OO
| slaves, and that of this number $1,000
died OF smallpox and camp fever. OF
those remaining he declared that some
were sent to the West Indies and ex-
changed for rum. sugar, coffee and
fruit. Some were sent to New York
and went to Nova Scotia or England
| after the peace, and some of them were
sent to Africa. History" declared
| Thomas Jefferson, will never relate
the horrors committed by the British
army in the Southern States OF
America"
Many Re-enslaved.
But justice was not always meted out
to the colored man who enlisted in the
Continental Army by those for whom
he fought. In practically every State
from which they entered the Army
freedom was promised to the slaves
after they had served certain length
OF time USUALLY three years. and had
been honorably discharged. But in
spite of these fair promises many
Negroes who had battled hard for
American independence we're re-en-
slRved.
Placing colored men who had fought
In the war into bondage again after
they had been honorably discharged
was such fragrant violation of the
pledges that had been made them that
| In 1873 the Legislature Of Virginia
passed an act directing the emancipa-
| ton Of those who had served as SOL
| oiers in this State and for the emanci-
patton Of the slave Aberdeen" "Aber-
! deem" said the Legislature, hath la
bored number of years in the public
service in the lead mines. and for this
meritorious service is entitled to free
| dem. Be 1t therefore enacted that the
| said slave, Aberdeen, shall be and Is
| hereby emancipated and declared free
in as flu and ample a manhood as If
he had been born free"
| Gen. washington was greatly exer-
cised when he heard that a man by the
name Of Hobby claimed as his property
a colored man who was serving in
Massachusetts, regiment He wrote to
Gen. Putnam and ordered that court
! Of inquiry, consisting of five as re-
| spectacle officers as can be found in
! your brigade, should inquire into the
| validity Of the claim and the manner
IN which the person in question came
into service" After this information
had been secured Gen. Washington Or
dered that the report should be sent to
Gen. Putnam and then forwarded i'm
| mediately to himself.
In many instances the master placed
his slave in the Army as substitute
| for himself. In commenting upon this
Hessian officer wrote: THE Negro
can take the field instead of his master,
and no regiment can be seen in which
there are no Negroes In abundance, and
among them are able-bodied, strong
fellows"
Washington Democratic.
Gen. Washington is usually pictured
as an artstocrat of the first water, but
| his attitude toward his subordinates
| and particularly toward colored men
WIN Whom he came into close, personal
contact, was very democratic indeed,
This side OF his nature was very clearly
SHOWN once when he paid an officer a
! visit Col. Pickering was one of Cen
Washington's best friends. There was
no officer to whom he unbosomed him
SELF more freely in discussing his plans
and with whom he enjoyed taking
counsel when they were stationed with.
! IN short distance of each other moro
than with Col. Pickering.
| Once when the Commander in Chief
had visited his friend and remained
until night came on, he told the colonel
| he would like to remain until mornino
| provided he had spare blanket and
straw; The colonel appealed to Prinus
Hail, ms BODY servant who was a free
man. on, yes" said Primus. there
Is plenty OF straw and blankets" Being
tinued to confer with Col pickeriy,o
until 1t was time to retire.
Two humble beds were spread side
by side in the tent" said a well known
minister of the period who related the
| incident in a magazine, "and the off,
! GERS laid themselves down. while
Primus seemed busy with duties which
required his attention before he bir,-
self could lie down. He worked or
appeared to work until the breathing
Of the PROSTATE gentlemen satisfied him
they were sleeping Then seating him
SeH upon a oox or a stool he leaned
| his head on his hands to obtain such
repose as SO lnconvenient a position
would allow. In the midst of the night
| Washington awoke. He looked about
| and deserted the negro as he sat, He
| gaSed at him while and then spoke
Primus! said he calling: 'Prinnus
"Primus started up and rubbed his
eyes. What, General?' said he.
Primus' Sacrifice.
Washington rose up In his bed
primus said he, what did YOU mean
by saying that you had blankets and
! straw enough? Here you have given
up your blanket and straw to me that
I may sleep comfortably, while YOU are
obliged to sit through the night
1t nothing, General said Primus.
It's nothlng. I'm we'll enough. Don't
trouble yourself about me, General but
go to sleep again. No matter about
me- I sleep very good
But it is matter-it is matter said
Washington, earnestly. 7 cannot do
it, Prlmus. If either is to sit up, I will,
But think there is no need OF either
sitting up. The blanket is wide enough
for two. Come and lie down here with