During the American Revolutionary War, Black soldiers did much to help win
independence
from Britain for the United States. A Black man named Prince Estabrook was one of the first to fall during the war's opening battle. The fighting occurred at Lexington in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775. Other Black men fought to defend nearby Concord Bridge later in the day.
At least a dozen Black soldiers fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill the following June 17. A Black soldier named Cuff Whittenmore was cited for "fighting bravely" and was allowed to keep a sword he captured from a British officer. Another Black soldier, Peter Salem, killed a British officer in the fight. Later, 14 American officers signed a document recognizing Salem for being "a brave and gallant soldier." In the famous painting of the battle by John Trumbull, two Black soldiers are included in the scene.
Black soldiers were used to fight Native Americans
Since the early 1600s, enslaved Black people had been
enlisted
to fight in battles against Indigenous Americans. This practice continued for more than 150 years, especially in the Northern colonies. It changed only when General George Washington took command of the newly formed Continental Army on July 3, 1775. The future president was also an enslaver and plantation owner from Virginia.
Washington and many others saw no need to enlist Black Americans, enslaved or free. Some enslavers did not want people who they viewed as their valuable "property" injured, or freed as a reward for their service. Still others, especially in the South, feared what might happen if Black men were armed.
Washington banned Black men from fighting in war
On July 10, Washington posted an order banning the enlistment of Black people. Washington and other officials did not want Black people in their ranks. They did not see the revolution as a way to end enslavement, even though they were seeking independence for themselves. While the Declaration of Independence began with "all men are created equal," its author, Thomas Jefferson, had no desire to see enslavement ended in America.
While Washington made efforts to keep Black soldiers out of his army, the British were not reluctant to have them. Many British commanders welcomed men who had escaped enslavement as a way to enlarge their army.
The British allowed enslaved people to join their forces
On November 7, 1775, John Murray, the Royal Governor of Virginia, announced that freedom would be granted to any enslaved person who fought for the British. Within a month, Lord Dunmore, the governor of the British colonies, had organized more than 300 people who had escaped enslavement into what he called his "Ethiopian
Regiment
." Members of the regiment wore uniforms emblazoned with the slogan "Liberty to Slaves." Over the next five months, more than 30,000 formerly enslaved people rallied to Dunmore's promise of freedom.
Because so many formerly enslaved people were joining the British forces, Washington eventually changed his mind. On December 30, 1775, he issued orders allowing the enlistment of free Black Americans, though he continued to ban the recruitment of enslaved people. Many field commanders simply ignored the second part of Washington's order. They enlisted Black soldiers with no concern for whether they were free or enslaved.
Black soldiers eventually served alongside whites
Setbacks on the battlefield in 1776 forced the rebels to broaden their search for fresh soldiers. The mid-Atlantic and Northern states began to accept Black Americans, enslaved and free. These new Black soldiers fought side by side with whites.
The Southern states remained reluctant to arm and serve with Black soldiers, but did use them for support roles. All Black people were promised freedom for their service. Enslavers were promised payment for the loss of their property.
For the remainder of the war, Black people served alongside whites. In the 1851 painting "Washington Crossing the Delaware," artist Emanuel Leutze shows a Black soldier at Washington's side.
Black soldiers called "strong, brave fellows"
The British recognized the effectiveness of the Black soldiers in the Continental army. On October 23, 1777, an officer wrote of his rebel opponents, "No regiment is to be seen in which there are not Negroes, in abundance." Many of the Black soldiers, he wrote, "are able-bodied, strong, brave fellows."
Around 5,000 of the 300,000 men who fought on the rebel side were Black. However, this number does not tell the whole story. Black people enlisted for the entire war while whites people enlisted for shorter periods. Since the rebels never had more than 35,000 soldiers in the field at any one time, Black soldiers probably made up 10 percent of the ranks at times.
Enslavement still existed even after the war
Though
prejudice
and discrimination continued, Black soldiers were treated relatively well. Fellow soldiers mostly judged them by their performance under fire, rather than by the color of their skin.
In the years after the revolution, however, Black people received little credit for their participation. Black people who fought on both sides did indeed secure their freedom. However, enslavement was continued in all but a few Northern states. In fact, the number of enslaved people increased greatly in the years between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. The total number of enslaved people in the U.S. increased sevenfold, from 500,000 to 3.5 million.
In addition, following the Revolutionary War Black soldiers were no longer permitted to serve alongside whites. That ban was not lifted until the Korean War of the 1950s.
_Michael Lee Lanning is a decorated former lieutenant colonel who served in Vietnam, and an acclaimed military historian. He is the author of many books, including" Defenders of Liberty: African Americans in the Revolutionary War" and "The African-American Soldier: From Crispus Attucks to Colin Powell."_
In what order did these event occur?
1. The United States desegregated the military.1. The British Army recruited slaves to fight for them.1. The Continental Army recruited freed African Americans to fight for them.1. The Continental Army recruited slaves to fight for them.
A
1, 2, 3, 4
Correct Answer
B
2, 3, 4, 1
Your Answer
C
2, 3, 1, 4
D
3, 2, 4, 1
B
2, 3, 4, 1