The first black American to fight in the Marines was John Martin, also known as Keto, the slave of a Delaware man, recruited in April 1776 without his owner's permission by Captain of the Marines Miles Pennington of the Continental brig USS Reprisal. These Black troops made a critical difference in the fighting in the swamps, and kept Marion's guerrillas effective even when many of his white troops were down with malaria or yellow fever. Peter Salem and Salem Poor are the most noted of the African-American Patriots during this era, and Colonel Tye was perhaps the most noteworthy Black Loyalist.Īfrican Americans also served with various of the South Carolina guerrilla units, including that of the 'Swamp Fox', Francis Marion, half of whose force sometimes consisted of free Blacks. At least 5,000 African-American soldiers fought as Revolutionaries, and at least 20,000 served with the British. All-black units were formed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts many were slaves promised freedom for serving in lieu of their masters another all-African-American unit came from Haiti with French forces. In response, and because of manpower shortages, Washington lifted the ban on black enlistment in the Continental Army in January 1776. Many of the Black Loyalists performed military service in the British Army, particularly as part of the only Black regiment of the war, the Black Pioneers, and others served non-military roles.

Many Black Loyalist migrated to Nova Scotia and later to Sierra Leone. Over 100,000 slaves escaped to British lines, although only roughly 1,000 served on the front lines. Lord Dunmore, the Royal Governor of Virginia, issued an emancipation proclamation in November 1775, promising freedom to runaway slaves who fought for the British Sir Henry Clinton issued a similar edict in New York in 1779. Ray Raphael notes that while thousands did join the Loyalist cause, 'A far larger number, free as well as slave, tried to further their interests by siding with the patriots.' īlack soldiers served in Northern militias from the outset, but this was forbidden in the South, where slave-owners feared arming slaves.

Gary Nash reports that recent research concludes there were about 9,000 black soldiers who served on the American side, counting the Continental Army and Navy, state militia units, as well as privateers, wagoneers in the Army, servants, officers and spies. Crispus Attucks was an iconic patriot engaging in a protest in 1770, he was shot by royal soldiers in the Boston Massacre.Īfrican Americans, both as slaves and freemen, served on both sides of the Revolutionary War.

The Wounded World by Chad L. Williams