Forgotten Patriots Who Supported American Struggle for Independence The Role of Enslaved Americans in the War by Gabe

Canter The American Revolution was fought in 1775 to 1783. The colonists were not the only ones that fought in the American Revolution. There were some minority groups that helped too. Some of the minority groups were slaves, French, the Native Americans, and the Cubans. Some of the slaves fought and some didn't. Some of the slaves stayed home and took care of their owner if they were injured in the war. One way the black slaves helped was that they had fought in some of the battles of the American Revolution. The British were the first ones to let their slaves fight for their freedom. Then 2 years after the war started, the Americans started to let their slaves fight for their freedom. The slaves did not care what side they were on, they just wanted their freedom. There was one group of African Americans that were called the First Rhode Island Regiment. They were mustered into service in 1778 and there were 197 black men. All the officers were white. They were praised as being well dressed and skilled. They fought for the Continental Army. They were well skilled fighters and precise in all maneuvers. The majority of the men were African Americans. One notable black man was James Armistead. He was born Into slavery in Virginia 1748. He volunteered to fight for the Continental Army. He was sent to serve the Marquis de Lafayette the Commander of the French Forces. He was employed as a spy to gather info from the British to take back to Lafayette. The British thought he was a runaway and that he was spying on the

American Camps. Because of his help, the Americans were able to claim victory at Yorktown which caused the British to surrender. The British had surrendered on October 19, 1781. The black slaves fought in the revolution so they could they could get their freedom. Everybody sacrificed their lives to have their freedom. But especially the black slaves that might not REALLY get their freedom like their owners said they would if they fought. It is estimated that 100,000 blacks escaped, died, or were killed in the Revolutionary War. The blacks that fought in the American Revolution deserve our recognition because of their willingness and bravery to risk their lives so they could get their freedom from their owners. When the Patriots [colonists] won their freedom from the king.

References Africans in America: Narrative. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2narr4_txt.html Stories from the Revolution. http://www.nps.gov/revwar/about_the_revolution/african_americans.html Blacks and the American Revolution. http://www2.coloradocollege.edu/Dept/HY/HY243Ruiz/Research/revolution.html Black Soldiers and Sailors During the Revolution. http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2004_summer_fall/soldiers.htm James Armistead. (2012). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 10:14, Dec 06, 2012, from http://www.biography.com/people/james-armistead-53756