Posted on 11/18/2004 11:20:36 AM PST by PeaRidge
From The Providence Journal Providence, R.I., projo.com Providence, R.I. South County.htm
Rhode Island slaves had critical role in American Revolution 01:00 AM EST on Thursday, November 18, 2004
By Steve Peoples Journal Staff Writer
It is a story most don't know. But a South County-based publishing company is getting the story out -- a story of freedom and oppression; a story of courage and shame.
It is the story of Rhode Island's First Regiment -- black men who fought for America's freedom before they had their own.
"It's an honor to tell this story," said Linda Crotta Brennan, the Coventry woman who recently authored the children's book The Black Regiment of the American Revolution. "It's a story that should be told."
But even Brennan admitted that the subject was difficult to research -- not because there weren't enough resources, but because of the subject.
"Sometimes I didn't want to acknowledge what I was reading. You realize how much is covered up in history," she said. "I wanted to soften facts, but I knew I couldn't. I knew I had to lay out the facts and have it be real."
The end result was a 32-page illustrated book that was released over the summer by North Kingstown-based Moon Mountain Publishing. Intended for children ages 7 to 11, the book tells readers how the First Regiment was created and the critical role the black soldiers played in the American Revolution.
Already, the publisher is working with state education officials to develop a curriculum for fifth graders across the state using the book.
"We want a book in every fifth grader's hands by fall 2005 -- 15,000 students," Moon Mountain president Cate Monroe said. "It's a critical story to show there was a great diversity of people fighting for our freedom."
The decision to allow slaves to fight in the war wasn't an easy one.
Even with depleted forces and British troops occupying the state's largest city, Newport, the state Legislature was apprehensive about arming slaves.
Left with few options, on Feb. 23, 1778 the state Legislature passed a law allowing "every able-bodied Negro, mulatto, or Indian man-slave" to enlist. They would earn the same wage as their white counterparts. And after serving for the duration of the war, the slaves would be free.
About 200 men -- primarily black, but some white -- enlisted.
Many were farm slaves from plantations in southern Rhode Island. Some were general laborers. Others had special skills. There were blacksmiths and carpenters. Many were in their teens or early 20s, and the author learned of two men in their 50s.
It wasn't long before they were called to battle.
Brennan and Providence illustrator Cheryl Kirk Noll spoke in Newport last week about the Black Regiment and how their book had come together.
Before a group of about 15 people, Brennan said she was contacted by Moon Mountain Publishing last year with the story idea. She was thrilled, she said, though she acknowledged her normal area of expertise was nature, not history.
"There was a moment of excitement and a moment of panic," she said. "I knew nothing about the topic."
Given a six-month deadline to research and write the book, Brennan said she dove in.
Using a collection of reference materials, historical documents, experts, and Revolutionary War reenactors, the former school teacher learned that people of color played a major role in the Revolutionary War.
"People don't realize our troops were integrated," she said, adding that about 5,000 black men fought for the patriots. Another 10,000 fought for the loyalists.
The author was also surprised to learn that slavery was not limited to the Southern states.
"Rhode Island was the largest slave-holding state in New England," she said. "The last slave died in Rhode Island at 100 years old, just four years before the Emancipation Proclamation. It's a part of history some people might be a little ashamed about."
American forces knew they must take Newport from the British.
Whoever controlled the city controlled shipping and trade to the rest of Rhode Island.
Having tried twice to reclaim the city, Gen. John Sullivan led the patriots against the loyalists in the summer of 1778. The French had promised to help the Americans, and more than 10,000 men from local militias joined Rhode Island's First and Second Regiments to prepare for the battle.
But things didn't go as planned.
The French and American commanders had planned to work together, but did not think much of each other. Consequently, the patriots were left to face the British alone. When the news reached the troops, an estimated 3,000 Americans deserted.
Sullivan knew his depleted forces couldn't win against the British without the French, so he retreated to the northern part of the island, leaving ambushes -- including the Black Regiment -- to slow the loyalists, which included hired German soldiers known as Hessians.
In a battle described as "the best action in the Revolution" by one officer, Brennan detailed the exchange as the feared Hessians attacked the Black Regiment without success.
The author found and detailed the reaction of one white soldier who watched the exchange: "Three times in succession, were [the Black Regiment] attacked, with most desperate valor and fury, by well-disciplined and veteran troops, and three times did they successfully repel the assault, and thus preserve our army from capture."
As part of the terms of their enlistment, the troops would have to fight for America until the end of the war to earn their freedom -- as opposed to the more common one- of two-year terms. They would continue to fight in other battles across the country for the next five years before the war ended.
"People ask me, 'Did they earn their freedom? Did we keep our promise?' " Brennan said. "We did ... But their wives and children weren't free."
More importantly, the author said, was that the actions of the Black Regiment started to change peoples' perception of people of color.
"It made people stop and think. They fought bravely," she said. "I think we owe a great debt to the men of the Black Regiment, men who fought not just for the country's freedom, but for their own freedom."
To contact Steve Peoples phone (401)277-7459 or e-mail SPeoplesXXXprojo.com
bmp
"The author was also surprised to learn that slavery was not limited to the Southern states."
A fact which many would be well advised to remember.
I hope the newspaper journalist from Rhode Island realizes it isn't actually an island.
Here is an interesting factoid:
Between 1795 and 1805, more than 100,000 Africans were sent to America on 934 Rhode Island owned and based vessels.
Great post.
Bump.
btt
History? If American schools would teach History there would be far less racial problems in the United States. The true facts of slavery in the United States are never taught.
Muslims were among the first slave traders, moving slaves out of Africa by foot from East to the Muslim countries in the West. Slavery was legal in Saudi Arabia until the mid Sixties. The United States had little to do with selling slaves out of Africa and transporting them to the New World. Five% ( 5% ) of all the Slaves coming to the New World eventually ended up in what is now the United States. The United States almost from it's inception was abolitionist. The Slave trade was the product of the European countries France, England, Spain, Portugal, etc.. The seafaring nations with the ability to move Slaves out of Africa.
History as taught in the schools in the United State would have one believe that the United States was responsible for the entire Slave trade. This is evidenced by the adoption of Muslim names by ethnic groups, EL this Al that, total lack of education.
Isn't it amazing that people fall out of their chairs when they find out the Yankees had slaves too?!
Ping
...."I hope the newspaper journalist from Rhode Island realizes it isn't actually an island.
"......
They're talking about Newport, which is on Aquidneck Island, part of Rhode Island.
....Between 1795 and 1805, more than 100,000 Africans were sent to America on 934 Rhode Island owned and based vessels.....
It's gotta be a hell of alot more than 100,000. John Brown (who gave part of his slave trading fortune to found what became Brown University) was one of the premier slave traders, with a large fleet of slavers, over many decades.
934 ships with 100,000 is only an average of 107 per ship, hardly worth making the extra leg in the triangle trade.
Thank you for the clarification.
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