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This war “hero” has FRAUD written all over him. His account was published in 1858 by Abolitionists in Chicago. Miraculously, this slave/war hero was with George Washington at Yorktown in 1781, with Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, met President Franklin Pierce in DC, had a medal pinned on him personally by Revolutionary War hero LaFayette, etc. Only a PC reporter from a major newspaper would publish this story.

Yup.

From Wikipedia:

American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) Oldest veterans:

Daniel Frederick Bakeman (1759–1869) — Continental Army. Last veteran drawing a pension awarded by Congress; granted a pension in 1867 even though he could not prove his service.
John Gray (1764–1868) — Continental Army. Last verifiable veteran. Served at Yorktown. Six month service period was too short to qualify for pension. Granted a pension in 1867.
Samuel Downing (1761–1867) — Continental Army. Fought at Saratoga.
Lemuel Cook (1759–1866) — Continental Army. Served with the 2nd Light Dragoons at Brandywine.
Elijah Churchill (1755–1841) — Continental Army. Last Badge of Military Merit recipient.

The subject of the thread lived from 1753-1868. Born before all of these others, outlived all but one of them. Not likely. And as you point out, he was conveniently in all the right places at the right times and met all the right people. It's like Forest Gump. I'm not buying it.

There is an entire S.A.R. Chapter based on North Carolina's Outer Banks which consists almost entirely of direct descendants of African American Veterans of the American Revolution. The documentation is carefully checked. I know because I'm an S.A.R. member (and amateur genealogist) myself.

I do not know about this particular guy, but Americas of African descent who helped win the American Revolution are not so few in number as some people are inclined to think.