The Liberator (newspaper)/September 18, 1857/Colored Citizen Soldiers of the Revolution
From the New York Evening Post.
Colored Citizen Soldiers of the Revolution.
It appears that not only did negroes ‘do the State some service’ at the battle of Bunker Hill, but that they were held in much better esteem in the continental army than some, at least, of their white brethren in arms from the Southern States.
The following striking language is found in a letter written in Massachusetts, by General John Thomas, to John Adams, under date of 24th October, 1775:
‘I am sorry to hear that any prejudices should take place in any Southern colony with respect to the troops raised in this. I am certain the insinuations you mention are injurious, if we consider with what precipitation we were obliged to collect an army. In the regiments at Roxbury, the privates are equal to any I served with the last war. Very few old men, and, in the ranks, very few boys. Our fifers are many of them boys. We have some negroes, but I look on them, in general, as equally serviceable with other men for fatigue; and, in action, many of them have proved themselves brave.
I would avoid all reflection, or anything that may tend to give umbrage; but there is in this army, from the Southward, a number called rifle-men, who are as indifferent men as I ever served with. These privates are mutinous, and often deserting to the enemy; unwilling for duty of any kind, exceedingly vicious, and I think the army here would be as well without as with them. But, to do justice to their officers, they are, some of them, likely men.’
The said letter is in the hands of the descendants of Gen. Thomas.
The injustice of the Dred Scott decision could no doubt be further shown by similar testimony of revlutionary times. The men, the citizens, who fought to achieve our freedom, are now regarded by a majority of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States as things, chattels, and possessing no political right to become citizens
