Various - The Journal of Negro History, Volume 1, January 1916

Moore, "Historical Notes on the Employment of Negroes in the American Revolution," 4.

Bancroft, "History of the United States," VIII, 110.

Washburn, "History of Leicester," 267.

Washington, "The Story of the Negro," I, 315.

Manuscript, Massachusetts Archives, CLXXX, 241.

Journals of the Continental Congress, 1775, pp. 221, 263; 1776, pp. 60, 874; 1779, pp. 386, 418.

Ford, "Washington's Writings," VIII, 371.

Journal of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, 553.

Moore, "Historical Notes," 5.

Ibid. , 6.

Ibid. , 6.

Ibid. , 7.

Adam's Works, II, 428.

Life and Correspondence of Joseph Reed, I, 135.

Force, American Archives, I, 486. Fifth Series.

"By his Excellency, Sir HENRY CLINTON, K.B., General and Commander-in-Chief of all His Majesty's Forces within the Colonies lying on the Atlantic Ocean, from Nova Scotia to West Florida, inclusive, etc.

"PROCLAMATION

"Whereas, The Enemy have adopted a practice of enrolling NEGROES among their troops: I do hereby give Notice, that all NEGROES taken in Arms, or upon any military Duty shall be purchased for the public service at a stated price; the Money to be paid to the Captors.

"But I do most strictly forbid any Person to sell or claim Right over any Negroe, the Property of a Rebel, who may take refuge with any part of this Army: And I do promise to every Negroe who shall desert the Rebel Standard full Security to follow within these Lines any occupation which he may think proper."

"Given under my Hand at Head-Quarters, Philipsburgh, the 30th day of June 1779.

H. CLINTON.

By his Excellency's Command, JOHN SMITH, Secretary."

The Journal of the Continental Congress, II, 26.

Ramsay, "The History of South Carolina" [Edition, 1809], I, 474-475.

The Gazette of the State of South Carolina , Nov. 22, 1784.

Moore, "Historical Notes," 14.

Sparks, "Washington's Works," III, 218.

Ibid.

Letter of General Thomas to John Adams, Oct. 24, 1775.

Moore, "Historical Notes," 4.

Hamilton's "Works," I, 76-78.

Moore, "Historical Notes," 13.

Madison's Papers, 68.

Letter of Hamilton to Jay, March 14, 1779; and Journals of the Continental Congress.

Hening, Statutes at Large, IX, 280.

Ibid. , XI, 308, 309.

Rhode Island Colonial Records, VIII, 640, 641.

Ibid. , 358-360.

Moore, "Historical Notes," 19.

Manuscripts in the Archives of Massachusetts, CXCIX, 80.

Moore, "Historical Notes," 20.

Laws of the State of New York, Chapter XXXII, Fourth Session.

Sparks, "Correspondence of the American Revolution," III, 331.

Moore, "Historical Notes," 20.

Ibid. , 21.

Taking up the Southern situation, Hamilton in 1779 wrote Jay as follows:

" Dear Sir : Colonel Laurens, who will have the honor of delivering you this letter, is on his way to South Carolina, on a project which I think, in the present situation of affairs there, is a very good one, and deserves every kind of support and encouragement. This is, to raise two, three, or four battalions of negroes, with the assistance of the government of that State, by contributions from the owners, in proportion to the number they possess. If you should think proper to enter upon the subject with him, he will give you a detail of his plan. He wishes to have it recommended by Congress to the State; and, as an inducement, that they would engage to take their battalions into Continental pay.

"It appears to me, that an expedient of this kind, in the present state of Southern affairs, is the most rational that can be adopted, and promises very important advantages. Indeed, I hardly see how a sufficient force can be collected in that quarter without it: and the enemy's operations there are growing infinitely serious and formidable. I have not the least doubt, that the negroes will make very excellent soldiers with proper management: and I will venture to pronounce, that they cannot be put in better hands than those of Mr. Laurens. He has all the zeal, intelligence, enterprise, and every other qualification, requisite to succeed in such an undertaking. It is a maxim with some great military judges, that, with sensible officers, soldiers can hardly be too stupid; and, on this principle, it is thought that the Russians would make the best soldiers in the world, if they were under other officers than their own. The King of Prussia is among the number who maintain this doctrine, and has a very emphatic saying on the occasion, which I do not exactly recollect. I mention this because I have frequently heard it objected to the scheme of embodying negroes, that they are too stupid to make soldiers. This is so far from appearing to me a valid objection, that I think their want of cultivation (for their natural faculties are as good as ours), joined to that habit of subordination which they acquire from a life of servitude will enable them sooner to become soldiers than our white inhabitants. Let officers be men of sense and sentiment, and the nearer the soldiers approach to machines, perhaps the better.

"I foresee that this project will have to combat much opposition from prejudice and self-interest. The contempt we have been taught to entertain for the blacks, makes us fancy many things that are founded neither in reason nor experience; and an unwillingness to part with property of so valuable a kind, will furnish a thousand arguments to show the impracticability, or pernicious tendency, of a scheme which requires such sacrifices. But it should be considered, that if we do not make use of them in this way, the enemy probably will; and that the best way to counteract the temptations they will hold out, will be to offer them ourselves. An essential part of the plan is, to give them their freedom with their swords. This will secure their fidelity, animate their courage, and, I believe, will have a good influence upon those who remain, by opening a door to their emancipation.

"This circumstance, I confess, has no small weight in inducing me to wish the success of the project; for the dictates of humanity and true policy equally interest me in favor of this unfortunate class of men.

"While I am on the subject of Southern affairs, you will excuse the liberty I take in saying, that I do not think measures sufficiently vigorous are pursuing for our defence in that quarter. Except the few regular troops of South Carolina, we seem to be relying wholly on the militia of that and two neighboring States. These will soon grow impatient of service and leave our affairs in a miserable situation. No considerable force can be uniformly kept up by militia, to say nothing of the many obvious and well-known inconveniences that attend this kind of troops. I would beg leave to suggest, sir, that no time ought to be lost in making a draught of militia to serve a twelve-month, from the States of North and South Carolina and Virginia. But South Carolina, being very weak in her population of whites, may be excused from the draught, on condition of furnishing the black battalions. The two others may furnish about three thousand five hundred men, and be exempted, on that account, from sending any succor to this army. The States to the northward of Virginia, will be fully able to give competent supplies to the army here; and it will require all the force and exertions of the three States I have mentioned, to withstand the storm which has arisen, and is increasing in the South.