Africans at the Battle of Germantown (Reprint)

Joe Becton                                  Noah Lewis

Meet the Authors at the Revolutionary Germantown Festival

As you stand here waiting to see or watching the Battle of Germantown Reenactment, you might think back to how it must have been. Think not only on the leaders and weapons, but also the everyday people. People perhaps much like yourself. It was a diverse force, a conglomeration of many kinds of people.  The man in whose house the fighting is taking place, is a well to do Judge Benjamin Chew. “This day, these armies, are comprised of German, Irish, Polish, Scottish, English, French, as well as many others”. Among these forces are people of African origins.

This war was not to end slavery. Independence did not mean freedom and Africans still volunteered.

The Army offered:

O    Money  $6 2/3 Dollars a month                                                                                                

O    Cash Bounty on enlistment                                                                                                        

O     Food                                                                                                                                        

O    A new suit of Clothes                                                                                                                   

O    Social Status                                                                                                                                

O    Travel                                                                                                                                       

O    Land Bounty at the end of the war

Although these Africans had the strong desire for freedom, what nurtured that desire, varied. Africans could serve the American army in at least four ways.

 Freeman: 

Ned Hector. of the Proctor’ s 3rd Pennsylvania Artillery

Runaway/escaped slaves:

Peter Williams New Jersey  escaped from his loyalist owner                          

Job Lott 5th North Carolina “came over from the British with a wagon of Flour”

Enslaved (held as a slave):

William Lee George Washington’s Valet,                                        

Jack Arabus 7th Connecticut - sued for his freedom after the war.                                                

Lott Ford served as Substitute in Hall’s 1st Delaware                                                    

Substitutes  Free or enslaved person hired or brought as Substitute:

Joshua Payne 14th Virginia

Often the master or his son, would promise freedom, for service, without the promise being honored.

Gad Asher 2nd Connecticut

Samuel Sutphin  New Jersey Militia

The State or Central Government could buy a enslaved person to serve in the Continental Line. The Rhode Island Slave Soldier Act 1778. Continental Congress offer $400 dollars as compensation to the owners for each volunteer.

You could have also come from outside this country later in the war: The Spanish joined the war  and African soldiers from around the empire fought under General Galves in Florida. Africans in the French forces who fought in the Battle of Savannah, Georgia  came from what is now Haiti. They all shared the same hope, but had different reasons.

 

The Africans were divided, serving on both sides, but united by the same desire to be free, wanting to have some control over their lives. Three to five thousand “People of Color” served the American cause; Seven to ten thousand served the British. General Washington would command the most integrated army up until 1948 when Harry S. Truman would re- integrate the army for the Korean War.

General Washington would also command at least three majority African regiments:                  

• One from Marblehead, Massachusetts, Glover’s Marble head Marines

• One from Rhode Island, Lt Colonel Christopher Greens 1st Rhode Island regiment

• The Bucks of America (This is a difficult group to document!)

They would play an important part in America’s struggle for independence. In New York, the Marbleheaders would save the American Army from annihilation when they would find themselves trapped against the river at Brooklyn Heights, New York. Under the cover of night and fog, under the noses of the British warships men would quietly row their boats to the entrapped Americans and shuttle them to the safety of the other shore. Some would make that trip as many as eleven times. What many don’t realize is that many of those men rowing those boats were Black sailors from Marblehead, Massachusetts. That night those men saved the American army and allowed us to continue our fight for independence. It could have been all over, finished if not for the actions of these brave men. There would be Blacks that would serve as spies for the American cause. One of which was James Armistead Lafayette. He added the last name to honor the one he was spying for. Having learned information about British going to Yorktown, he proceeded to get that information to Washington. Acting upon the information he received, General Washington would lay siege to the British at Yorktown. The Americans ran into problems when they could not bring their large cannons close enough to the city to use them due to defensive fortifications, readouts, the British had erected. The decision was made that two of the readouts would have to be taken. The Rhode Island regiment was sent in with guns unloaded, bayonets fixed, to take out one of the positions and the French was assigned the other. They accomplished their objectives and the cannon were brought up and effectively used, leading to the surrender of the British. By the end of the war ten to twenty five percent of General Washington’s army would be people of color. The term “person of color” referred to anyone whom was not considered white, so that included the Native Americans as well. Can you imagined what would have happened if General Washington would have had a quarter of his army missing? The truth of the matter it took all of the diverse Americans coming together to win our independence.  

Africans at the Battle of Germantown.  

Edward “ Ned “ Hector – Bombardier/ Teamster for Proctor’s 3rd Pa Artillery –

There is a painting of four cannons bombarding the Chew House. That unit is Proctor’s 3rd Pa Artillery and it gives you the point of view the Ned Hector would have had during that battle. As a bombardier he is manning one of the three rear positions of the cannon. As a teamster he is hauling the gunpowder and ammunition and most likely pulling a cannon behind his wagon. In the previous Battle of Brandywine he ignored his order to abandon his wagon, horses, and cannon to retreat. Instead, at great risk, chose to save his wagon, supplies, and horses. Sixteen years after his death in 1834, Conshohocken named a street after him.  [see painting]

Oliver Cromwell a Mulatto from New Jersey In July 1777 in Captain’s James Lowery Nathaniel Bowman and Elisa Shreve, Second Regiment NJ. He served at Valley Forge and the Battles of Germantown October 1777, Monmouth June 1778. He was discharged in June of 1783.  He got a Land bounty of 100 acres

Sgt. Issac Brown   Free Farmer  born 1760 Literate  served in Colonel Campbell 5th ,11th 15th   Virginia Regiments at Brandywine and Valley Forge from Carson City Virginia

Joshua Payne enlisted as a substitute in Westmoreland County in Colonel Charles Lewis 14th Virginia regiment 

William Clark, a “free mulatto” from Culpeper County, Virginia, for his service in Lt. Colonel John Jameson Dragoons and 2nd Continental Dragoons regiment 1777-1778                                                                                      Received two 100-acre bounty land warrants.

Daniel Williams, a free “man of colour” from Accomack, Virginia served in the 7th, 11th, and 15th Virginia Continental Army as a wagoner. He was drafted into the army and served 4 to 5 years. After the war he move to Pennsylvania and received two land bounty warrants, one for 100-acres, the other for 200-acres.

Caleb Overton, a “free man of colour” from North Carolina served for three years in Abram Sheppard 10th  North Carolina Regiments He enlisted 7/13/77in Captain Robert Melbain, in 8/78 he served in the 1st North Carolina. He received a 274-acre bounty land warrant. Samuel Overton is his Brother

Jack Arabus/Arabas enslaved from New Haven Connecticut Joined Colonel Herman Swift’s 7th Connecticut regiment from 1777-1783, Sued for his freedom after the war.

Drummer Achmet Hamet of Middletown Joined Colonel John.Meigs additional Continental Regiment, He was wounded at Germantown PA  He was born in1750’s Pension in 1818 Died 1842 he served at Stony Brook NY and Yorktown VA

So why should Cliveden, the sight of this battle, see fit to include this article highlighting the African contribution to our efforts toward this country’s liberty? Firstly, to right a wrong inflicted on those who were co-participants in this country’s struggle for liberty. Up until recently their contributions were forgotten, along with others such as women, natives, Spanish, and more. Secondly, to instill a national pride in all Americans. It took all of us coming together to win our liberty. Thirdly, to remind us that African-American history is part of American history. We all need to own it and be grateful for each other. We hope to take pride in our accomplishments and learn from our mistakes and become better for it.