Philadelphia History Program

Event: Presenter: JULIE WINCH, Lecture and

Booksigning: THE LIFE OF JAMES FORTEN

Julie Winch is professor of history at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, but hardly a stronger to Philadelphia. She has published three books on the history of Philadelphia’s African American community including: Philadelphia’s Black Elite: Activism, Accommodation, and the Struggle for Autonomy 1787-1848, The Elite of Our People, and A Gentleman of Color: The life of James Forten. James Forten was a free man in Revolutionary Era Philadelphia. He earned great wealth as a sailmaker and philanthropist and worked closely with Absolom Jones and Rev. Richard Allen in the anti-slavery movement. Winch notes that when James Forten died in 1842, five thousand mourners, black and white, turned out to honor a man who had earned the respect of society across the racial divide. This is the first serious biography of Forten, who stands beside Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr. in the pantheon of African Americans who fundamentally shaped American history.

Date: March 26, 2008

Time: 5:00 – 6:30PM

Admission: $7.00

Disribution:circulated by Joe Becton, 3rd Regt USCT/1st Rhode Island Regt.

CAMP WILLIAM PENN REGIMENTAL ROSTERS

News release shared by Joe Becton:

Nearly Eleven Thousand Names Listed

La Mott, PA - September 1, 2007 - Phase One of a project to list in a searchable database the names and regimental information of the nearly eleven thousand black soldiers and the white officers who trained them has been completed. These men were the members of the United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) who were trained at Camp William Penn located just outside Of Philadelphia during the years 1863-1865.

The men are listed in alphabetical order by rank according to the regiment to which they were assigned. The list also indicates those that were killed in action (KIA) or who were wounded or who died from illness. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that such a list has been available to the general public in this form and on the Internet. The list and the history of each regiment is available on our supported Web site www.historic-lamott-pa.com in the section, "Who They Were and What They Did."

Phase Two of the project will combine all of the names in a compiled searchable database in alpha order.

The completion of Phase One was made possible in part by a generous DCED grant sponsored by Pennsylvania State Senator LeAnna M. Washington. The following Westbrook-RockHill Foundation staff workers contributed to the project: Ruth N. Fulton, Rachel Fernbaugh, Judith Girton, Shawna Lacomis and Marlena Masitto. Programming for the project was performed by The Canton Group, LLC who also hosts the site.

The non-commercial site does not contain "pop-ups" and in addition to the list it contains a virtual compendium of information about Cheltenham Township, PA, and La Mott which was the site of Camp William Penn. The Web site also contains information about persons and historic events which have been associated with the area.

Re:The 1st Rhode Island at The Battle of Monmouth

Sergeant Becton,

 

Wow, you are correct.  Rich Walling missed the June muster roll for Captain Thomas Arnold's detachment.  I took a quick look at it (we have a print from the National Archives microfilm), and was able to find most of the names from Louis Wilson's list.  At least half of the privates and one musician were African Americans.  It is very clear that most of them were at Monmouth (although two were left sick at Valley Forge and perhaps one of those on command was with the baggage at Rocky Hill).  Rhodes is noted "sick at Englishtown," and Moses Wickes "sick Princetown."  (Was Moses Wickes left at Princetown on the march to Monmouth--or sent back to the Princeton hospital after the battle?)  Sick could mean "sick" or lightly wounded.  Capt. Arnold is listed as "Wounded Absent."

 

We also have a print of the July muster for essentially the same detachment.  This time, however, it is listed as Capt. Jona. Wallen's Company.  Capt. Thomas Arnold is listed after Wallen as "sick # Englishtown."

 

In Major-General Nathanael Greene's letter to his brother, Jacob Greene, 2 July 1778, he notes "I had like to have forgot to mention that the Rhode Island Troops were in Action and behavd very well.  Capt Arnold is wounded in the Leg."

 

What is uncertain is whether Capt. Arnold's detachment fought with Varnum's brigade at the hedged fence (most likely) or were part of a battalion of picked men (temporary light infantry).  Maj. Simeon Thayer, 2nd RI, was wounded while serving as major of a battalion of picked men led by Col. Joseph Cilley, 1st NH.  Cilley had men from 20 different regiments with him.  Washington had sent Cilley's and Parker's battalions of picked men to attack the British right as it withdrew from the field at the end of the day.

 

I would love to have more particulars on these men.  Do any of the primary sources reveal more about the Battle of Monmouth?  What about the other men in the detachment?  Which are WASPs, which are Native Americans?

 

Thanks!

Antiquary Garry