onel
Greene in 1781 when he was attacked at Point Bridge, New York. A Negro
slave of South Carolina rendered Governor Rutledge such valuable service
that by a special act of the legislature in 1783 his wife and children
were enfranchised.[59]

The valor of the Negro soldiers of the American Revolution has been highly
praised by statesmen and historians. Writing to John Adams, a member of the
Continental Congress, in 1775, to express his surprise at the prejudice
against the colored troops in the South, General Thomas said: "We have some
Negroes but I look on them in general equally serviceable with other men
for fatigue, and in action many of them had proved themselves brave."
Graydon in speaking of the Negro troops he saw in Glover's regiment at
Marblehead, Massachusetts, said: "But even in this regiment (a fine one)
there were a number of Negroes."[60] Referring to the battle of Monmouth,
Bancroft said: "Nor may history omit to record that, of the 'revolutionary
patriots' who on that day perilled life for their country, more than seven
hundred black men fought side by side with the white."[61] According to
Lecky, "the Negroes proved excellent soldiers: in a hard fought battle that
secured the retreat of Sullivan they three times drove back a large body
of Hessians."[62] We need no better evidence of the effective service of
the Negro soldier than the manner in which the best people of Georgia
honored Austin Dabney,[63] a mulatto boy who took a conspicuous part in
many skirmishes with the British and Tories in Georgia. While fighting
under Colonel Elijah Clarke he was severely wounded by a bullet which in
passing through his thigh made him a cripple for life. He received a
pension from the United States and was by an act of the legislature of
Georgia given a tract of land. He improved his opportunities, acquired
other property, lived on terms of equality with some of his white
neighbors, had the respect and confidence of high officials, and died
mourned by all.

W. B. HARTGROVE

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Bancroft, "History of the United States," VIII, 110; MacMaster,
"History of the United States."

[2] See "Documents" in this number.

[3] _The New York Gazette_, Aug. 11, 1760.

[4] Supplement to the _Boston Evening Post_, May 23, 1763.

[5] Moore's "Slavery in Mass.," 243; Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., VII, 336.

[6] Adams, "Works of John Adams," X, 315; Moore, "Notes on Slavery in
Mass.," 71. Hamilton, Letter to Jay