sh, would not be a difficult task, though the information at
hand is too limited for a detailed account of the part which they bore
in these struggles. The true patriots of the Revolution were not slow in
according to their black compatriots that meed of praise which was their
due. In almost every locality, either North or South, after the war,
there lived one or two privileged negroes, who, on great
occasions,--days of muster, 4th of July, Washington's birthday, and the
like,--were treated with more than ordinary courtesy by the other
people. That a great and dastardly wrong was committed upon many, in
like manner in which Simon Lee[7] was treated, is true. Many negroes at
the South, who fought for American independence were re-enslaved, and
this is so far beyond a doubt that no one denies it. The re-enslaving of
these soldiers,--not by those who took part in the conflict, but the
_stay-at-home's_,--was so flagrant an outrage that the Legislature of
Virginia, in 1783, in order to give freedom to those who had been
re-enslaved, and to rebuke the injustice of the treatment, passed the
following act:

_An Act directing the Emancipation of certain Slaves who had
served as Soldiers in this State, and for the Emancipation
of the Slave, Aberdeen._

"I. Whereas, it hath been represented to the present General
Assembly, that, during the course of the war, many persons
in this State had caused their slaves to enlist in certain
regiments or corps, raised within the same, having tendered
such slaves to the officers appointed to recruit forces
within the State, as substitutes for free persons whose lot
or duty it was to serve in such regiments or corps, at the
same time representing to such recruiting officers that the
slaves, so enlisted by their direction and concurrence, were
freemen; and it appearing further to this Assembly, that on
the expiration of the term of enlistment of such slaves,
that the former owners have attempted again to force them to
return to a state of servitude, contrary to the principles
of justice, and to their own solemn promise;

"II. And whereas it appears just and reasonable that all
persons enlisted as aforesaid, who have faithfully served
agreeable to the terms of their enlistment, and have hereby
of course contributed towards the establishment of American
liberty and independence, should