lace in
any Southern Colony, with respect to the troops raised in
this. I am certain that the insinuations you mention are
injurious, if we consider with what precipitation we are
obliged to collect an army. In the regiments at Roxbury, the
privates are equal to any that I served with in the last
war; very few old men, and in the ranks very few boys. Our
fifes are many of them boys. We have some negroes; but I
look on them, in general, as equally serviceable with other
men for fatigue; and in action many of them have proved
themselves brave. I would avoid all reflection, or anything
that may tend to give umbrage; but there is in this army
from the southward, a number called riflemen, who are the
most indifferent men I ever served with. These privates are
mutinous, and often deserting to the enemy; unwilling for
duty of any kind; exceedingly vicious; and I think the army
here would be as well off without them. But to do justice to
their officers, they are, some of them, likely men."

Despite all prejudice, the negro, as in all conflicts since, sought
every opportunity to show his patriotism, and his unquenchable thirst
for liberty; and no matter in what capacity he entered the service,
whether as body-servant, hostler or teamster, he always displayed the
same characteristic courage. In November of the same year the Provincial
Congress of South Carolina, by the passage of the following resolution,
gave permission to her militia officers, to use slaves in the army for
certain purposes:

"On motion, _Resolved_, That the colonels of the several
regiments of militia throughout the Colony have leave to
enroll such a number of able male slaves, to be employed as
pioneers and laborers, as public exegencies may require; and
that a daily pay of seven shillings and six-pence be allowed
for the service of each such slave while actually employed."

The foregoing resolution must not in any way be understood as
sanctioning the employment of negroes as soldiers, notwithstanding some
of the ablest men of the State advocated the enlistment of negroes in
the army; the opposition was too strong to carry the measure through
either Congress or the legislature. The feeling among the Northern
colonists may be shown by citing the views of some of their leading men,
and none perhaps was better calculated to give a clear expressio