African Americans served in the Continental Army. In 1777, Boyrereau Brinch, an enslaved African, joined the Continental Army. I
n 1783, he was honorably discharged and, because of his military service, freed from slavery.
I also entered the banners of freedom. Alas! Poor African Slave, to liberate these freemen, my own tyrants. I went into Capt. [Samuel] Granger’s company. We marched to Frog Plain, from there to Second Hill between Reading and Ridgold. General Worcester commanded the British under the command of General Howe, who attacked us. We beat them back; the fight was continued all day, and the victory was sometimes doubtful.
Finally, I was in the battles at Cambridge, White Plains, Monmouth, Princeton, Newark, Frog’s Point, Horseneck where I had a ball [bullet] pass through my knapsack. All of which are battles the reader can obtain a more perfect account of from history than I can give. At last we returned to West Point and were discharged, as the war was over. Thus was I, a slave for five years fighting for liberty. After we were disbanded, I returned to my old master at Woodbury [Connecticut], with whom I lived one year, my services in the American war having emancipated me from further slavery and from being bartered or sold. Here I enjoyed the pleasures of a freeman; my food was sweet, my labor pleasure: and one bright gleam of life seemed to shine upon me.
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