Black Patriots

Approximately 5,000 black men served and fought in the Continental Army while hundreds more served on the sea as part of the United States rag-tag naval forces. Too often, their stories, their bravery, and their service is forgotten. What would become the United States was multi-ethnic almost from the beginning with English, Scottish, Irish, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, and African residents. Slavery is understandably the focus of the story about black people in the United States, but we should not forget the remainder of the story, part of which we will detail here. In particular, we would like to put forward Salem Poor and Peter Salem as two exemplars of service. Both men served very bravely beginning in the opening months of the Revolutionary War.

Salem Poor was born in 1747 and worked as a slave in Andover Massachusetts until 1769 when he bought his freedom for £27 which was equivalent to an average working man’s yearly earnings. He enrolled in the Massachusetts Army in May of 1775 shortly after the Battles of Lexington and Concord. He fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775 and would be praised by at least thirteen officers for his bravery.

The Battle of Bunker Hill unfortunately stands out as an example of incompetence and cowardice for many of the leaders. It resulted in unnecessary losses and many courts martial despite bloodying the nose of the British forces in Boston. Amidst these many failures, Salem Poor fought both bravely and competently. Multiple men from his Andover unit were shot or killed around him but he fought until very close to the end of the battle when he participated in the orderly retreat. In fact, he shot and killed Lieutenant Colonel James Abercrombie of the British Army as he stood atop the American fortifications and boasted of the victory.

Thirteen white officers petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts to recognize Poor’s bravery and stated he “behaved like an experienced officer.” We have no record he received any recognition from this, but he was respected. The situation likely formed part of the justification for General Washington overturning his own ban on the recruitment of black soldiers to the Continental Army.

Poor would continue to serve in the Continental Army through 1780 when he was discharged. During his service he was at Valley Forge and fought in the battles of Monmouth, Saratoga, and White Plains.

Peter Salem was born in 1759 and was a slave in Framingham. He was freed to serve in the local militia. Salem fought in Concord on April 19, 1775 during the initial outbreak of violence in the Revolutionary War. He then joined the 6th Massachusetts Regiment. Salem fought during the Battle of Bunker Hill and killed Major John Pitcairn who earlier led a detachment during the march on Lexington and Concord and was famously dismissive of American fighting men. Salem reenlisted in the Continental Army in January 1776 and would continue to serve until discharged in March of 1780. Salem fought in the battles of Saratoga and Stony Point. He would live until 1816.

These two brave men deserve to be remembered alongside many other brave soldiers who served in the Continental Army as well as the many other black Americans who fought to not only protect the United States but make it a better place.