Post by ifam13 on Jul 16, 2017 21:57:17 GMT
Hi all !
On our FB site we posted about African American Patriots in the Civil War. Unfortunatley there is not enough room on FB to tell the whole story. AT the beginning of the War Congress adopted the policy of excluding black soldiers from the Army. As soon as states found it increasingly difficult to fill their enlistment quotas, they began to recruit this untapped pool of manpower. Eventually every state above the Potomac River recruited slaves for military service, usually in exchange for their freedom. By the end of the war 5,000 to 8,000 blacks had served the American cause in some capacity, either on the battlefield, behind the lines in noncombatant roles, or on the seas. One of these African American's was Salem Poor. He was born in about 1745. Salem Poor was a slave owned by John Poor. Many New England families treated their slaves as live-in servants and near family members, and Salem Poor purchased his freedom in 1769 for 27 pounds (a fairly large sum at that time). He was married in 1771, and a son was born in late 1774 or early 1775. Salem Poor left his family in April, 1775 to fight for the cause of Liberty. He mustered with the minutemen at Concord, but it is unknown how much of the battle he participated in. Poor is best known for his service at Bunker Hill, and a petition was submitted to the General Court of Massachusetts on December 5, 1775 to commend his bravery. The petition was signed by fourteen officers, including Colonel Prescott who wrote this about Salem.
"The subscribers beg leave, to report to your Honorable House - which we do in justice to the character of so brave a man - that under our own observation, we declare that a negro man called Salem Poor, of Colonel Frye's regiment, Captain Ames' company, in the late Battle at Charlestown, behaved like an experienced officer, as well as an excellent soldier. To set forth the particulars of his conduct would be tedious, we would only beg leave to say that in the Person of this said negro centers a brave and gallant soldier. The reward due to so great and distinguished a character, we submit to the Congress."
Salem Poor has been credited with killing British Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie during the Battle of Bunker Hill. In John Trumbull's famous painting "Battle at Bunker's Hill" attached, General Warren has been fatally wounded in the center left, and Colonel Abercrombie is lying dead at his feet. Poor may also have served at Saratoga and Monmouth, and spent the winter at Valley Forge.
On our FB site we posted about African American Patriots in the Civil War. Unfortunatley there is not enough room on FB to tell the whole story. AT the beginning of the War Congress adopted the policy of excluding black soldiers from the Army. As soon as states found it increasingly difficult to fill their enlistment quotas, they began to recruit this untapped pool of manpower. Eventually every state above the Potomac River recruited slaves for military service, usually in exchange for their freedom. By the end of the war 5,000 to 8,000 blacks had served the American cause in some capacity, either on the battlefield, behind the lines in noncombatant roles, or on the seas. One of these African American's was Salem Poor. He was born in about 1745. Salem Poor was a slave owned by John Poor. Many New England families treated their slaves as live-in servants and near family members, and Salem Poor purchased his freedom in 1769 for 27 pounds (a fairly large sum at that time). He was married in 1771, and a son was born in late 1774 or early 1775. Salem Poor left his family in April, 1775 to fight for the cause of Liberty. He mustered with the minutemen at Concord, but it is unknown how much of the battle he participated in. Poor is best known for his service at Bunker Hill, and a petition was submitted to the General Court of Massachusetts on December 5, 1775 to commend his bravery. The petition was signed by fourteen officers, including Colonel Prescott who wrote this about Salem.
"The subscribers beg leave, to report to your Honorable House - which we do in justice to the character of so brave a man - that under our own observation, we declare that a negro man called Salem Poor, of Colonel Frye's regiment, Captain Ames' company, in the late Battle at Charlestown, behaved like an experienced officer, as well as an excellent soldier. To set forth the particulars of his conduct would be tedious, we would only beg leave to say that in the Person of this said negro centers a brave and gallant soldier. The reward due to so great and distinguished a character, we submit to the Congress."
Salem Poor has been credited with killing British Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie during the Battle of Bunker Hill. In John Trumbull's famous painting "Battle at Bunker's Hill" attached, General Warren has been fatally wounded in the center left, and Colonel Abercrombie is lying dead at his feet. Poor may also have served at Saratoga and Monmouth, and spent the winter at Valley Forge.
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