Hamet, one of General Washington's Negroes, was drawing a pension as a revolutionary soldier as late as 1839, Oliver Cromwell served six years and nine months in Col. Israel Shreve's regiment of New Jersey troops under Washington's immediate command. Charles Bowles became an American soldier at the age of sixteen years and served to the end of the Revolution. Seymour Burr and Jeremy Jonah were Negro soldiers in a Connecticut regiment.
A Negro whose name is not known obtained the countersign by which Mad Anthony Wayne was enabled to take Stony Point, and guided and helped him to do so.
Jack Grove was a Negro steward on board an American vessel which the British captured. He figured out that the vessel could be retaken if sufficient courage were shown. He insisted and at length prevailed upon his captain to make the attempt, which was successful.
There was in Massachusetts during those Revolutionary days one company of Negro men bearing a special designation, "The Bucks." It was a notable body of men. At the close of the war its fame and services were recognized by John Hancock presenting to it a beautiful banner.
The European struggle recently ended furnished a remarkable example of female heroism and devotion to country in the case of the Russian woman who enlisted as a common soldier in the army of the Czar, served with distinction and finally organized an effective unit of female soldiers known as the "Battalion of Death." More resourceful and no less remarkable and heroic, is the case of Deborah Gannet, a Negro woman soldier of the Revolution, which may be summed up in the following resolution passed by the General Court of Massachusetts during the session of 1791:—
"XXIII—Whereas, it appears to this court that the said Deborah Gannett enlisted, under the name of Robert Shurtliff, in Capt Webb's company, in the Fourth Massachusetts regiment, on May 20, 1782, and did actually perform the duties of a soldier, in the late army of the United States to the 23rd day of October, 1783, for which she has received no compensation; and, whereas, it further appears that the said Deborah exhibited an extraordinary instance of female heroism by discharging the duties of a faithful, gallant soldier, and at the same time preserving the virtue and chastity of her sex unsuspected and unblemished, and was discharged from the service with a fair and honorable character, therefore,
"Resolved, that the Treasurer of this Commonwealth be, and he hereby is, directed to issue his note to the said Deborah for the sum of thirty-four pounds, bearing interest from October 23, 1783."
There is not lacking evidence that Negroes distinguished themselves in the struggles of the pioneer settlers against the Indians. This was particularly true of the early history of Kentucky. The following incidents are recorded in Thompson's "Young People's History of Kentucky:"
"Ben Stockton was a slave in the family of Major George Stockton of Fleming county. He was a regular Negro, and though a slave, was devoted to his master. He hated an Indian and loved to moralize over a dead one; getting into a towering rage and swearing magnificently when a horse was stolen; handled his rifle well, though somewhat foppishly, and hopped, danced and showed his teeth when a prospect offered to chase 'the yaller varmints'. His master had confidence in his resolution and prudence, while he was a great favorite with all the hunters, and added much to their fun on dull expeditions. On one occasion, when a party of white men in pursuit of Indians who had stolen their horses called at Stockton's station for reinforcements, Ben, among others, volunteered. They overtook the savages at Kirk's Springs in Lewis county, and dismounted to fight; but as they advanced, they could see only eight or ten, who disappeared over the mountain. Pressing on, they discovered on descending the mountain such indications as convinced them that the few they had seen were but decoys to lead them into an ambuscade at the base, and a retreat was ordered. Ben was told of it by a man near him; but he was so intent on getting a shot that he did not hear, and the order was repeated in a louder tone, whereupon he turned upon his monitor a reproving look, grimaced and gesticulated ludicrously, and motioned to the man to be silent. He then set off rapidly down the mountain. His white comrade, unwilling to leave him, ran after him, and reached his side just as he leveled his gun at a big Indian standing tiptoe on a log and peering into the thick woods. At the crack of Ben's rifle the savage bounded into the air and fell. The others set up a fierce yell, and, as the fearless Negro said, 'skipped from tree to tree like grasshoppers.' He bawled out: 'Take dat to 'member Ben—de black white man!' and the two beat a hasty retreat.
"In the family of Capt. James Estill, who established a station about fifteen miles south of Boonesborough, was a Negro slave, Monk, who was intelligent, bold as a lion, and as faithful to his pioneer friends as though he were a free white settler defending his own rights. About daylight, March 20, 1782, when all the men of the fort except four were absent on an Indian trail, a body of the savages came upon Miss Jennie Glass, who was outside, but near the station, milking—Monk being with her. They killed and scalped Miss Glass and captured Monk. When questioned as to the force inside the walls, the shrewd and self-possessed Negro represented it as much greater than it was and told of preparations for defense. The Indians were deceived, and after killing the cattle, they retreated across the river. When the battle of Little Mountain opened two days later, Monk, who was still a prisoner with the Indians cried out: 'Don't give way, Mas' Jim! There's only about twenty-five redskins and you can whip 'em!' This was valuable and encouraging information to the whites. When the Indians began to advance on Lieutenant Miller, when he was sent to prevent a flank movement and guard the horse-holders, Monk called also to him to hold his ground and the white men would win. Instead of being instantly killed as was to be apprehended, even though the savages might not understand his English, he made his escape before the fight closed and got back to his friends. On their return to the station, twenty-five miles, without sufficient horses for the wounded, he carried on his back, most of the way, James Berry, whose thigh was broken. He had learned to make gunpowder, and obtaining saltpetre from Peyton's Cave, in Madison county, he frequently furnished this indispensable article to Estill's Station and Boonesborough. He has been described as being five feet five inches high and weighing two hundred pounds. He was a respected member of the Baptist church, when whites and blacks worshipped together. He was held in high esteem by the settlers and his young master, Wallace Estill, gave him his freedom and clothed and fed him as long as he lived thereafter—till about 1835.
"A year or two after the close of the Revolutionary war, a Mr. Woods was living near Crab Orchard, Kentucky, with his wife, one daughter (said to be ten years old), and a lame Negro man. Early one morning, her husband being away, Mrs. Woods when a short distance from the house, discovered seven or eight Indians in ambush. She ran back into the house, so closely pursued that before she could fasten the door one of the savages forced his way in. The Negro instantly seized him. In the scuffle the Indian threw him, falling on top. The Negro held him in a strong grasp and called to the girl to take an axe which was in the room and kill him. This she did by two well-aimed blows; and the Negro then asked Mrs. Woods to let in another that he with the axe might dispatch him as he came and so, one by one, kill them all. By this time, however, some men from the station nearby, having discovered that the house was attacked, had come up and opened fire on the savages, by which one was killed and the others put to flight."