joining his Majesty's troops, as soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing this colony to a proper dignity." This meant that any black soldiers willing to fight for the British would be declared legally free. Therefore, the Americans couldn't afford to deny Black Americans, free or not, from joining the army. Less than a month after Lord Dunmores proclamation, General George Washington officially reversed his policy about letting "free Negroes to enlist." Of the 300,000 soldiers who served in the Continental Army during the War of Independence, approximately five thousand were Black. Some volunteered. Others were drafted. In addition to several all black regiments, an all black regiment was recruited from Rhode Island. This regiment distinguished itself in the Battle of Rhode Island on August 29, 1778. Between 1775 to 1781 there weren't any battles without blacks being involved in some way or another. Black soldiers fought for the colonies at Lexington, Concord, White Plains, Brandywine, Saratoga, Savannah, and Yorktown. There were two Blacks by the name of, Prince Whipple and Oliver Cromwell, with Washington when he crossed the Delaware River on Christmas Day in 1776. Some won recognition and a place in the history of the War of Independence by their outstanding service, although most have remained anonymous. Unfortunately despite African Americans contributions in the war effort and the large amount of dead Blacks, only very few had gained their freedom. The War for Independence was just the first of a list of wars African Americans would have a chance to be involved in. The second American war fought with the assistance of African Americans help was the War of 1812. As Martin Delany put it, the African American were "as ready and as willing to volunteer in your service as any other . Black soldiers fought the British on land and sea, and they were particularly conspicuous in several different naval battles fought on the Great L...
