ng so
greatly surprised the British soldiers then encamped in
Boston."

"Among the brave blacks who fought in the battles for
American liberty was Major Jeffrey, a Tennesseean, who,
during the campaign of Major-General Andrew Jackson in
Mobile, filled the place of "regular" among the soldiers. In
the charge made by General Stump against the enemy, the
Americans were repulsed and thrown into disorder,--Major
Stump being forced to retire, in a manner by no means
desirable, under the circumstances. Major Jeffrey, who was
but a common soldier, seeing the condition of his comrades,
and comprehending the disastrous results about to befall
them, rushed forward, mounted a horse, took command of the
troops, and, by an heroic effort, rallied them to the
charge,--completely routing the enemy, who left the
Americans masters of the field. He at once received from the
General the title of "Major," though he could not, according
to the American policy, so commission him. To the day of his
death, he was known by that title in Nashville, where he
resided, and the circumstances which entitled him to it were
constantly the subject of popular conversation.

"Major Jeffrey was highly respected by the whites generally,
and revered, in his own neighborhood, by all the colored
people who knew him.

"A few years ago receiving an indignity from a common
ruffian, he was forced to strike him in self-defense; for
which act, in accordance with the laws of slavery in that,
as well as many other of the slave States, he was compelled
to receive, on his naked person, _nine and thirty lashes
with a raw hide!_ This, at the age of seventy odd, after the
distinguished services rendered his country,--probably when
the white ruffian for whom he was tortured was unable to
raise an arm in its defense,--was more than he could bear;
_it broke his heart_, and he sank to rise no more, till
summoned by the blast of the last trumpet to stand on the
battle-field of the general resurrection."

Jeffrey was not an exception to this kind of treatment. Samuel Lee died
on a tobacco plantation after the war.

The re-enslaving of the negroes who fought for American Independence
became so general at the South, that the Legislature of Virginia in
1783, in compliance with her honor, passed an