attention of
the American people. Washington needed reinforcements; nay, more, the
perilous situation of the army as it lay in camp at Valley Forge, at the
conclusion of the campaign of 1777, was indeed distressing. The
encampment consisted of huts, and there was danger of a famine. The
soldiers were nearly destitute of comfortable clothing. "Many," says the
historian, "for want of shoes, walked barefoot on the frozen ground;
few, if any, had blankets for the night. Great numbers sickened; near
three thousand at a time were incapable of bearing arms."

Within fifteen miles of them lay the city of Philadelphia and the
British army. These gloomy circumstances overshadowed the recent victory
at Bennington, and the surrender of Burgoyne. Under these circumstances,
the difficulty of recruiting the patriot army may be easily imagined. A
general enlistment bill had failed to pass the legislature in the
spring, because, perhaps, the spirit of the patriots were up at the
time; but now they were down, and the advocates of arming negroes sought
the opportunity of carrying their plan. It was not attempted in
Connecticut, but in the General Assembly of Rhode Island an act was
passed for the purpose. Here are some of the principal provisions of
this act:

"_It is Voted and Resolved_, That every able-bodied negro,
mulatto, or Indian man slave in this State, may enlist into
either of the said two battalions to serve during the
continuance of the present war with Great Britain; that
every slave so enlisted shall be entitled to receive all the
bounties, wages, encouragements allowed by the Continental
Congress to any soldier enlisted into their service.

"_It is further Voted and Resolved_, That every slave so
enlisting shall, upon his passing muster before Col.
Christopher Greene, be immediately discharged from the
service of his master or mistress, and be absolutely free,
as though he had never been encumbered with any kind of
servitude or slavery. And in case such slave shall, by
sickness or otherwise, be unable to maintain himself, he
shall not be chargable to his master or mistress, but shall
be supported at the expense of the State.

"And whereas slaves have been by the laws deemed the
property of their owners; and therefore compensation ought
to be made to the owners for the loss of their service,--

"_It is further Voted an