Black Soldiers at the Battle of Germantown

Hector of Conshohocken was serving as teamster or drayman in Captain Hercules Courtney's Company of Proctor's 3rd Pennsylvania Artillery in July 1777 and later the 4th Continental Artillery. He was at the Battle of Brandywine September 11, 1777, where he saved a wagon full of weapons and powder. He disobeyed the order to abandon wagons which had fallen behind the British lines he crossed the lines, protected his horses and returned with the wagon. He also served at the battle of Germantown October 4, the Valley Forge encampment 1777-1778 and the Battle of Monmouth New Jersey June 28,.1778.

Ned applied for a pension and the State of Pennsylvania rejected his petition but after 50 years they finally gave him a grant of $40.00 one year before he died.

Richard S. Walling "Men of Color at The Battle of Monmouth June 28, 1778" Longstreet House, Hightstown NJ 1994 p. 21

James Black: of Montgomery County served in the Thompson's Rifle Battalion, 1st Pennsylvania regiment from July 1, 1776. He served during the fighting around new York City and crossed the Delaware with George Washington to attack Trenton and later on Princeton, He was at Brandywine, Germantown and Valley Forge.177-1778.

United States Census for Pennsylvania 1790p.160

Valley Forge Muster List 177-1778

John Trussell "The Pennsylvania Line 1776-1783 p 30-35

From, Black Courage 1775-1783
Documentation of Black Participation in the American Revolution

Prince Duplex: Served in Col. Isaac Sherman’s Connecticut Regiment. Enlisted 1777 served for three years and was at Battle of Germantown and Valley Forge during the winter of 1778.

Sherard Going: Was a private in Captain Hawkins’ Company, Colonel Charles Lewis’ 14^th Virginia Regiment. He served for three years. Going was present at the battles of Germantown, Monmouth and York. He requested a pension October 9, 1828, and stated, “I am a colored man.” He signed his name with an “X” mark. Going said the reasons for not making an application earlier were that he was able to support himself and his family, and that he did not know how to obtain a pension.

Parson Wood married Sherard Going to Susannah Simmons in 1790. Going died November 24, 1837. Sherard Going listed his property as, house, pony and 200 acres of land situated on one of the sides of the Blue Ridge Mountain. He had two sons.

Jack Green: Served in Colonel Philip B. Bradley’s, 5th Connecticut Regiment. Enlisted in 1777, served for three years. Saw action at the Battle of Germantown. Married Tama, age 48 in 1820, their children were, Maria, 11; John, 9; Allen, 6; and Thomas, 3. Listed property on pension application as: 2 tables, 2 chairs, and 6 knives.

Peter Jennings: Born at Pequannock, three miles east of Fairfield, Connecticut. Jennings enlisted in the army in Providence, Rhode Island, 1776. He served as a private in Captain Vener Angle’s company, Colonel Edward Olney’s 5^th Regiment of artillery of blacks. He was later transferred to Captain James Starling’s company, Colonel Clifford’s regiment. Jennings was in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and Germantown. Jennings’ records also state that he served under Captain Edgar, Major Tallmadge and Colonel Brewster. He was given a pension in 1832 when he was eighty years old. After the war Jennings moved to Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee. He lived in the first house erected on the corner of Vine and Church St., a one story frame building. His occupation was a baker. Jennings died January 22, 2842. A Tombstone in the old city cemetery bears the name of Peter Jennings as a Revolutionary War soldier.

Cato Kent: Served in Colonel Webb’s Connecticut Regiment, enlisted in 1777 and served for five years. Geographical residence listed as Hartford, Connecticut. He was married to Beulah Williams who was a member of the Congregational Church in Easter Windsor Hall, Connecticut.

Jack Rowland: Served in Colonel Philip B. Bradley’s, 5^th Connecticut Regiment. He saw action at the battle of Germantown and was at Valley Forge during the winter of 1778.

Caesar Shelton: Correspondence in his pension file stated that “Colored man born at sea while his mother was being brought from Africa. He was a slave of John Shelton of Stratford, Connecticut.” Sheldon enlisted on the condition that he would receive his freedom. Served as a substitute for his master’s son in 1776 and later enlisted in 1777 for three years. He was a member of both Colonel Zebulon Butlers’ and Colonel John Durkee’s Connecticut Regiments. Shelton saw action at White Plains on October 28, 1776 and at the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. Sheldon was wounded in the back by a sword thrust and on the “shin” by a musket ball. As a civilian his geographical residence is listed as “Bridgeport”.

Daniel Williams: Served as a Wagoner with the Continental Army, Virginia. Williams saw action at Brandywine on September 11, 1777, Germantown on October 4, 1777 and was present at the “Siege of Yorktown, Virginia’ FROM September 28 to October 19, 1781.

Published in 1984 by National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution

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1st Rhode Island Regiment of Foot

Black Soldiers Fought at the Battle of Germantown
October 4, 1777

Prince Duplex: Served in Col. Isaac Sherman’s Connecticut Regiment. Enlisted 1777 served for three years and was at Battle of Germantown and Valley Forge during the winter of 1778.

Cato Kent: Served in Colonel Webb’s Connecticut Regiment, enlisted in 1777 and served for five years. Geographical residence listed as Hartford, Connecticut. He was married to Beulah Williams who was a member of the Congregational Church in Easter Windsor Hall, Connecticut.

Jack Rowland: Served in Colonel Philip B. Bradley’s, 5^th Connecticut Regiment. He saw action at the battle of Germantown and was at Valley Forge during the winter of 1778.

Copyright © 1984 by Robert Ewell Green

[Back to History Page] [More 1st RI History]

1st Rhode Island Regiment of Foot

Black Soldiers Fought at the Battle of Germantown October 4, 1777

Prince Duplex: Served in Col. Isaac Sherman’s Connecticut Regiment. Enlisted 1777 served for three years and was at Battle of Germantown and Valley Forge during the winter of 1778.

Cato Kent: Served in Colonel Webb’s Connecticut Regiment, enlisted in 1777 and served for five years. Geographical residence listed as Hartford, Connecticut. He was married to Beulah Williams who was a member of the Congregational Church in Easter Windsor Hall, Connecticut.

Jack Rowland: Served in Colonel Philip B. Bradley’s, 5th Connecticut Regiment. He saw action at the battle of Germantown and was at Valley Forge during the winter of 1778.

Copyright © 1984 by Robert Ewell Green

Black Soldiers Fought at the Battle of Germantown
October 4, 1777

Jack Rowland: Served in Colonel Philip B. Bradley’s, 5^th Connecticut Regiment. He saw action at the battle of Germantown and was at Valley Forge during the winter of 1778.