The First Rhode Island Regiment was established or reorganized and redesigned on January 1, 1777. As General Washington reorganized the Army(1). However the story of this regiment begins with the story of Rhode Island a land founded on principals of freedom and paid for by the sale and transportation of enslaved Africans. (2)

Roger Williams established Providence Plantations in the 1630's while escaping religious oppression in Massachusetts. So from its European beginnings they encouraged religious tolerance. They offered protection to the Quakers in 1657,while some were executed in Massachusetts. In 1658 protections was offered to the Jews and one of the earliest Synagogue in English North American colonies was established in Rhode Island.
The towns of Providence and Warren even attempted to end life long slavery in 1652.

On the other hand, Bristol and Newport maritime communities made their money on the high seas in trading fish, rum, livestock and lumber for molasses, sugar, and Africans. By the 1740's they were in the slave importation business like their neighbors. (3)They were freedom fighters before the Boston tea party. The Rhode Islanders attacked and burned Schooner�Gaspee� on June 9, 1772. An enslaved African Aaron Briggs helped row the boat on this mission. (4)

On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island was the first colony to declare it’s independence from Great Britain. Consequently they claim a long tradition of leading the world in freedom issues. This is the type of dichotomy or paradox at the heart of the American story Freedom and Slavery, Profit or Morality, Slaves fighting for republican virtues.

The rumors of war grew in the 1770's and Rhode Islanders prepared. In 1774 there were a number of communities with militia groups arming and training. The Kentish Guard, Providence Rangers, Newport Light Infantry, Providence Grenadiers Company, Gloucester Company of light Infantry and United Train of Artillery were all preparing for war.(5) Men from all these company’s would eventually serve in the First Rhode Island regiment.

On April 3, 1775, the Rhode Island militia was called to muster more than fifteen hundred men responded in Kent County. (6) From the time of this muster and before Africans and Native Americans enlisted in and served this force. Windsor Fry a man of African descent enlisted in March of 1775. (7) Suckcanash, a Native American (Indian) was also at the big muster. (8) The Kentish Guard from Greenwich was an important source of the members and officers for the First Rhode Island. James Varnum, Christopher Green, Nathaniel Greene, and Archibald Crary. (9) All of these men would lead the regiment and be instrumental in influencing its shape and composition. Two of them serve as generals and the other two actually commanded the First Rhode Island.

The regiment was authorized May 6, 1775 as the Rhode Island Army of Observation. (10) In May of 1775 Nathaniel Greene was promoted from Private to General. (11) It was designated the new 12th Continental regiment under Colonel James Varnum. They had eight companies from Kings and Kent counties, in total more than 610 men including Blacks, Indians, and Jews armed in the ranks. They received a cash bounty and saw a Private promoted to General It (12) was absolutely amazing it must have given them the feeling that anything was possible. Yes, anything even the colonies beating the empire was possible. Their enlistments ended December 31, 1775. They served at the Siege of Boston. In January 1776 General Washington reorganized the Army and Varnum’s ’ regiment becomes the 9th Continental Regiment of a foot. This was a one year enlistment. (13) They served on long Island in the summer of 1776 with General Hand and the Pennsylvanians in New York and New Jersey. Later that year, they crossed the Delaware River with General Hand and fought at the Second Battle of Trenton and the Battle at Princeton, (14) afterwards they went to Morrison New Jersey and were dismissed.

In January 1777 General Washington reorganized the Army. The State of Rhode Island was required to deliver two regiments for Continental service away from Rhode Island; the First and Second Rhode Island regiments. The First would be lead by Colonel Christopher Green. He was captured during the Battle of Quebec in 1775. The Second was commanded by Colonel Israel Angel, during 1776 he lead the 11th Continentals at Trenton and Princeton New Jersey. This was a three-year enlistment. (15) Colonel Green had not been released by the British so, Lt. Archibald Crary led the regiment during the early recruitment. Frank Gould an enslaved African, enlisted in Captain William Tew’s company of the Second Rhode Island on January 14th 1777. This was probably before the group reached Rhode Island. Cuff Green also an enslaved man, joined the First Rhode Island in Captain Thomas Cole's company on February 18, 1777. (16) On February 21, James Varnum was promoted to Brigadier General.

There were four reasons for joining;
Freedom if you were an indentured servant or enslaved person. When the regiment left town or the ship left home port you could claim to be free.
A land bounty was promised for those who survived the war.
You were paid a cash bounty for enlisting.
A salary of six 2/3 dollars per month
A new suit of clothes and military equipment.

In March when they left for New York, the regiments were slowly filling with Europeans. At the same time Africans free and enslaved were enlisted for service. The majority of these Africans were assigned to three Companies: Ebenezer Flagg's, Tomas Cole's, and Elijah Lewis'. Thirty-eight of these men were free at the time of their enlistment. (17.)
In 1777 Africans could be found among the ranks of the Continental and State Militia
forces. There were three ways slaves could serve. They could be brought by the state government to fight in the Continental Army. (18)Another vehicle for African participation was service as a substitute. Wealthy Men would buy or rent Slaves to serve their personal military obligation. (19) Those slaves who served as substitutes could join the Army or the Navy and were often promised freedom for their efforts. Finally, escaped slaves enlisted presenting themselves as freedmen and were often accepted. Recruiting officers received cash bounties for able-bodied recruits. (20)

In April Lt. Colonel Adam Comstock took command. On May 11th the regiment moves to Peekskill, New York for small pox inoculations. Half of the group was sick and the other half was out on operations with New York regiments at Fort Montgomery. (21) On July 9, Tack Sisson and other members of the regiment participated in the capture of General Prescott at Newport. (22) On July 10 the regiment was transferred to Varnum’s Brigade.

In late August the situation became critical as complaints mounted and the commander was not yet in command. The enlistment promises had not been fulfilled. No bounties, no new clothes or uniforms. This was called a mutiny and nine sergeants and three corporals were� trie’d for raising a mutin�y on September 2, 1777. They were convicted of disorderly conduct and were suspended by Colonel Greene. Colonel Green arrived and took command late that summer. (23)

In early September more troops arrived with Colonel Olney from Norwalk and some others from Coventry. On September 14, Varnum’s ’ Brigade was ordered to the Main Army in Pennsylvania. On the 29th they left Peekskill to join Washington’s ’ Army. (24)At this point more than eighty Africans were enlisted in the First Rhode Island.

In mid October the brigade reaches the Fort Mercer and Mifflin area. They began reconstructive work projects on the fortifications which the British are bombarding daily. These forts are located at the river entrance to Philadelphia the Capital. These forts will have to hold off the British Navy of more than 150 ships and keep them out of the city. The Army entered the city in September but their supplies and winter clothes were on the ships.

When Christopher Green’s ’ regiment arrived, Fort Mercer was abandoned. Working with a French artillerist, engineer Captain Chevalier Thomas Antoine Mauduit du Plessis, they altered the forts original design making it smaller and easier to defend. (25) On October 22, when the Hessian entered the outer walls and met with little resistance they advanced toward the inner walls be to caught in a cross fire. More than 1500 British and Hessian soldiers attacked Fort Mercer which was defended by the First and Second Rhode Island regiments of about 500 men. When the smoke cleared more than 400 of the attackers were killed and the rest of the group retreated. They lost their commander Colonel (Count) Carl Emil Kurt von Do op. (26) The victory at Fort Mercer and the sinking of the HMS Augusta the next day, are the high points of the defense of Philadelphia.
Colonel Green would eventually be awarded a special sword from the Continental Congress for the regiments actions that day, sometimes called the Battle of Red Bank.

On November 16, Fort Mifflin was abandoned and on the 19th Varnum’s ’ brigade left the Deptford, New Jersey area to rejoin the main army at Whitemarsh Pennsylvania. (27)

The army began to arrive at Valley Forge Pennsylvania December 19, 1777. General Varnum would get lodging at the David Stephen’s farm house until his cabin could be constructed. The brigade camped near to that site. The combined strength of the First and Second Rhode Island Regiments was more than 500 men as they arrived at Valley Forge. Varnum’s Brigade was assigned to the Flatlands Ford, the place where the British forded the Schuylkill River in the autumn. While the troops were building huts, General Varnum was preparing a plan and a letter for General Washington. Colonel Green could not take his regiment back home until some arrangements were made for the 42 or more slaves in his regiment. (28) On January 2, 1778, General James Varnum convinced General Washington to sign off on a letter to the Governor Cook of Rhode Island requesting that they create a regiment of “slave soldiers.â€� Washington wrote a letter that implied agreement and forwarded both to Nicholas Cook, the Governor of Rhode Island. (29.)

Back in Rhode Island the situation was critical. The British blockaded the state, captured Newport, and controlled more than half the state. In 1777 the Continental Congress issued their new troop requirements for the states and Rhode Island was having difficulty recruiting men. It was this set of circumstances, which influenced Washington and Rhode Island to change their policies on slave soldiers. When the Rhode Island Assembly convened in February it passed a law allowing slaves to serve in the Continental forces: The Rhode Island Slave Enlistment Act, February 14, 1778. Under this statute, the state would buy those slaves who were willing and able to fight. The State Government
was willing to pay L120 pound maximum and the Continental Congress agreed to pay $400 for each slave. This said � that every slave so enlisting, shall upon his passing muster before Colonel 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.’� (30) This was clearly an act of desperation as the Assembly states in the preamble to the Act. On June 10th, 1778 after being vigorously opposed by the slave holding interest the act was repealed. (31.) The act was in effect only four months. Despite its brief tenure 72 Africans were recruited for the Rhode Island Regiment and paid for by the state. During the same time period 55 white soldiers were recruited for Rhode Island. The unstated or understated reality is that 42 of the Africans had joined the regiment before 1778 were slaves. (32) This measure was put into effect to protect African soldiers who were already in the regiment as well as to recruit new ones. The African troops generally did the same types of work as other troops: on command, serving at special duty assignments, (usually away from the regiment), on guard, on the boats, on guard duty near the regiment or away from it, and on fatigue( forging parties combing the countryside in search of food and equipment). These African soldiers generally received the same pay as other soldiers, $6.66 per month. The highest paid Africans were non-commissioned officers and musicians who received $7.20 per month: Richard Cozzen and Cuff Gardener were fifers Scipio Brown and Africa Burk were both drummers in Ebenezer Flagg's Company. Mingo Rodman was a musician in Dexter's Company. Cato Brown was a fifer in Thomas Cole's Company and Thomas Brown was a drummer in Elijah Lewis' Company. (33) There were no African Sergeants or Corporals in the Rhode Island Regiments.

At Valley Forge the men built their own huts. They also constructed the Star Redoubt, a wood and mud fort, which guarded the flat lands crossing on the Schuylkill River. They helped erect a bridge over the river. Many of their officers were on command at Rhode Island recruiting. (34) In the Spring the officers and new troops began to arrive and the new training began. He troops learned The new drill instructed by General Von Steuben. Some of these new arrivals were brought by Rhode Island to help fill the quota of Continental troops. In May of 1778 transfers began. This was an attempt to make the First regiment a Black or African Regiment. There were 475 men who served in the 1st. Rhode Island at Valley Forge, 151 men were transferred to the 2nd Rhode Island. Most of these men were White. In fact several individuals who were not African, John Parrish a surgeon's mate and nine others were transferred to the first regiment. It should be noted that 42 men died at Valley Forge, three were Africans; Ceasar Cole from the First regiment and two from the Second, Ceasar Cook and Richard Pomp. Ceasar Cook served with the 11th Continental Regiment in 1776. At the end of the Valley Forge encampment the First Rhode Island Regiment had 26 officers, 134 white enlisted men and 129 Africans. (35)

On June 18,1778 the British left Philadelphia moving across New Jersey toward New York.
Washington and most of the main army followed the British, caught them at Monmouth and fought a battle. The First Rhode Island Regiment was reassigned to the Highlands Army in New York and New England The Second Rhode Island Regiment and Captain Thomas Arnold's Detachment from the First stayed with the Main army and fought at Monmouth on June 28,1778. (36) The turning point of the battle was when, Washington chastised General Lee for retreating. Washington then called for Varnum’s brigade to join the counter attack. Captain Thomas Arnold and newly freed recruit Private Richard "Dick" Rhodes were wounded in this fight. (37)

The regiment arrived at Providence on August 3, 1778. They had not been home since May of 1777. The Brigade was at the Battle of Rhode Island August 28,1778 and involved in the holding action as the American army retreated from Rhode’s Island. The First Rhode Island was ordered to the western wing of the line. Major Samuel Ward was in command and they were stationed from Quaker Hill to Turkey Hill on the northern part of the island. The Americans waited in the tree line, it was a very hot day. Jaeger Scouts under Captain Von der Malsberg and grenadiers under General von Lossberg, advanced briskly and made three frontal attacks against the right wing. The first charge was by the Hessians.
The second attempt had naval and field artillery brought to bare on their position then an attack by British ,loyalist and Hessians. The third attack also failed. “ in nearly four hours of hard fighting the blacks held as firmly as the rest�. General Sullivan said the�’ First Regiment would be entitled to a proper share of the days honors �. (38) The regiment suffered 22 casualties 11missing, 9 wounded, 2 killed. On August 31, the First was ordered to Bristol and Warren for duty. They finish this year in Rhode Island.

In 1779, The First continued to operate in the Rhode Island area. On March 5, 1779, General Varnum resigns from the Continental Army. He has family problems. (39) On May 21, Colonel Christopher Greene and some members of the regiment participated in the capture of the sloop “George,� which they brought in to dock at East Greenwich and were paid their share of the bounty. (40) On October 29, the British evacuated Newport and on November 19, the regiments visit Newport Rhode Island which is free of the British forces. On December 15 the Second Rhode Island was ordered to the Main Army at Morrison New Jersey. On June 23, 1780, the Second Rhode Island fought in the battle of Springfield New Jersey they took heavy casualties (41).

In 1780 the soldiers of the First stayed in Rhode Island and political battles went on everywhere. At home there were protest over the slave soldiers’ enlistments ,while in Pennsylvania they were passing the first Gradual Abolition of Slavery Act. As Virginia was offering “$300 and a slave� for enlistment bounty. Maryland was passing laws permitting free Negroes and slaves to enlist. What a confusing situation and to top it off the British offered freedom if Africans who were claimed by rebels would fight for the king. Who was fighting for freedom?
General George Washington wrote to General Heath to� abolish the name and appearance� of a black regiment, in a letter written on June 29, 1780. (42) The Continental Congress rejoined the First and Second Rhode Island into one the Rhode Island regiment on October 3, 1780. The Rhode Island assembly passed a law excluding Indians, Mulattoes and Negroes from the draft and recruiting officers were ordered to receive no Negroes. (43)

On January 1, 1781, the regiments were physically joined together technically that is the end of the First Rhode Island regiment. (44) One of the most famous descriptions of this group is written after the regiments consolidated. The Marquis de Chastellux saw them crossing a river in the winter January 5, 1781 near Lebanon Connecticut. “ At the passage of the ferry crossing I met a detachment of the Rhode Island regiment... the greatest part of them are Negroes or mulattoes; but they are strong, robust men and those I have seen had a very good appearance.â€� (45) However, Colonel Christopher Greene’s ’ regiment does not end until May 14, 1781. The regiment was encamped on the Groton river at Points Bridge West Chester county, New York, when they were attacked by Delancey’s ’ refugees, Loyalist Americans. Colonel Greene’s ’ hand was cut off in the struggle. He Major Ebenezer Flagg, and about 7 others were killed while thirty -three were captured. (46) With Christopher Greene’s ’ death, his regiment and it’s ’ old name died. Jeremiah Olney became commander of the Rhode Island regiment and served until the end of the war. Many of the men who served in this regiment would make the trip to Yorktown Virginia in the autumn of 1781 and attacked redoubt number 9 with Captain Stephen Olney. They also witnessed the surrender of Lord Cromwallis’ Army. In February 1783 they marched to Oswego New York as members of the Rhode Island regiment.

In conclusion, the First and Second Rhode Island regiments were formed to fill a quota established by the Continental Congress for 1777. The regiments were disbanded or reorganized in January 1781. Rhode Island was partially occupied by the British in 1777. It was difficult for the recruiting officers to find European men to serve in the third year of the war. Some of the officers enlisted Africans, of questionable status.

They were inoculated in New York state during the summer the enlisted men held a protest over bounty promises. Colonel Christopher Greene arrived just in time to head off a mutiny. In the fall the regiments were deployed in New Jersey. Colonel Greene’s ’ regiment manned the fortification at Red Bank called Fort Mercer . On October 22, they defended the Fort against a superior force of British and Germans troops under the command of Colonel Von Dunlop and defeated them.

The regiments encamped that winter at Valley Forge. On January 2, 1778. General James Varnum encouraged General George Washington to sign a letter to Governor Cook of Rhode Island to create a regiment of slave soldiers. In February the Rhode Island Assembly passed the Slave Soldier Act. Which stated as soon as the enslaved men passed the muster of Colonel Greene they were totally free. This was the beginning of the attempt to create a Black regiment. In May men were transferred to the 2nd and a few to the 1st . Many of the men in the regiment would be assigned to Captain Arnold’s ’ detachment and fight at the battle of Monmouth New Jersey June 28, 1778. In August the regiment was reunited and on August 29, 1778, they fought during the battle of Rhode Island. In May of 1779 they captured the “ Sloop George â€� In October 1780 General Washington ordered them to â€� abolish the name and appearance â€� of the Black regiment. In January of 1781 the First and Second Rhode Island regiments were united and in May Colonel Greene was killed thereby ending the so called Black regiment.

Finally, Europeans, Africans, Native Americans and Jews served in this regiment from the opening days of the war until the end. They made this regiment one of the most ethnically diverse in the Continental army. Colonel Greene was awarded a sword from the Continental Congress for the groups stand at Fort Mercer New Jersey.

A Short History of the First Rhode Island Regiment

Endnotes:

1.Robert K. Wright Jr, “The Continental Army�, Center of military History United States Army (Washington D.C. 1989) p. 227. Anthony Walker� So few the Brave� Rhode Island Society , Sons of the American Revolution Seafield Press. (Newport Rhode Island 1981) p.128.

2. Jay Coughtry “ The Notorious Triangle: Rhode Island and the African Slave Trade, 1700-1807" (City Publisher 1981)p.5-6.

3. Coughtry “ Notorious Triangle (1981)p. 12, 21.