African Americans in the American Revolution from Pennsylvania
The following was extracted from “Forgotten Patriots: African American and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War” by the National Socity Daughters of the American Revolution
The only exact count of “Negroes” who served with the Pennsylvania units is a return taken at White
Plains, New York in late August 1778 which shows two African Americans in Wayne’s Pennsylvania
Regiment and thirty‐five in the Second Pennsylvania Regiment. The return does not
account for African Americans who may have been serving in other Pennsylvania Regiments in 1778.
One African American who was not included in the White Plains count was Stacey Williams. He
enlisted in Captain Jacob Humphrey’s Company, 6th Pennsylvania Regiment, in April 1777 and was
wounded at Brandywine, Pennsylvania in September of the same year. Williams also served at
the Battle of Monmouth in 1778 and was discharged at Philadelphia in November 1783. He
was awarded a federal pension and bounty land for his service in the Revolution.
Another, John Francis, was among the first Revolutionary War veterans to be pensioned.
Francis, whose legs were shattered by grapeshot while serving at the Battle of Brandywine under
Captain Henry Epple in Colonel Thomas Craig’s 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, was awarded an
Invalid pension in 1789. John Leoman and Jacob Shelly served together as Privates in Captain Thomas Robinson’s Lancaster County Militia Company.
Two other African American men served as musicians. Polydore Redman was a drummer in Captain John Richardson’s company, and Bob served both as a drummer and fifer in Captain William Semple’s Company. Other African Americans served in a variety of ways. Two served as waiters. Levi Burns was a waiter in Colonel Richard Humpton’s Regiment in 1778. William Lukens, a waiter in the Flying Camp, was taken prisoner at Fort Washington in 1776 along with his battalion commander, Colonel Michael Swope.
Abraham Moore, “a free man of colour,” was drafted in what became Fayette County, Pennsylvania as a substitute for Augustine Moore. He was required to serve in an expedition against the Indians in 1781.
Learn more about Abraham Moore at Ohio History
In addition, two African Americans who had fines remitted had military service. In August 1780, Colonel Lewis Nicola asked Jack, “a negro,” and several White men who were imprisoned in the Philadelphia jail, to join his Invalid Regiment. After receiving their acceptance of his offer, Nicola convinced the Philadelphia authorities that the fines should be remitted and that the men should be released from jail on condition that they enlist. In September of the same year, Daniel Stevens, a free African American, was tried and convicted of larceny. Stevens pleaded that he was too poor to pay the fine. At the suggestion of the court his fine was remitted under condition that he also agrees to serve under Colonel Nicola.
Another African American Pennsylvania privateer, James Forten, who in later life became a renowned sailmaker in Philadelphia, told William Nell, an early African American historian, the story of his
enlistment on the Pennsylvania ship, Royal Louis, under the command of Captain Stephen Decatur, Sr. Forten recalled the capture of the Royal Louis by the British and went on to say that he “…was confined on board the old Jersey Prison Ship,…” Although no crew rosters for the Royal Louis have been located, Forten’s imprisonment is confirmed in a March 15, 1837 affidavit signed by Daniel Brewton who attested that the two men were held on “…the prison ship, ‘Old Jersey’….” in 1781.
In 2026, to commemorate the national celebration of the semiquincentennial of the United States, the Diveristy Corner will bring you examples of those of various ethnic backgrounds who have contributed to the rich historical fabric of the United States.
For more local information on the American Revolution and American 250, check out this page from the Cambria Memory Project.