More blacks fight during the Revolution?

Okay, even in OTL, proprtionate to their number, free blacks were more likely toj oin the fray than white Aemricans. There were Black militiamen at Bunker Hill, and they served throughout the war. But IMO it could have gone further.

Rhode Island's First Regiment was raised from the state's slae population, and they were all freed after the war.

Lord Dunmore, the Royal Governor of Virginia, tried something similar in 1775. His decision to arm the slaves led to a wave of hysteria throughout the South. Over the next few month, thousands of slaves in Virginia either fled to Dunmore or were caught trying to do so; he raised the "Ethiopian Regiment," where men were uniformed with sashes declaring "Liberty to Slaves."

Unfortunately, Dunmoer's forces were defeated, and he had to withdraw to some offshore ships; packed together, smallpox decimated their ranks, carrying off many blacks. This ended Dunmore's plan, at least for a while; and indeed Congress, unprder pressure from the southern states, tried to keep blacks from enlisting in the Continental Army until the lack of manpower became crippling. When the British marched the south in 1778 and 1779, Continental Congress urged Georgia and south Carolian to raise three thousand black troops.

Congress's plan had the support of Hamilton, Henry Laurens, and others within the military; but washington withheld support, worried that it would "render slavery more irksome for those who remain in it."

South Carolina was so indignant about the proposeal that it considered sending a flag of truce to the British commander in the region; but meanwhile, thier own slaves fled. (Loyalist slaves were returned). It's estimated that some twenty thousand slaves fled to British lines in South Carolina alone.

So, hrmm. Suppose that Washington was persuaded to go along with raising regiments of black soldiers. The British respond in kind, even more than OTL.

Hrmm. Something's missing, but it's an interesting idea. Thoughts?
 
If Washington is persuaded to go along with the plan, I'd wager that the southern colonies would be even more bent towards the Loyalists than in OTL. I see far more Loyalist militia's forming in the south...

Then again if the British follow a similiar policy, perhaps the Southern states opt to go it alone against the British? Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina (maybe) all withdraw their delegates from the Continental Congress over the slavery issue and proceed to organize their militia's to protect their new nation (The Confederacy of American States?) in the hopes that they could preserve slavery and gain some limited autonomy from the British?

The south then becomes a charnel house of a three way war, between American regulars, Confederate Militia's and British Regulars. Their forces split, the Americans are driven out of Georgia and South Carolina as the British gain momentum in the south. Fearing that the revolution will be lost, Congress is running out of options. Hoping that black troops will turn the tide of the war, Congress passes decidedly abolitionist legislation, getting rid of slavery eventually, ensuring (at least on paper) equal rights for Blacks, and offering a significant bonus for any slaves that enlist.

This legislation proves successful as America succeeds in mobilizing most of it's male slave population to fight in the revolution. Furthermore these "slave regiments" are of a higher quality due to increased incentive to fight and the fact that they are given better training (unlike the British slave regiments which were basically used as cannon fodder). These regiments coupled with slave revolts in the south (under British occupation) allow the Americans to defeat the British decisively at several battles with the aid of the French and win the revolution.

Thoughts?
 
If Washington is persuaded to go along with the plan, I'd wager that the southern colonies would be even more bent towards the Loyalists than in OTL. I see far more Loyalist militia's forming in the south...

Then again if the British follow a similiar policy, perhaps the Southern states opt to go it alone against the British? Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina (maybe) all withdraw their delegates from the Continental Congress over the slavery issue and proceed to organize their militia's to protect their new nation (The Confederacy of American States?) in the hopes that they could preserve slavery and gain some limited autonomy from the British?

The south then becomes a charnel house of a three way war, between American regulars, Confederate Militia's and British Regulars. Their forces split, the Americans are driven out of Georgia and South Carolina as the British gain momentum in the south. Fearing that the revolution will be lost, Congress is running out of options. Hoping that black troops will turn the tide of the war, Congress passes decidedly abolitionist legislation, getting rid of slavery eventually, ensuring (at least on paper) equal rights for Blacks, and offering a significant bonus for any slaves that enlist.

This legislation proves successful as America succeeds in mobilizing most of it's male slave population to fight in the revolution. Furthermore these "slave regiments" are of a higher quality due to increased incentive to fight and the fact that they are given better training (unlike the British slave regiments which were basically used as cannon fodder). These regiments coupled with slave revolts in the south (under British occupation) allow the Americans to defeat the British decisively at several battles with the aid of the French and win the revolution.

Thoughts?

not a bad idea. to correct an earlier poster John Laurens was the one who wanted to create the regiments not his more conservative father Henry then President of the Continental Congress. Ironically both the Laurens' called South Carolina home. I think there is a certain degree of plausibility although I can see the British offering a separate peace and focusing on the north instead. I think this situation creates an aborted revolution with greater autonomy for North and South. think the Turledove story the Two George's but with seperate confederations for each of the parts.
any thoughts on that?
 
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