In 1781, Trenton Witnessed the Brave Men of Color Who Won American Independence

Algernon Ward of Trenton points to his face in the story of the American Revolution. Painting by Don Troiani. | Courtesy of the Museum of the American Revolution.

Between late August and early September 1781, nearly 10,000 American and French troops marched through northern and central New Jersey en route to Yorktown, Virginia, where they hoped to win American independence.

It was at Yorktown, with the French navy controlling the York River, where American and French Armies conducted a siege to force British General Cornwallis to surrender on October 19th.

History books give a great deal of attention to America’s “Founding Fathers”—Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, Monroe, Adams, etc.—but few of us know about the actual troops who fought to win American independence.

More than half the troops who marched through New Jersey and won victory at Yorktown were French, thanks to an alliance that brought the French soldiers and sailors to help defeat a common enemy. In addition, many American troops were African and Native Americans who joined the cause of liberty. Some were free, while others hoped to be free following their service to a nation founded on the idea that “all men are created equal.”

As a share of all troops who ever served, soldiers of color represented fewer than 5%. But as a percentage of the fighting force at any one time, it was much higher, because soldiers of color tended to serve throughout the war, while white soldiers often served short enlistments, sometimes only a few months.

On July 5, 1781, as troops camped at White Plains, New York, the French officer Ludwig Von Closen wrote in his journal: “I had a chance to see the American Army, man for man… A quarter of them were Negroes, merry, confident, and sturdy.” Those diverse troops proceeded to New Jersey, following a route we now call the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail, through towns such as Whippany, Morristown, Bridgewater, Princeton, and Trenton.

Nearly every regiment from the north was racially integrated. Indeed, the famous 1st Rhode Island Regiment was majority Black and included Native Americans. As they passed through Philadelphia, a Black teenager, James Forten, observed the regiment and later wrote in his diary he believed them to be “brave men as ever fought.”

The story of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment’s participation in the siege of Yorktown supports Forten’s assertion. Under the leadership of Alexander Hamilton, on October 14 they were chosen to charge “Redoubt 10,” a British defensive embankment, without ammunition, for fear of a premature shot that would remove the element of surprise. Without ammunition, this final engagement of the final major battle would be fought brutally, hand-to-hand, by those men of color.

Despite extreme danger, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment succeeded in capturing the 10th redoubt, and the British flew a white flag of surrender the very next day. By October 19, the surrender was formalized, leading to a great experiment in representative democracy in North America.

The Washington Rochambeau National Historic Trail passes through New Jersey, one of the nation’s most diverse states today, and several minority-majority cities such as Newark, New Brunswick, and Trenton. At a time when the nation is focused on the lack of monuments honoring our diverse past, New Jersey should find a place to erect a monument to the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, depicting the regiment’s passage through the state in 1781.

A Trenton-based group of reenactors led by Algernon Ward has been portraying the 1st Rhode Island regiment for many years. In fact, they posed as models for the renowned historic painter, Don Troiani, who has commemorated the scene of young James Forten witnessing the 1st Rhode Island as they marched through Philadelphia in 1781. Funded in part through a grant from the Washington Rochambeau National Historic Trail, the painting is permanently displayed at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.

The Troiani painting is a glorious tribute that rightfully puts African American faces into the story of America’s founding. In time for the 250th anniversary in 2026, New Jersey should offer its own tribute to these brave men as ever fought.