Three Veterans, Three Slaves, and a Reverend
Charlie Rosenberg Charlie Rosenberg

Three Veterans, Three Slaves, and a Reverend

A number of men enslaved in New Hampshire secured their freedom by enlisting in the Continental Army. Gloster Watson was born in Portsmouth in 1750. He was freed 4 June 1777 by Thomas Watson, executor of his father's estate. Gloster Watson served at the Battle of Hubbarton, the victory at Saratoga, the Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey, and General Sullivan's 1779 campaign.

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Elizabeth Freeman’s Revolutionary War veterans
Charlie Rosenberg Charlie Rosenberg

Elizabeth Freeman’s Revolutionary War veterans

Many people have read at one time or another about Elizabeth Freeman, known earlier as Mum Bett or Mumbet. She brought one of two lawsuits widely credited with ending slavery in Massachusetts in 1781. What is less well known is that her first husband died serving in the Continental Army at the Battle of Saratoga, and her second husband, Jacob Burghardt, was a veteran who survived his Revolutionary War service.

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A Tale of Two Veterans: Free and Enslaved
Charlie Rosenberg Charlie Rosenberg

A Tale of Two Veterans: Free and Enslaved

Men of African descent who served in the Massachusetts militia or enlisted in the Continental Army in 1775 came from a variety of circumstances. Two stark examples are Barzillai Lew (free) and Eden London (enslaved).

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