“In November, 1782, he was, by resolution of Congress, commissioned as a Lieutenant-Colonel, with order that his commission should bear date from the 23d of June, 1780, when he received his appointment as aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-chief.  He had, when in active service, given the sanction of his name and influence in the establishment of a company of colored infantry, attached to Meigs’, afterwards Butler’s, regiment, in the Connecticut line.  He continued to be the nominal captain of that company until the establishment of peace."[575]

The following was the roster of his company:—­

“Captain,
DAVID HUMPHREYS.

Privates,

Jack Arabus, Brister Baker, John Ball,
John Cleveland, Caesar Bagdon, John McLean,
Phineas Strong, Gamaliel Terry, Jesse Vose,
Ned Fields, Lent Munson, Daniel Bradley,
Isaac Higgins, Heman Rogers, Sharp Camp,
Lewis Martin, Job Caesar, Jo Otis. 
Caesar Chapman, John Rogers, James Dinah,
Peter Mix, Ned Freedom, Solomon Sowtice,
Philo Freeman, Ezekiel Tupham, Peter Freeman,
Hector Williams, Tom Freeman, Cato Wilbrow,
Juba Freeman, Congo Zado, Cuff Freeman,
Cato Robinson, Peter Gibbs, Juba Dyer,
Prince George, Prince Johnson, Andrew Jack,
Prince Crosbee, Alex.  Judd, Peter Morando,
Shubael Johnson, Pomp Liberty, Peter Lion,
Tim Caesar, Cuff Liberty, Sampson Cuff,
Jack Little, Pomp Cyrus, Dick Freedom,
Bill Sowers, Harry Williams, Pomp McCuff."[576]
Dick Violet, Sharp Rogers,

But notwithstanding the persistent and bitter opposition to the employment of slaves, from the earliest hours of the Revolutionary War till its close, Negroes, bond and free, were in all branches of the service.  It is to be regretted that the exact number cannot be known.  Adjutant-Gen. Scammell made the following official return of Negro soldiers in the main army, under Washington’s immediate command, two months after the battle of Monmouth; but the Rhode-Island regiment, the Connecticut, New York, and New-Hampshire troops are not mentioned.  Incomplete as it is, it is nevertheless official, and therefore correct as far as it goes.

     RETURN OF NEGROES IN THE ARMY, 24TH AUG., 1778.

+--------------------+----------+------------+---------

--+--------+
|       BRIGADES.    | PRESENT. |SICK ABSENT.|ON COMMAND.| TOTAL. |
+--------------------+----------+------------+-----------+--

------+
| North Carolina  .  |    42    |     10     |     6     |   58   |
| Woodford    .   .  |    36    |      3     |     1     |   40   |
| Muhlenburg  .   .  |    64    |     26     |     8     |   98   |
| Smallwood   .   .  |    20    |      3     |     1     |   24   |
| 2d Maryland .   .  |    43    |     15     |     2     |   60   |
| Wayne   .   .   .  |     2    |     --     |    --     |    2   |