In most cases, slaves were granted their freedom at the end of their military service.

During the war some five thousand blacks served in the Continental Army with the vast majority coming from the North.
In contrast to later practice, during the Revolution the armed services were largely integrated with only a few segregated units.

While the vast majority of Afro-American troops fighting in the Revolutionary War will always remain anonymous, there were several who achieved distinction and made their mark in history.

Both Prince Whipple and Oliver Cromwell crossed the Delaware with Washington on Christmas Day in 1776.

Lemuel Haynes, later a pastor of a white church, served at the Battle of Ticonderoga.