Colonel Tye
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Colonel Tye (c. 1753–1780) was an African-American slave named Titus. He gained fame during the American Revolutionary War as one of the most effective Loyalist guerrilla leaders opposing the Patriot forces in central New Jersey.
Never actually commissioned an officer by the British Army (which did not appoint African-Americans as officers), Colonel Tye earned his honorary title as a sign of respect for his tactical leadership skills. As the commander of the Black Brigade, he led raids against Patriots, seized supplies, and assassinated many Patriot leaders during the war, thus providing substantial aid to the British. His aid to the British in New York City helped them withstand a siege by American forces under Gen. George Washington.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Born in about 1753, Titus was originally owned by John Corlies, a Monmouth County, New Jersey Quaker who held slaves despite of his religion's opposition to slavery. It was Quaker practice to teach slaves how to read and write, and to free them at age 21. However, Corlies refused to do so. In fact, Corlies was known to be especially cruel to his slaves, severely whipping them for even the most minor reasons.
In November 1775, John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia, issued a proclamation offering freedom to all slaves who would leave their disloyal masters and join the royal forces. The proclamation led almost 100,000 African-American slaves to escape and join the British, Titus among them. Having learned to sell his own goods and memorizing a map of the area, Titus ran away from Corlies and fled down the coast to Virginia, passing himself off as a freedman and doing odd jobs. Corlies posted a reward for Titus's capture and return, saying "he is about 21 years old, not very black and about six feet high".
[edit] Military actions
Now calling himself Tye, Titus became a captain in Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment, and survived the famine and sickness that plagued the unit after they retreated from Virginia. Returning to New Jersey, he joined the Black Brigade. His first recorded military action was at the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778, where he captured a Patriot captain.
Tye and the members of the mixed-race Black Brigade at first fought independently, but later served with a white Loyalist unit called the Queen's Rangers. Tye's knowledge of Monmouth County and his bold leadership soon made him a well-known and feared Loyalist commander.
Colonel Tye led several successful raids during the summer of 1779, seizing food and fuel, taking prisoners, and freeing many slaves. He continued to fight through 1780, exacting revenge against his former owner and others, including the killing of well-known Patriot Joseph Murray, who was hated for executing all captured Loyalists.
[edit] Death and legacy
In September 1780, Tye was injured by a musket ball that passed through his wrist while he was trying to smoke out another Monmouth County patriot leader, Captain Joshua Huddy. Huddy and a female servant managed to resist Tye's band for two hours before they set fire to his house. Unexpectedly, Colonel Tye developed tetanus from his wound and soon died of it. His death was a major loss to the Loyalist forces.
Since he was on the losing side in the American Revolution, Colonel Tye—who fought for the freedom of his own people—has largely been forgotten by American history.
[edit] External links
- Article from PBS webpage about Colonel Tye, part of the "Africans in America" series.
- Article from "Black Loyalists: Our History, Our People"
- The Black Brigade and Colonel Tye from "Black Loyalists: Our History, Our People"
- Children's play based on life of Colonel Tye
- History of the Ethiopian Regiment
- More on the Ethiopian Regiment
