Act Emancipating Slaves who Served in the Revolutionary Army (Georgia)
The fight for liberty led some Americans to manumit their enslaved laborers, and most of the new northern states soon passed gradual emancipation laws. Some manumissions also occurred in the Upper South, but in the Lower South, some enslavers revoked their offers of freedom for service, and other freedmen were forced back into bondage. The Revolution’s rhetoric of equality created a “revolutionary generation” of enslaved people and free Black Americans that would eventually encourage the antislavery movement. Slave revolts began to incorporate claims for freedom based on revolutionary ideals. In the long term, the Revolution failed to reconcile slavery with these new egalitarian republican societies, a tension that eventually boiled over in the 1830s and 1840s and effectively tore the nation in two in the 1850s and 1860s.
Source: "Chapter 5: The American Revolution." The American Yawp. 2020.
http://www.americanyawp.com/text/05-the-american-revolution/
http://www.americanyawp.com/text/05-the-american-revolution/
An Act to Emancipate and set free Austin, a mulatto, also Harry, a Negro fellow. Whereas Austin a mulatto man at present the property of the Estate of Richard Aycock, esquire, during the late revolution instead of advantaging himself of the times to withdraw himself from the American lines and enter with the majority of his colour and fellow Slaves in the service of his Brittanick Majesty and his officers and vassals, did voluntarily enroll himself in some one of the Corps under the Command of Col. Elijah Clark, and in several actions and engagements behaved against the common Enemy with a bravery and fortitude which would have honored a freeman and in one of which engagements he was severely wounded, and rendered incapable of hard servitude and policy as well as gratitude demand a return for such service and behavior from the Commonwealth.
Be it Enacted that the said Austin be, and he is hereby emancipated and made free, and he is and shall be hereby entitled to all the liberations, privileges and immunities of a free citizen of this State so far as free negroes and mulattos are allowed, and is and shall be entitled to annuity allowed by this State to wounded and disabled soldiers.
And be it further Enacted that Colonel Elijah Clark, Zachariah Lamar, and John Talbot shall be and they are hereby appointed agents for the State to contract and agree with the heirs Executors or administrators of the said Richard Aycock for the value of the said Austin, provided the same does not exceed the sum of seventy pounds, and that they give a Certificate for such sum to the proper owner of the said Austin for which sum his Honor the Governor is hereby empowered to draw on the Treasury of the State.
And be it also enacted that negro Harry late the property of William Sherrill for his meritorious services to this State, be also Emancipated and made free and entitled to the rights of Citizenship so far as free negroes and mulattos are entitled as aforesaid.
By order of the House
Augusta 14th August 1786
William Gibbons, Speaker
Act Emancipating Austin Dabney. Enrolled Acts and Resolutions, House and Senate, Legislature, Georgia Archives. RG 37-1-15.
Be it Enacted that the said Austin be, and he is hereby emancipated and made free, and he is and shall be hereby entitled to all the liberations, privileges and immunities of a free citizen of this State so far as free negroes and mulattos are allowed, and is and shall be entitled to annuity allowed by this State to wounded and disabled soldiers.
And be it further Enacted that Colonel Elijah Clark, Zachariah Lamar, and John Talbot shall be and they are hereby appointed agents for the State to contract and agree with the heirs Executors or administrators of the said Richard Aycock for the value of the said Austin, provided the same does not exceed the sum of seventy pounds, and that they give a Certificate for such sum to the proper owner of the said Austin for which sum his Honor the Governor is hereby empowered to draw on the Treasury of the State.
And be it also enacted that negro Harry late the property of William Sherrill for his meritorious services to this State, be also Emancipated and made free and entitled to the rights of Citizenship so far as free negroes and mulattos are entitled as aforesaid.
By order of the House
Augusta 14th August 1786
William Gibbons, Speaker
Act Emancipating Austin Dabney. Enrolled Acts and Resolutions, House and Senate, Legislature, Georgia Archives. RG 37-1-15.
Background text courtesy of The American Yawp [CC-BY-SA]
Primary source in Public Domain
Image courtesy of Georgia Archives
Primary source in Public Domain
Image courtesy of Georgia Archives