PETER SALEM'S STORY Grades 5-6

by Jolyn Glines

Links by Stacy Jex

I can remember that day as if it were yesterday. It was in July of 1775 when word reached our planation in Framingham, Massachusetts, that the Continental Congress had asked for all able-bodied men to gather and form militias. Now I, being a black slave, was most interested in this because one of my fellow slaves, Crispus Attucks, had been killed five years earlier when the British fired on an angry crowd in Boston.

It was unclear when the news first arrived whether all able-bodied men meant blacks and whites alike. Since I was interested in fighting for my country I asked my masters, the Belknaps, if they would consider allowing me to join the militia. They kindly obliged and gave me my freedom. I enlisted with Captain Simon Edgel's Framingham company of minutemen.

Paul Revere fearlessly rode and informed us that the British were headed for Concord, Massachusetts, to try to destroy our military supplies stored there. It was our job to stop them. We marched to Concord and waited for their arrival. I approached the battle with fear and anxiety; I did not know what to expect. The fighting was fierce. We witnessed Major Pitcairn, an important British officer, being thrown to the ground after his horse was shot out from underneath him. Many scrambled to shoot Major Pitcairn, but somehow he escaped without anyone succeeding in stopping him.

The British retreated to Boston. We had done our job of holding them off from getting our supplies. Now it was on to Boston for us. About two months after our first confrontation at Concord we met the British once again, this time at Bunker Hill. We knew that we had very little ammunition, and that we were not to shoot until the British were close upon us.

Before the battle even began, a group of us were confronted by Major John Pitcairn who we knew from the battle at Concord. We stood very still, not sure what type of action we should take. This was a very powerful man, but he was also a powerful enemy. We did not know his reason for being there with us. Finally, after what seemed like minutes, but probably was only seconds, Major Pitcairn shouted with a loud boisterous voice, "This day is ours!" I knew at that point what I must do - prove him wrong. So I raised my gun and shot him without another thought. Major Pitcairn fell to the ground motionless.

We did not have time to think over the events that had just occurred because shoots were buzzing all around us. We were quickly engaged in a brutal battle where we lost control of the hill after three attempts to hold the British off. We did not consider it a loss because we had proved to the British that they were going to have a tough fight on their hands.

After that momentous day, I continued to serve with the minutemen for seven years. I fought at Saratoga under the leadership of Captain John Nixon. Throughout my years of service I was fortunate to remain uninjured. That memorable day at Bunker Hill played over in my mind for a long time. I was strongly reminded of it when my fellow blacks, Churff Whitemore and Salem Poor, and I were honored for bravery at the battle of Bunker Hill. I was credited with having an important part in halting the British advance and helping to save the day.

Although being able to fight as a former black slave with other blacks and white men was very thrilling, the most important thing in my life occurred in 1783 soon after I left the minutemen. I married my lovely wife, Katie Benson, and spent the rest of my life with her.

Questions about

Peter Salem's Story

  1. Where was Peter Salem from?
  2. What was the name of the British officer that Peter Salem shot?
  3. Why do you think the British officer came up to Peter Salem and said, "This day is ours!"? What do you think he meant by that statement?
  4. Why do you think Peter Salem stayed with the minutemen for seven years?
  5. Which battle do you think was more important, Concord or Bunker Hill? Why?
  6. For what was Peter Salem honored?

PETER SALEM'S STORY (continue)

by Jolyn Glines

Outline:

I. Introduction

A. Continental Congress

  1. All able-bodied men gather and form militias
  2. July of 1775 when he was on a plantation in Framingham, Massachusetts

B. Joining the militia

  1. Belknaps, his owners, gave him his freedom to go fight
  2. Joined Captain Simon's Edgel's Framingham company of minutemen

II. Battles

A. Concord, Massachusetts

  1. Paul Revere warned that the British were trying to destroy the military supplies
  2. He was scared and not sure what to expect
  3. Major Pitcairn, an important British officer, is almost killed
  4. Minutemen held the British off and they retreated to Boston

B. Bunker Hill

  1. Two months after Lexington and Concord with very little ammunition
  2. Major Pitcairn boasted "This day is ours!" and Peter Salem shot him
  3. Militia lost control of the hill after three attempts to hold the British off
  4. Not a loss, proved they could fight

III. Conclusion

A. Minutemen

  1. Stayed with them for 7 years and never injured
  2. Fought at Saratoga under Captain John Nixon

B. Honored

  1. With fellow blacks Churff Whitemore and Salem Poor for bravery at Bunker Hill
  2. Credited with important part in halting the British's advance and saving the day

C. Married

  1. In 1783 to Katie Benson
  2. Lived with her the rest of his life

Props ideas:

  1. Have a map of New England or the East Coast so that you can point out where Peter Salem was from and where he moved during battle.
  2. Pictures of Peter Salem and famous drawings of his actions during the Revolution.
  3. Dress up clothing - old tattered things since he was a slave
  4. Revolution type gun

Answers to the questions:

  1. Framingham, Massachusetts
  2. Major John Pitcairn
  3. Possible answers - He wanted to make a point to something that looked like they knew what they were doing. He wanted to scare them. He probably meant that the British was going to win that day, and for them to prepare to lose.
  4. Possible answers - He was dedicated to his country. The war lasted along time and they always needed men. He was well regarded, and they requested he stay on. He had signed up to help fight, so he stayed until the job was done.
  5. This is a matter of opinion, all answers would be accepted as long as well justified.
  6. He was honored for bravery in the battle of Bunker Hill and was credited for having an important part in halting the British advance and helping to save the day.

Sources:

Cangemi, JoAnn, ed. America and it's Neighbors: Grade 5. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1986.

Greene, Lorenzo Johnston, Ph.D. The Negro in Colonial New England: 1620-1776. New York: Columbia University Press, 1942.

Neil, William C. The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution. New York: Arno Press and The New York Times, 1968.

Quarles, Benjamin. The Negro in the American Revolution. Capital Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1961.

Quarles, Benjamin. The Negro in the Making of America. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1964.

Wilson, Ellen Gibson. The Loyal Blacks. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1976.

Wilson, Joseph T. The Black Phalanx. New York: Arno Press and The New York Times, 1968.