SEPTEMBER 29TH
1ST RHODE ISLAND REGIMENT INSTALLATION UNVEILING

The 1st Rhode Island Regiment, often called the “Black Regiment,” was one of the most remarkable units of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Reorganized in 1778, it was composed largely of free and formerly enslaved Black men, along with Native American & European decent soldiers. The regiment fought with distinction in decisive battles during the Revolution including the Battle of Red Bank (one of the regiment's greatest and most significant victories), the Battle of Rhode Island, the Battle of Monmouth, the Battle of Springfield, the Siege of Yorktown / Redoubt 10, the Skirmish at Pines Bridge / Croton River, and they ultimately participated in the Siege of Yorktown, including the decisive assault that helped force the British surrender in October 1781.

 

For Brandywine Village, their story has a particularly important local connection: in September 1781, approximately 390 officers and men of the Rhode Island Regiment marched through Wilmington on their way south to Yorktown, passing through the historic Brandywine Village area along the road that connected the Continental Army with the Yorktown campaign. Today, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment Memorial stands at North Market Street and East 19th Street in Brandywine Village, marking the community's connection to these soldiers and to the broader struggle for American independence. Their presence in Brandywine Village represents more than a military march—it connects this historic community to the remarkable story of Black Americans who fought for the independence of a nation while many were still denied their own freedom, making their story an essential part of Brandywine Village's Revolutionary heritage.