Also American
AchievementJanuary 1775· politics

Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment Formed

Virginia's Royal Governor Lord Dunmore issued a proclamation offering freedom to enslaved men who escaped Patriot owners and joined British forces, leading to the formation of the Ethiopian Regiment of hundreds of Black soldiers. As many as 800 men joined and bore the motto 'Liberty to Slaves' on their uniforms, representing one of the largest freedom-seeking military actions in early American history.