The Midnight Ride of Abel Benson
A Slave's Child Uses His Trumpet and Voice: "The Regulars Are Out!"
African Americans in the American Revolution
If one has not yet heard the stories of these African American contributors to the war for American Independence it is a shame. Prince Estabrook fought and was wounded at the Battle of Lexington. Peter Salem fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill and was credited with the shooting of the British Major John Pitcairn. We also know of at least three other Black Minutemen who fought on April 19th 1775, Caesar Ferrit and his son's John and Thomas all put their life on the line on that First Patriots day in Massachusetts. Yet the young man we hardly ever hear of; the one who alerted so many minutemen to come to the defense of American Liberty; was one who could only anticipate the joy of freedom within his own heart.
African Heritage
Abel Benson's grandparents, Nero and Dido Benson arrived from Africa before 1720. Abel's father, William Benson was born as a slave in 1732. In the early 1760's William married a white Sudbury woman named Sarah Perry, although their interracial marriage was not recognized by the Colonial Government. By 1763, the couple had their first child, Katy. Sometime between 1763 and 1766, William obtained his freedom, likely through testamentary manumission. The union between the two was then formalized in some manner even though interracial marriage was still illegal. Then, in about August of 1766 their son Abel was born.
The Black Midnight Rider
Early on the morning of April 19 1775, Samuel Prescott evaded capture by a British Patrol between Lexington and Concord by leaping with his horse over one of those famous New England stone walls. Just after 2:00AM he arrived in his home town of Concord MA and sounded the alarm. His brother, Abel Prescott took freedoms baton and rode to Sudbury and Framingham. In Sudbury he dispatched a man named Dudley to ride south to Natick. Dudley in turn passed the word to a young lady known as bigail Smith. Abigail sped to Needham where around 3:30AM Abel Benson picked up the alarm. He was responsible for notifying Minutemen throughout Needham and the Dover Area and then as far as Dedham by 5:00AM
Following His Future Brother-in-law's Footsteps
In March of 1781, 14 year old Abel Benson decided to add his own life to the cause. He had admired men like Prince Estabrook, Salem Poor, and his future brother-in-law Peter Salem. He served with pride as a musician in the Massachusetts 8th and 3rd Regiments. It is said that along with his trumpet skill that he could "draw with his fiddle bow when he was fast asleep in his chair and keep his audience in full trot". He spent most of his war time around the Hudson River region of New York. On his honorable discharge from the Continental Army he received $300 worth of land in his native Framingham MA.
Abel Benson's Legacy
Although not a tall man, he carried 5'2" frame with pride and induced the young Rhoda Jahah to marry the 18 year old veteran. They lived a very hard life and in the end had to mortgage their land to survive but spent the rest of their life in Framingham, MA. Abel did not realize all of the liberties that all men who are created equal should know. He did play an integral part in making sure that America was the place where the dream that his descendants
"will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character"
is still a possibility!
Sources
Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer, 194, Oxford University Press
Martin Luther King, Jr., on Leadership byDonald T. Phillips, 1999, Grand Central Publishing
Charles Benson: Mariner of Color in the Age of Sail by Michael Sokolow, 2003, UMASS Press
