11. Blacks in the Civil War Between Patriots and Loyalists
Titus Cornelius – or Tye as he named himself after escaping slavery – had his first combat experience at the Battle of Monmouth, on June 28th, 1778. During the battle, Tye distinguished himself by capturing a Patriot captain of the Monmouth militia, and returned with his captive to British-held New York City.
Having grown up in Monmouth County, Tye had intimate knowledge of the local geography. That made him well suited to the guerrilla warfare that wracked the region. While the Redcoats and the Continental Army fought each other in formal pitched battles, a nasty civil war was simultaneously being fought between Loyalist and Patriot militias and armed bands throughout much of the colonies.