Part of a series of articles titled 12 Soldiers of the Revolution.
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Salem Poor: Patriot of Bunker Hill
As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, the story of Salem Poor stands out as a compelling testament of the diverse patriots who helped secure American independence.
Born into slavery around 1742 in Andover, Massachusetts, Salem purchased his freedom in 1769. Six years later, he took up arms against British forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill, where his distinguished service prompted 14 separate officers to write the Massachusetts General Court heralding his extraordinary bravery.
The statue honoring Salem Poor, dedicated at Freedom Plaza in 2026, affirms his remarkable journey from enslavement to Patriot hero.
DOI / Andrew King
Early Life
According to local tradition, Salem Poor was purchased as an infant at the Salem, Massachusetts slave market by Lydia Abbot, who brought him on horseback to Andover. He was later passed down to Lydia’s daughter, who married John Poor III (or Jr.). Salem took the last name of his new owner. On July 10, 1769, when around 27 years old, Salem purchased his freedom for 27 pounds—a sum roughly equal to a working man’s annual wages.
Battle of Bunker Hill
In May 1775, following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, as British oppression increased and colonial resistance intensified, Poor served in Colonel James Frye’s regiment and then Captain Benjamin Ames’ company. At that time, there was no national Continental Army; all that existed were local or state militias.
On June 17, 1775, Salem fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill, which occurred primarily on neighboring Breed’s Hill in Boston. Colonial forces were ordered to fortify Bunker Hill, but commanders instead fortified the more defensible Breed’s Hill. Early reports, including a British map, had switched the names of the two hills, thus causing the confusion that has historically persisted about this conflict.
The battle involved some 3,000 British soldiers attacking some 2,400 colonial troops. The advantage belonged to the British not solely because of their greater numbers, but also because they were professional soldiers. The American force was an assemblage of average citizens—shop owners, school teachers, parsons, farmers, blacksmiths, cobblers, and the like. Meanwhile, the British had abundant military supplies, with the cannons of their warships in Boston Harbor covering the field of battle, while the Americans lacked both armaments and ammunition.
Americans constructed trenches to protect themselves from British guns, and Poor’s unit was initially assigned to support those fortification efforts. However, his unit instead ended up covering the panicked retreat of American forces when they ran out of ammunition. Under heavy British fire, Poor’s small unit stood firm, even though five were killed and six were wounded around him.
Poor continued firing while also assisting the wounded around him. According to tradition, he shot British Lt. Col. James Abercrombie during the assault—temporarily throwing the enemy into disarray, allowing the Americans time to safely withdraw.
In December 1775, 14 officers—including American commander Colonel William Prescott—submitted a petition to the Massachusetts General Court praising Poor’s actions. They declared that a Negro Man, called Salem Poor… behaved like an Experienced officer, as well as an Excellent Soldier
and that in the Person of this Sd. Negro Centers a Brave & gallant Soldier.
The petition requested a reward to so great and distinguished a character.
It remains one of the few contemporary documents to single out an individual black soldier for such a high commendation.
Poor re-enlisted and continued serving with the Continental Army until his discharge on March 20, 1780. He participated in key campaigns, including at Saratoga, Valley Forge (winter 1777–1778), White Plains, and elsewhere.
Significantly, the American army during the War for Independence was all volunteer. The term of enlistment for a soldier in the Continental Army was one year, and for a state or local militia, usually six months. As many as 8,000 black Americans served as soldiers or in other military capacities during the War, and on average the typical black soldier served eight times longer than the average white soldier, repeatedly reenlisting, which was the case with Salem Poor.
Later Life
After the war, Salem returned to Massachusetts. He married four times—common during an era of high mortality rates. His only recorded child was a son, Jonas, born to his first wife in 1776. His family lived amid economic hardship, and Salem became a resident of the Boston Almshouse, a charity home for needy inhabitants. Salem died in 1802 (aged 55). He was buried in famous Copp’s Hill Burying Ground in Boston.
Salem Poor in Massachusetts
As a free black Patriot from Andover, Massachusetts, Salem Poor exemplified the significant contributions of African Americans to the Revolutionary cause in Massachusetts, as well as the Continental Army. His original service in the state militia and later Continental regiments, combined with the extraordinary official recognition he received, highlighted both the opportunities and contradictions of the fight for liberty in a society that still practiced slavery.
Slavery was long accepted in many states in colonial America. As Founding Father John Jay of New York observed, most people were so long accustomed to the practice…that very few among them even doubted the propriety and rectitude of it.
Massachusetts, however, was strong in its opposition to slavery, and one of the most active colonies in efforts to eliminate it, passing antislavery laws as early as 1641. Those efforts continued until the time of the Revolution, only to be repeatedly blocked by the British government (once again in 1771 and then twice in 1774). But once Massachusetts separated from Great Britain, the state’s original constitution (1780) declared that all men are born free and equal,
finally ending slavery in the state.
Faith Stories
Salem Poor was baptized in the North Parish Congregational Church in Andover in 1747. No detailed personal faith narratives survive, but his documented service reflects a commitment to the ideals of freedom that resonated with many religious patriots of the era.
Past Centennial Celebrations
In 1876, pioneering African American historian George Washington Williams highlighted the service of Salem Poor and other black soldiers at Bunker Hill in his 1876 Centennial oration. In 1975, the United States Postal Service honored Salem with a 10-cent commemorative stamp as part of the “Contributors to the Cause” Bicentennial series.
Legacy
Salem Poor’s bravery at Bunker Hill, followed by his ongoing service in the Revolutionary War, illustrates the largely untold stories and valuable contributions of black soldiers in the American War for Independence. Black participation in various military roles was widespread across both northern and southern states.
Poor’s story reminds us that the American Revolution was fought by men and women of diverse backgrounds, united by the ideal of liberty and justice for all.
Last updated: June 3, 2026