Cornelius Titus

Uniform of Ethiopian Regiment during American Revolution

Renegade. Runaway Slave. Traitor. Guerilla Leader. Black Loyalist. African American Freedom Fighter.

All these titles could be used to describe Cornelius Titus. Dubbed "Colonel Tye" by the British Army during the American War for Independence, Cornelius Titus and his “Black Brigade”, were a powerful guerilla fighting force of the Revolutionary War. A rag-tag collection of escaped African slaves, Native Americans, and escaped, white indentured servants, the “Black Brigade” struck terror into the hearts of New Jersey Patriots during America’s War for Independence.

Cornelius Titus was born into slavery around 1753 near Colt’s Neck, Monmouth County in the province of New Jersey. Like most enslaved Africans during this time his true date of birth is unknown. Nothing is known of Titus’s early life. New Jersey became a British colony in 1702 and white settlers were encouraged to come to the new colony by an offer of 60 free acres of land for each African slave brought along. By 1704 the first slave laws were enacted restricting the movement and lives of both free and enslaved Africans. By the onset of the American Revolution there were approximately 8,200 enslaved Africans living in the New Jersey colony.

Titus was owned by a Quaker named John Corlies. Corlies owned a large farm located along the Navesink River near the town of Shrewsbury. Corlies was an unusual Quaker in that he seemed quite comfortable with the institution of slavery, contrary to most of his Quaker brethren. Most Quakers in the New Jersey colony at that time were moving toward opposing slavery on both moral and religious grounds. Common practice for Quakers was to provide their slaves with some education as well as emancipation at the age of 21. Corlies, however, refused to free his slaves and was known in the community as a hard taskmaster and quick to use the whip. When Corlies was approached by a delegation from the Quaker community with their concerns he bluntly stated, “I have not seen it as my duty to give them their freedom”. The Quaker Society revoked Corlies's membership in the order for his unyielding refusal to emancipate his slaves in 1778.

Life changed drastically for Titus in November of 1775 when John Murray, the 4^th Earl of Dunmore and Royal Governor of Virginia, issued a proclamation. This decree offered freedom to any indentured servant or enslaved African that escaped and joined the British. The day after the proclamation was issued, Titus ran away from the only home he had ever known. With little more than the raggedy clothes on his back, Titus walked to Virginia, towards freedom. There he joined the newly formed Ethiopian Regiment, established by the Royal Governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore. These men were the first all-black regiment to serve the British Crown and emblazoned across their uniforms were the words “Liberty to Slaves”.

The Ethiopian Regiment were not properly trained and ill-equipped for battle. Although successful in their first engagement, a subsequent battle proved to be disastrous. The regiment was tricked into an ambush at the battle of Great Bridge in Virginia. Surrounded by the enemy, the fighting soon turned into a hasty and panicked retreat. Many of the Ethiopians lost their lives that day and Lord Dunmore was devastated, but sincerely impressed with the soldiers' bravery in the face of slaughter. He realized the men desperately needed training. Only 300 or so men survived the Virginia campaign. These survivors eventually were shipped north to New York where the British had a stronghold. Among these men was Titus.

It is around this time that Titus began to call himself Tye. He had thus far survived escape from a cruel master, several battles for which he was ill-prepared, as well as the spate of diseases that decimated the regiment. In June, 1778, Tye found himself once again in Monmouth County of the New Jersey colony, where he took part in the famous Battle of Monmouth near Freehold New Jersey. Tye distinguished himself in battle by capturing a captain of the Monmouth County militia. Combining fearlessness and a deep knowledge of the land, Tye proved himself invaluable to the British. So admired was Tye that the British bestowed upon him the honorary title of Colonel. His leadership skills and bravery propelled him to be placed in charge of a command of a large regiment of fighting men. Although the regiment was called the “Black Brigade” the make-up of men consisted of escaped slaves, Native Americans, and whites.

Colonel Tye and his band of renegade fighters found refuge at the British stronghold on the Sandy Hook peninsula. Executing one daring raid after another, Tye and his men were the scourge of Monmouth County. Often targeting wealthy slave-holding Patriots, they attacked at night and confiscated goods to help the Loyalist cause. Colonel Tye and his men also sought to free any slaves they encountered. Throughout 1779 and 1780 Colonel Tye led raid after raid into Monmouth County, focusing on known Patriot militia officers and their farms and homes. Patriot leaders were captured and turned over to the British on Sandy Hook sometimes to be executed. Local newspapers of the day chronicle Tye's many "diabolical" escapades. In September, 1780 Tye led his most audacious attack to date, attempting to capture the notorious Patriot leader Joshua Huddy. They were able to get Huddy to surrender after setting fire to his house, but the cost for this victory was grave. Colonel Tye was shot through the wrist by a cannonball. This seemingly minor injury would prove fatal. Within a few days Tye was dead from tetanus (lockjaw).