Salem Poor, Soldier

Salem Poor by Bella R.
Salem Poor's service at the Battle of Bunker Hill defied the stereotypes held of blacks at the time of the Revolutionary War.

He was born into slavery in 1742, but was bought as an infant in Salem Massachusetts, and was taken in by the Abbott family. The exact date is not known, but some time after Poor was
purchased by John Poor. In 1769, at age twenty-seven, Salem used twenty-seven pounds (the average pay of a year of work.) to buy his freedom. Two years later, he married Nancy Parker
and they had a child in late 1774. He left his son at a young age in order fight in the Revolutionary War.

Salem Poor is best known for his gallant acts at Bunker Hill, June 17 1775. Poor was said to have fought "excellently" at his first battle. He shot and killed English Colonel Abercrombie. After the the battle, this amazing soldier received fourteen petitions and was described by an experienced officer as well as an excellent soldier, by the officers. After fighting at Bunker Hill, the battle, he served the Continental Army, until about 1780.

After fighting for his country, Poor married Mary Twing in 1780, and the couple moved
to Providence, Rhode Island. He was briefly put in jail for the Breach of Peace. He died of
poverty in 1802, at the age of sixty. After his death, Salem Poor was honored with a ten
cent stamp.

Salem Poor may have influenced people in a way that may have made them think
differently about African-Americans. He was a brave solider who believed in his country, and
had faith all through out the war. He showed this by buying his freedom to fight, killing an
English officer, fighting for the Continental Army, and doing the Breach of Peace. Only a
someone very loyal to there country's freedom could do all that in just one lifetime.