Colonel Tye
| Colonel Tye | |
|---|---|
A modern portrayal of Colonel Tye and his British, Black Loyalist, "Black Brigade", a small combat unit, of elite, associator, guerrillas, in the Province of New Jersey, during the American Revolutionary War
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| Born |
Titus Cornelius c. 1753 Colt's Neck, Monmouth County, Province of New Jersey, present-day Colts Neck Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey |
| Died | 1780 (aged c. 27) Monmouth County, Province of New Jersey, present-day Monmouth County, New Jersey |
| Cause of death | tetanus and lockjaw from gunshot wound |
| Other names | Tye |
| Occupation | slave, soldier, colonial militia officer |
| Title | Colonel |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of Great Britain
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| Service/branch |
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| Years of service | 1775–1780 |
| Rank | Colonel (honorary rank) |
| Commands held | Black Brigade |
| Battles/wars |
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British Army Ethiopian Regiment (1775-1776)
Titus Cornelius, also, known as Titus, Tye, and famously as Colonel Tye (c. 1753 – 1780), was a slave, of African descent, in the Province of New Jersey who achieved notability fighting as a Loyalist during the American Revolutionary War; he was known for his leadership and fighting skills. He fought with a volunteer corps of escaped, Virginia Colony, slaves, in the Ethiopian Regiment and the "Black Brigade" associators. Tye died from tetanus and lockjaw from a musket wound in the wrist following a short siege in September 1780 against Captain Joshuah Huddy. Tye was one of the most feared and effective guerrilla leaders opposing the American rebel forces in central New Jersey.
Titus Cornelius was born into slavery in Colt's Neck, Monmouth County, Province of New Jersey and originally owned by John Corlies, a Quaker. Situated along the Navesink River, near the town of Shrewsbury, Titus worked tirelessly on Corlies's farm in his early life. At the onset of the American Revolution, there were approximately 8,200 slaves, in the Province of New Jersey, second only to the Province of New York, among the northern, American colonies, in both, the number and percentage of African-Americans. Corlies, Titus's owner, held slaves despite his denomination's increasing opposition to slavery. By the 1760s, it was Quaker practice to teach slaves how to read and write, and to free them at age 21. Yet, Corlies afforded his slaves "no learning [and was] not inclined to give them any." Known to be hard on his slaves, Corlies severely whipped them for minor causes. Corlies kept his slaves past the age of 21, and he was one of the last slaveholders in the region. In late 1775, a delegation from the Shrewsbury Meeting of the Society of Friends approached Corlies about his treatment of his slaves. The group of Quakers disapproved of Corlies's refusal to provide his slaves an education and his lack of adherence to the 1758 Quaker edict to end slavery. Corlies responded by stating that "he has not seen it his duty to give [the slaves] their freedom". Titus still managed to learn about property, wealth, commodities, and the political leanings of the families in the area. Later, in 1778, the Society of Friends revoked Corlies's membership for his unyielding refusal to emancipate his slaves.
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Wikipedia