The militia law was revised so that one-third of the militia could be slaves (only in support roles). Famously, John Laurens advocated for Patriot service as a path to freedom for slaves, but this struck fear in many white South Carolinians as African Americans well outnumbered them, particularly at the coast. Feeding on this fear, the British would offer freedom for military service and would use African Americans not only as engineers (labor constructing siege trenches, river pilots, etc.) but would later create the Carolina Corp of British Black Dragoons. After the war, the Carolina Corps would serve in the Caribbean and inspire the West India Regiments of the British Army, which were not disbanded until the 20th century. On the Patriot side, there were black soldiers in Francis Marion’s partisan band and in militia units fighting in all the major battles in South Carolina, including King’s Mountain and Cowpens.
