Salem Poor (1747–1802) was an enslaved African-American man who purchased his freedom in 1769, became a soldier in 1775, and rose to fame as a war hero during the American Revolutionary War, particularly in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Early life Salem Poor was born in 1747 into slavery on a farm in Andover in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. The farm was owned by John Poor and Rebecca Poor and his son John Poor Jr. His first name may be derived from the Arabic word "salaam", meaning peace. Other sources explain that his name may have been derived from his place of birth. He bought his freedom on July 10, 1769, from John Poor Jr. for £27, a year's salary for an average working man at the time. This would be equivalent to about $5,600 in 2019 dollars. Military career In May 1775, Poor enlisted in the militia when he was about 28 years old. He served under Captain Benjamin Ames in Colonel James Frye's regiment. Colonel Frye's command consisted of Lieutenant-Colonel James Bricket, Major Thomas Poor, Adjutant Daniel Hardy, and Surgeon Thomas Kittredge. His regiment with 2 others totaled 850 soldiers. They marched from Cambridge to Charlestown, Massachusetts where the officers decided to fortify Breed's Hill. At Breed's Hill, the regiments built a fort on the top of the hill using pick axes and shovels. The men worked quickly and quietly to make sure the British army occupying Boston did not know they were there. Salem Poor was one of three dozen African Americans who fought on Bunker Hill. As many as 5000 soldiers, both free and enslaved African Americans fought for the Patriots. Meanwhile, about twenty to thirty thousand black soldiers fought for Britain. The British had an army twice the size as the Americans. They would assault Breed's Hill on June 17, 1775. The Americans would push the British back in two of the assaults but would run out of ammunition and would retreat during the third assault. Poor is best remembered today for his actions during the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, where he was credited with mortally wounding British Lieutenant Colonel James Abercrombie, as he jumped onto the redoubt and yelled, “Surrender, you rebels.” However, Abercrombie may have been killed due to friendly fire. John Pitcairn’s army had previously fired on the patriots at Lexington and Concord. John Trumbull would create