I am Jeffrey Brown, an eighteen-year-old slave who was born in New York City. I have done all kinds of work, ranging from assisting my mother, Diana Brown with household cooking, cleaning and washing, to all sorts of bakery shop works and dock work in the city. I have grown up with amazing employer's who helped me learn great lifelong lessons and let me experiment with all sorts of things in the baker's shop as well. I am a man who will do anything in order to get my freedom. At the meetings of the Provincial Congress, I have learned that we are in need of about 3,000 men to join either the Patriot or British Army. If that is what it takes in order for me to gain my freedom and have my rights, I will proudly attend the army. I would also like to propose my thoughts on how I am against the court system since I do not get any benefits from this new system. I know that what I say will not guarantee any changes in the system but I believe I do have a say in this situation and I am merely voicing my opinion for myself as well as my fellow slaves.
If I had to choose between the Patriot army and the British army, I would, without any hesitation, choose to enlist myself in the British army. The British army is stronger and they have better weapons. The British troops are definitely stronger than the Patriots, who are much weaker with weapons that are not as good. The British also have more power so they will be able to guarantee the freedom that I deserve. The British are the people who hold the power over New York. If the Patriots won and I was in the Patriot army, I would not necessarily receive my freedom. The Patriots will consider me as their property forever. Although I have a generous employer who taught me a myriad of things throughout my life, they will end up siding with my owners, the Browns, over me. My owner's control where I go and what I do and that is how I ended up working at the baker shop.
