"Of all the youthful soldiers of the revolution, there is not one upon whose story the recollections of his contemporaries have more fondly dwelt. [Laurens's] distinguished place in the affections of Washington, and the repeated public honours proffered to him by congress, his numerous and varied services, his address in negotiation, his gallantry in battle, his exalted zeal, and his lofty spirit, elevated him so far above his fellow-soldiers, that at his name every youthful aspiration of ambition was kindled." Laurens was decades ahead of his time. While America was focused on liberation from British control, Laurens made strides against racial discrimination, an issue still prominent today. Although Laurens is not a well-known hero, his impact on early America was instrumental in shaping the country. His anti-slavery views would not come into the government's agenda until the 1860s, but Laurens was brave enough to stand up for his beliefs in a time where they were not widely accepted. In doing so, he is marked as a progressive revolutionary who must be remembered.
|