John Posey | Austin Dabney - Black Revolutionary Patriot @johnposey1455 | Uploaded March 2023 | Updated October 2024, 1 day ago.
Austin Dabney was born into slavery in the 1760s, although it’s unclear what date. Sometime in the late 1770s, his master moved to Wilkes County, Georgia - bringing Austin with him. Soon after he arrived, the Patriots issued a call to join the militia, and Dabney’s master sent him in his place, claiming he was free (presumably because only freed men could fight “for” their former masters). From his service alongside Elijah Clarke, he saw his fortunes improve, helping the Harris family who had stood there alongside him when he truly needed it.