Editing Brown University (section)

==== American Revolution ====
With British vessels patrolling [[Narragansett Bay]] in the fall of 1776, the college library was moved out of Providence for safekeeping. During the subsequent [[American Revolutionary War]], Brown's [[University Hall (Brown University)|University Hall]] was used to house French and other revolutionary troops led by General [[George Washington]] and the [[Comte de Rochambeau]] as they waited to commence the [[Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route|march of 1781]] that led to the [[Siege of Yorktown]] and the [[Battle of the Chesapeake]]. This has been celebrated as marking the defeat of the British and the end of the war. The building functioned as barracks and hospital from December 10, 1776, to April 20, 1780, and as a hospital for French troops from June 26, 1780, to May 27, 1782.<ref name=":7" />

A number of Brown's founders and alumni played roles in the American Revolution and subsequent founding of the United States. Brown's first chancellor, Stephen Hopkins, served as a delegate to the [[Albany Congress|Colonial Congress in Albany]] in 1754, and to the [[Continental Congress]] from 1774 to 1776. James Manning represented Rhode Island at the [[Congress of the Confederation]], while concurrently serving as Brown's first president.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Encyclopedia Brunoniana {{!}} Manning, James |url=https://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/search.php?serial=M0100 |access-date=2021-04-10 |website=www.brown.edu |archive-date=April 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410070356/https://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/search.php?serial=M0100 |url-status=live}}</ref> Two of Brown's founders, William Ellery and Stephen Hopkins signed the [[Declaration of independence|Declaration of Independence]].

[[James Mitchell Varnum]], who graduated from Brown with honors in 1769, served as one of General George Washington's [[Continental Army]] [[brigadier general]]s and later as [[major general]] in command of the entire [[Rhode Island militia]]. Varnum is noted as the founder and commander of the [[1st Rhode Island Regiment]], widely regarded as the first Black battalion in U.S. military history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Farrell |title=America's First Black Regiment Gained Their Freedom by Fighting Against the British |url=https://www.history.com/news/first-black-regiment-american-revolution-first-rhode-island |access-date=2021-04-05 |website=HISTORY |date=February 3, 2021 |language=en |archive-date=April 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410070356/https://www.history.com/news/first-black-regiment-american-revolution-first-rhode-island |url-status=live}}</ref> [[David Howell (jurist)|David Howell]], who graduated with an A.M. in 1769, served as a delegate to the [[Continental Congress]] from 1782 to 1785.