African Americans Replaces Reluctant Whites: By 1777, losses on the field of battle and rising White desertions had reduced the Continental Army's ranks of men. Northern colonies began to accept African Americans, free and slave, because these colonies could not fill their quotas with White man. In October 1777, Connecticut adopted a policy whereby White slave masters could avoid service in the army by providing one of his slaves to fight for America freedom. The policy to allow slaves to substitute for White masters spread throughout the colonies.