In the North, enslaved people were used as laborers to support the war effort, while some were also freed by their masters to fight for the Patriots. In the South, enslaved people were often used to support the war effort, but many also seized the opportunity to flee to the British, in the hopes of gaining freedom, as the British army offered freedom to enslaved people who joined the military. However, both Patriots and Loyalists also used enslaved people as soldiers. In some cases, enslaved soldiers were promised freedom in exchange for their service. However, not all of them received it and the majority of enslaved people did not gain freedom from the war. Even so, their contribution had a significant impact on the outcome of the war.