Waubonsee Community College

The slaves' gamble, choosing sides in the War of 1812, Gene Allen Smith

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 217-249) and index

mapsillustrations

index present

non fiction

The slaves' gamble

bibliography

797334639

Gene Allen Smith

choosing sides in the War of 1812

Images of American slavery conjure up cotton plantations and African American slaves locked in bondage until the Civil War. Yet early on in the nineteenth century the state of slavery was very different, and the political vicissitudes of the young nation offered diverse possibilities to slaves. In the century's first two decades, the nation waged war against Britain, Spain, and various Indian tribes. Slaves played a role in the military operations, and the different sides viewed them as a potential source of manpower. While surprising numbers did assist the Americans, the wars created opportunities for slaves to find freedom among the Redcoats, the Spaniards, or the Indians. Author Gene Smith draws on a decade of original research and his curatorial work at the Fort Worth Museum in this fascinating and original narrative history. The way the young nation responded sealed the fate of slaves for the next half century until the Civil War. This drama sheds light on an extraordinary yet little known chapter in the dark saga of American history

Black soldiers in North America: "Never of any use after they have carried arms" -- Fighting in the north 1807-13 and on the seas: "Absolutely insensible to danger" -- The Florida patriot war of 1812: "For freedom we want and will have" -- Terror in the Chesapeake, 1813-14: "Negroes who were anxious to join us" -- Washington, Baltimore, and other targets: "Our enemy at home" -- War along the southern coasts, 1814: "That pride of distinction, which a soldier's pursuits so naturally inspire" -- Different places, same results, 1815 and after: "They were in every sense of the word free men"