James Olgethrope: The Stono Rebellion
James Oglethorpe: The Stono Rebellion (1739)
The Stono Rebellion was the largest uprising of enslaved Africans during the colonial period.
Key Events of the Rebellion
Date and Place: September 9, 1739; Saint Paul's Parish, South Carolina.
Initial Action: About twenty slaves broke into a store to seize weapons (guns, powder, shot).
Fatal Encounter: Upon the store owners' arrival, the slaves killed them and displayed their heads on the porch.
Leadership: The uprising was led by an enslaved man named Jemmy.
Objective: The slaves aimed to escape to Saint Augustine, where the Spanish government promised them freedom.
Recruitment and Violence: As they marched, they recruited additional people and killed any white individuals encountered.
Subsequent Military Response: They were eventually defeated by the colony's militia.
James Oglethorpe's Concern: As the governor of Georgia, Oglethorpe expressed concern about the uprising and proposed preventative measures.
Source Reference
Allen Chandler, ed., The Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, vol. 22 (Atlanta: Chas. P. Byrd Press, 1913), pp. 232-236.
Part Two: Colonizing the New World
Spanish Proclamation and Escape Attempts
A Proclamation from the King of Spain offered Protection and Freedom to enslaved people who fled to Augustine.
Notable Escapees: Several enslaved individuals belonging to Captain Davis escaped and were accepted in Augustine.
Suspicion of Spanish Influence: It was believed that news of the Proclamation spread by Spanish emissaries.
Incidents of Violence: A group of enslaved individuals, some skilled in cattle-hunting, fled and injured Captain Macpherson's son.
Pursuit and Discovery: The escape led to pursuit by the local rangers but many were lost, while they encountered resistance from indigenous peoples.
Arrival in Augustine
The escaped individuals were honored in Augustine, receiving a commission and provisions.
Cultural Tie: Some of the enslaved individuals were Portuguese speakers due to connections with Angola.
Spanish Activities: Spanish operatives were noted to have been active in the Carolina territory; some captured Spaniards were jailed.
Consequences of the Proclamation: An increasing number of enslaved individuals attempted escape to the Spaniards, leading to violent confrontations in South Carolina.
Stono Rebellion Details
On Sunday, September 9, 1739, a group of twenty enslaved men, led by Jemmy, attacked a warehouse owned by Mr. Hutchenson.
Casualties: Robert Bathurst and Mr. Gibbs were killed, while the house was plundered of arms.
Continued Violence: The group proceeded to burn Mr. Godfrey's house, resulting in fatalities, including his daughter and son.
Selective Violence: They spared Mr. Wallace, indicating a discriminatory approach towards violence based on perceived kindness.
Marching for Freedom: The assemblage grew, proclaiming Liberty, and armed themselves with colors and drums while attacking plantations along the route.
Colonial Response: Colonel Bull narrowly avoided capture and organized a response to the uprising.
Escalation and Military Response
The insurgents burned numerous plantations along Pons Pons Road and killed many white residents.
The colony’s militia was eventually raised to pursue them, leading to a confrontation. The response was swift, and the insurgents were outnumbered.
Casualties: Malevolence recurred with approximately 40 enslaved individuals and 20 whites killed during the fight.
Some enslaved individuals fled, with the pursuit by ranchers leading to violent encounters.
Aftermath of the Rebellion
Governor's Orders: Lieutenant Governor informed General Oglethorpe of the uprising, who took immediate military action by organizing patrols and fortifying defenses.
Role of Native Americans: Local Native allies were deployed to assist in the pursuit of escaped individuals.
Oglethorpe mandated all constables of Georgia to pursue runaway slaves, promising rewards for capture.
Hope for Prevention: These measures aimed to prevent further insurrections and secure the colony's stability.
Gottlieb Mittelberger: The Passage of Indentured Servants (1750)
Gottlieb Mittelberger, a German indentured servant in Pennsylvania, provided a detailed account of the trans-Atlantic journey faced by indentured servants.
Conditions Aboard Ships
Crowded Conditions: Passengers were confined in extremely limited space, often two feet by six feet.
Passenger Load: Ships typically carried 400 to 600 individuals alongside supplies.
Voyage Duration: Under adverse weather, the journey from Holland to England could last from 2 to 4 weeks.
Deprivation During Transition: Passengers had to pay customs and often incurred further deprivation of resources before setting sail to America.
Horrors of the Voyage
Health Risks: Passengers suffered from a range of illnesses due to poor conditions and inadequate provisions.
Overcrowding and Treatment: Descriptions included severe overcrowding, terrible odors, and the lack of sufficient warm food. Children particularly struggled with survival rates.
Emergency Measures: During gales, fear and desperation amongst passengers escalated, leading to cries for help.
Conditions Upon Arrival: Arriving in Philadelphia, many were not immediately allowed to leave their ships unless they could afford their passage; otherwise, they were re-sold.
Sale and Indentured Service Implications
Market Practices: Those without means had to wait until someone paid for their passage, often resulting in separation from family members.
Indentured Terms: Adult men often bound themselves to servitude for 3 to 6 years, while children had to serve until 21.
Separation Effects: Many families were fragmented through forced sales, with parents often trading children to alleviate debts.
Elizabeth Sprigs: Letter to Her Father (1756)
Written by Elizabeth Sprigs, an indentured servant, expresses her challenges and compares her treatment to that of enslaved individuals.
Content of the Letter
Tone of Desperation: Sprigs apologizes for her silence and describes her plight in Maryland, marked by hard labor and poor living conditions.
Comparison with Enslaved Individuals: She notes that her situation is dire, lamenting the inadequate food and apparel compared to possibly more humane treatment of enslaved people.
Call for Help: The letter culminates in a plea for clothing and relief, highlighting the brutal realities faced by indentured servants.
Olaudah Equiano: The Middle Passage (1788)
Autobiographical account by Olaudah Equiano describes his experiences during capture and the middle passage as a slave.
Initial Impressions
Arrival at a Slave Ship: Equiano recalls feelings of astonishment and terror upon seeing the slave ship for the first time.
Fear for Life: Initial encounters onboard led him to believe he was destined for death, emotional and psychological anguish marked his introduction.
Conditions Below Deck: Describes horrifying living conditions, the stench, and the cholera impacts, making the environment nearly unbearable.
Cruelties Aboard
Severe Treatment: Recounting his refusal to eat and subsequent punishments, which highlighted inhumane treatment towards enslaved individuals.
Reflections on Dangers: The chilling reality of his situation became apparent, compounded by the deaths and cruelties he witnessed.
Cultural Displacement: Equiano reflects on the cultural disconnection experienced and how it deepened his sense of despair.
Later Experience as a Slave in Virginia
Life on the Plantation: Conditions continued to be brutal; he witnessed grave abuses on slaves.
Inhuman devices: Discovery of cruel instruments, such as iron muzzles used to control the enslaved women.
Alexander Falconbridge: The African Slave Trade (1788)
Alexander Falconbridge, a surgeon on slave ships, detailed the inhumane conditions faced by enslaved Africans during transport.
Inhumane Practices
Slave Gatherings: Descriptions of slaves being captured and treated inhumanely before being transported aboard slave ships.
Cruel Treatments: Enslaved individuals experienced severe punishment for refusing to consume food.
Mandatory Dance: Enslaved individuals were sometimes forced onto the deck to dance and entertain. The conditions for these events were harsh, requiring exhibited servitude as an oppressive display.
Sexual Exploitation on Slave Ships
Interactions with Crew: Account of the relationships that developed between sailors and enslaved women, often marked by coercion and exploitation.
Captain's Conduct
Extreme Measures for Compliance: Falconbridge reported horrifying stories of punishments, including boiling coals and melted lead being used against enslaved individuals.
Conclusion
Dire Conditions Aboard: The systematic dehumanization underscored the ongoing need for abolition, calling attention to the ethical bankruptcy of the slave trade.