The Slaves Gamble by Gene Allen Smith

The Slaves' Gamble by Gene Allen Smith
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Why would slaves fight for the United States, a nation that kept them in bondage, during the War of 1812? Why did free blacks join with the British or with the Spanish, or with Native American communities during the conflict? These questions form the basis for Gene Allen Smith’s new book, The Slaves’ Gamble: Choosing Sides in the War of 1812. In this gripping story, Smith, a history professor at Texas Christian University, recreates the growing conflicts between the fledgling United States, Great Britain, Spain, and various Native American groups, and shows how each group “tried to mobilize the free black and slave populations in the hopes of defeating the other.” When the War of 1812 began, free blacks and slaves consciously chose the side they would support, and those tenuous choices dramatically impacted their future freedom and opportunity as well as the future of the United States.

This book looks at African American combatants during the War of 1812 as a way to understand the conflict as well as the evolution of racial relations during the early nineteenth century. Black participants—slaves and freemen both—had to choose sides and these choices ultimately defined their individual and collective identities. Canadian slaves escaped south into Michigan during the first decade of the nineteenth century and joined the militia in Detroit and later surrendered with General William Hull in August 1812; this contradicts common perceptions that the Underground Railroad always ran north to freedom in Canada. In fact, for a very few years during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries the route to freedom proceeded south from Canada to the free territories of the Old Northwest. Once the war ended, the route turned north to freedom in Canada.

Along the Chesapeake Bay during 1813 and 1814 many slaves joined the British Colonial Marines and later marched with Redcoats on Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, while others chose to remain with their masters. Maryland slave Charles Ball consciously declared himself a freeman and joined Joshua Barney’s flotilla in the Chesapeake. During the British 1814 Chesapeake campaign Ball fought for the Americans at Bladensburg and in the defense of Baltimore. During the fall of 1814 in New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, slaves and free blacks joined alongside white American workers to construct defenses for those cities.
Later in 1814 along the coast of Georgia and South Carolina slaves had to choose sides. Cumberland Island slave Ned Simmons immediately discarded his shackles to join the British army, yet he was never transferred off the island. When peace came he became victim of tense Anglo-American negotiations. Stripped of his British uniform, Simmons was re-enslaved, and did not secure his freedom until 1863; the centenarian Simmons died only a few months after being liberated by Union troops.

Along the Gulf of Mexico during the War of 1812 slaves found multiple choices—some joined with the Spanish, some with Native American tribes and others with the British. During the weeks before the climactic January 1815 Battle of New Orleans, both the British and General Andrew Jackson competed for slaves and free blacks. Two regiments of free men of color volunteered to defend the city, and then Jackson promised freedom to slaves who would labor on the American line. Jackson ultimately secured their assistance with promises of equality and freedom that never fully appeared.

During the years prior to the War of 1812 African Americans had gained increased political, economic, and civic rights; many of these concessions had been won by black participation during the War for Independence and their support for a new political system based on the primacy of the United States. Slaves saw this jostling for their loyalties as “an avenue to freedom,” and consequently joined armies or communities of Native Americans or mulattoes on the fringes of society.

The War of 1812 did not create opportunities for all slaves, as for the most part slaves fled or joined militias only when hospitable troops were in the area. Those who remained in the United States generally remained in bondage, while those who took the chance to flee to British lines were mostly evacuated from the United States. The latter group found freedom in British colonies such as Bermuda, Canada, or Trinidad, where they and many of their descendants remained impoverished economically. This gripping tale of the evolution of race relations in early America reveals how these people won their freedom.

By the time the War of 1812 ended the United States had reaffirmed its political, economic, and cultural freedom, and white Americans had finally realized that armed blacks posed serious threats to the existing status quo, and that threat would have to be eliminated. The optimism that had flowed from the Revolutionary period into the War of 1812 era lost its influence on American southerners who still maintained their human property, but thereafter had to worry about holding onto it. In the end, the free blacks and slaves who had sided with the Americans, like those who had joined with the British, the Spanish, or with Native Americans, wanted only one thing—their land of the FREE. Instead the War of 1812 confirmed the security of the United States, and provided the last chance for blacks as a group to secure their freedom through force of arms until the American Civil War finally ended slavery once and for all.

The Slaves' Gamble is written by:
Gene Allen Smith
Professor
Dept of History
Texas Christian University

History of the US Democratic Party

Over at the Travel and History blog is an article about the history of the democratic party of the USA, noting among other things how party power tends to swing back and forth over fairly long eras.

Over the next few months we'll profile several US presidents - both Democrat and Republican, and pull in some historical context as well.

The US President has been among the most important people in the world, especially since the 1940's when America rapidly assumed the role of global superpower and economic powerhouse.

The ravages of World War II left much of the world in a shambles, most notably five former powerhouses of Europe: Germany, Italy, England, France, and Russia. England's colonial empire was crumbling as pressures from inside the countries and internationally forced England's hand. Churchill was not happy with this development, but even his great WWII ally US President Franklin Roosevelt was a sharp critic of England's colonialism, and Roosevelt enouraged Churchill to grant English territories greater autonomy and/or independence.

Europe by Rail Rocks

Vernazza, Italy was certainly one of the highlights of our 2010 European Eurail tour, and we really thank Eurail Pass for the chance to travel throughout Europe on the amazing train systems of the countries who make up the Eurail system.

We're finishing up the Europe trip at www.TravelandHistory.com please join us there for more reports over the coming months about the trip with tips on how to travel.

Blogging Europe starts next week at TravelandHistory.com

The rumors are true, "TravelandHistory.com" is a new blog about ... travel and history.

Follow my blogging family as we travel Europe by rail starting next month (June 2010) "TravelandHistory.com"

There's so much Travel and History to cover that we've added another blog.

US History will continue here where our Online Highways Travel blog will feature posts from the US and Europe including travel and history all over the world.


Here at US History we'll continue to cover mostly US History themes.

CNN: Seven Civil War Stories You Don't Know

CNN has a neat article showcasing seven Civil War Stories that are not common textbook fodder. Among them are Mark Twain and Paul Revere's roles in the war, Lincoln's segregation efforts, and more. Here's the article from Mental Floss

Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon

Columbia Gorge Hotel
Hood River Oregon

The historic Columbia Gorge Hotel is located about an hour from Portland in Hood River, just off the Columbia River Highway / Scenic Byway / Interstate 84.

One of the west's most historic hotels, the Columbia Gorge Hotel was built about 1915 and restored to historic splendor around 1960 after a stint as a retirement home. The hotel is perched atop the cliffs overlooking the Gorge with a 200 foot waterfall just below. The landscaping here is spectacular making it a favorite place for elegant weddings.

Notables who have stayed here include Presidents Roosevelt (FDR) Grover Cleveland.

Frommer on Historical Travel destinations

In the following video, Pauline Frommer offers her top five destinations for history travelers:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2008/05/08/road.warriors.bernholtz.cnn

What history or travel would you like to see here?

If you are here you are reading Travel and History and we are glad you visited. If you'd like to see a short article about any travel or history topic let us know and we'll do it. Just send the request to jhunkins@gmail.com

The Blimp Travel Era

Camp de Meucon. Balloon ascending.
France, circa 1918.
Air Service Photographic Section

Before the tragic explosion of the Hindenberg, Dirigible travel was poised to become a common mode, but safety concerns and other issues overwhelmed the Blimp business.



The Empire State Building's spire was originally designed for docking of Dirigibles!
www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2538.html

Travel and History

Here at Online Highways / US History our mission is to bring travel and history information together. Our US History editors have assembled one of the best online resources for U.S. History anywhere. Our travel information is strongest for the Pacific Northwest but we feature city by city information for all of the USA, several countries in Europe, and even Uzbekistan, thanks to the contributions of our friend Marat who publishes that region's top travel magazine.

Travel and History are a natural combination, and for most cities the history of the community features prominently in their appeal. Here in the Pacific Northwest we enjoy the historical and cultural benefits of the rich and colorful Native American experience in the region as well as the powerfully American traditions of early miners, loggers, and seafarers.

There are stories of heroism, tragedy, hardship, and triumph, and we hope to share some of those with you in the coming months. Also, we'd love to hear from you with any historical notes of interest to tourists and travelers. Post them in the comments or email me personally at this address: jhunkins@gmail.com

Happy travels, and Happy history!

Welcome to Travel and Highways and History

Welcome to Online Highways

We’ve got TWO (count them!) great companion websites for this blog. They are Online Highways and U-S-History.com Online Highways is a very comprehensive travel resource that covers almost every city in the USA plus much of France, England, and Uzbekistan (we hosted a travel publisher who covers the amazing Silk Road region and he put together a great travel reference for us.

Here at the blog the approach will be different from the website. Most of the entries will be by region and will feature information about attractions, travel tips, travel news, and more.
We’ll try to post something here almost every day, and hope you join in with comments. Feel very free to add information here via comments or at the website (by clicking on the “post a review” note we have at many pages).

Thanks for travelling with Online Highways!