Archives of Maryland
(Biographical Series)

William Blackston, Dartmoor 6397
MSA SC 5496-51656
War of 1812 Prisoner of War, Harford County, Maryland, 1814

Biography:

William Blackston was one of nearly 200 African-American prisoners of war from Maryland to be imprisoned in Britain during the War of 1812. A Harford County freedom certificate from July 5, 1810 describes him as a "bright mulatto, 5”5 ½ tall, age 22, with Sears on both the left and right arms near his elbows, and another sear above the left corner of his left eye." It also describes him as having a "pleasant countenance" and specifies that he was born free and raised in Harford County.1

Four years after the date on the freedom certificate, William became entangled in the second war between Britain and America. William was serving as a seaman on the merchant vessel Netterville when the ship was taken by His Majesty's Ship Onyx on December 25, 1814 off Saint Domingo. William was then transported by His Majesty's Ship Ganges to Dartmoor Prison in England, where he was received on March 3, 1815. Closely matching the earlier freedom certificate, the 1815 Dartmoor Prison record describes William as a "stout mulatto, 5”6 ½ tall, age 26, with a small sear near his left eye." The Dartmoor record also specifies that William was from Baltimore, which is close to Harford County, and may have possibly been the home port for the Netterville.2

William was joined on the Netterville and at Dartmoor by four other African-American sailors from Maryland: Peter Cooper, John Hindman, William Macketeer, and John Maddin. At Dartmoor, the men encountered constant harship such as limited rations, rampant disease, and racial segregation.3 Despite such adversity, William survived his experience as a prisoner of war as the Dartmoor Prison ledger lists him as being released on July 11, 1815, several months after the formal conclusion of the war.4   

1. Harford County Court (Certificates of Freedom)1806-1811 MSA CM1033-1     

2. "Dartmoor Prison Ledger" UKNA: ADM 103/91. 

3. Horsman, Reginald. "Paradox of Dartmoor Prison," American Heritage 26 (february, 1975) 

4. "Dartmoor Prison Ledger" UKNA: ADM 103/91. 

Photo: kew_adm103_91_65.jpg


 

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