Archives of Maryland
(Biographical Series)

Nathan (b. circa ? - d. circa ?)
MSA SC 5496-002536
War of 1812 Escaped Slave, Kent Island, Queen Anne's County, Maryland, 1814

Biography:

In early 1814, Nathan, a slave of Robert Gardner, was imprisoned on the suspicion of piloting the British to Queenstown. He escaped from the jail on February 3rd. He fled along with Daniel Johns of Easton, a former slave imprisoned for allegedly stealing a horse.1 The town's sheriff Richard Moffett advertised in the Republican Star for the apprehension of both men, describing Nathan as about 5'6" or 7", and "a bright mulatto man... of a pert lively look." According to the National Intelligencer, Nathan was one of "several negroes [who] deserted to them [the British] and became pilots for them in plundering."2

Gardner later petitioned for reimbursement for slaves who fled to the British during the War of 1812. He named Milcah Luddy and Charlotte Dunn, but did not mention Nathan.3

Slippery Hill Memorial Park, unveiled in 2013, includes a commemoration of Nathan for his likely role as a pilot and guide for the British attack. The monument honors the Queen Anne's County militia who served in the War of 1812 as well as the slaves who pursued their freedom by escaping to British forces.4


1.     "Broke Gaol," Republican Star 3 May 1814. Courtesy of Margaret Mary Revell Goodwin.
5.     Frederic Emory, Queen Anne's County, Maryland, Its Early History and Development (Baltimore, MD: Maryland Historical Society, 1950) 434.

2.     Qtd. in Frank A. Cassel, “Slaves of the Chesapeake Bay Area and the War of 1812,” Journal of Negro History 57 (April 1972): 145.

3.     Claim of Robert Gardner, Queen Anne's County, Case Files, compiled ca. 1827 - ca. 1828, documenting the period ca. 1814 - ca. 1828. *ARC Identifier 1174160 / MLR Number PI 177 190*. National Archives, College Park.

4.     "Photos of Dedication ceremony, Slippery Hill Memorial Park." Email from Maria Day to Rachel Frazier. 6 August 2013.
         Jack Shaum, "Multiple War of 1812 events the weekend of Aug.2-4." MyEasternShoreMD.com. Online. 24 July 2013.

 

Researched and written by Rachel Frazier, 2011.

Return to Nathan's Introductory Page


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