Moses Hanson
MSA SC 5496-50915
War of 1812 Refugee, Charles County, Maryland
Biography:
Moses Hanson was an enslaved man who was owned by Alexander
Greer of Charles County, Maryland. He was a slave for life and worked
as a laborer on Greer’s farm.
In June of 1812, America
declared war on Britain. By 1813, British vessels of war arrived in the
Chesapeake Bay, placing a blockade on Maryland Waterways. On April 2,
1814, British Admiral Alexander Cochrane issued a proclamation offering
immediate emancipation to any person looking to take up arms with the
British or wanting to relocate to a British Territory.
In
August of 1814, Moses along with two enslaved men, Joshua and York
Stewart, escaped from Alexander Greer. The three men went on board the
vessel Euryalus, under the command of Charles Napier, when it was
ascending the Potomac River. At the time of his escape Moses was 21
years old and worth $500. The three men were never seen or heard of
again after they fled with the British. The Treaty of Ghent was signed
on December 24, 1815, ending the War of 1812.
Following the war
Maryland property owners submitted claims to the Department of State
seeking compensation for the loss of their property. A commission was
formed to handle the claims of property owners in Maryland, Virginia,
Georgia, and Louisiana. It was decided by the commission that Maryland
and Virginia claimants would receive $280 for the loss of each slave
that they lost to the British. Alexander Greer was awarded $280 for the
loss of Moses Hanson.
Return to Moses Hanson's Introductory Page
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