William (b. circa 1789 - d. ?)
MSA SC 5496-51628
War of 1812 Escaped Slave, Kent County, Maryland, 1814
Biography:
William, along with Solomon, Peregrine and
Ephraim, were stolen from their owner, Richard Frisby, and taken aboard to the HMS
Menelaus as it was anchored in the Upper Chesapeake Bay at Poole's Island
off
On the night of August 30, the slaves were all
taken "with force" from Richard Frisby's farm and put aboard the
frigate by the Royal Navy.[2] This was confirmed by Joseph T. Mitchell who
was a prisoner on the Menelaus at the
same time.[3] Richard Frisby was in
The Royal Navy received information from the Frisby slaves about the location of the local militia unit. The British were told the American camp was just one-half mile inland and a force of about 200 soldiers.[5] In actuality, the 21st Maryland Militia Regiment, moved inland and were organized on a tree line about five miles away in the town of "Belleair" (modern day Fairlee).[6] Some scholars, in respect to explaining the miscalculation of the militia's location, believe that the Frisby slaves intentionally lied to the British.[7]
The following day, under a flag of truce,
Lieutenant Colonel Philip Reed negotiated the exchange of prisoners, which
apparently was not a "peaceful task."[8]
The deposition of James A. Buchanan on behalf of Richard Frisby's claim notes
that Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane accommodated the American in an effort to
recover the four slaves that were taken away.
Admiral Cochrane gave a deponent and ordered to receive the slaves if
possible, but later learned that they had already been sent down the
In the claim to the Federal Government, Richard
Frisby provided the names, ages, and approximate value for each of the four
slaves that were stolen. William was
25-years-old and worth $440.[10]
John Quincy Adams was the
Little is known of what happened to the slaves
after they were taken by the Royal Navy.
They may have been taken to British colonies in either
[1] Percy
Granger Skirven,
[2] Claim of
Richard Frisby,
[3] Ibid.
[4] William
M. Marine, The British Invasion of
[5] Marine, The British Invasion of
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.;
Usilton, History of
[8] Claim of
Richard Frisby,
[9] Ibid, page 1, 7 & 13.
[10] Ibid, page 11.
[11] Ibid, page 16.
Researched and written by Ryan Cox, 2013.
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