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Eye for an Eye: The Role of Armed Resistance ... - Freedom Archives

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coons to chattel status. Rather th<strong>an</strong> surrender to the superior military <strong>for</strong>ce <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Americ<strong>an</strong>s, the combat<strong>an</strong>ts <strong>of</strong> the <strong>for</strong>t prepared to defend their freedom . After a<br />

ten-day siege, the Negro Fort was attacked with artillery fire, which killed over<br />

270 <strong>of</strong> the <strong>for</strong>t's inhabit<strong>an</strong>ts . <strong>The</strong> survivors, about 70 Afric<strong>an</strong> <strong>an</strong>d Native people,<br />

were either executed or tortured to death . This conflict would serve as a <strong>for</strong>erun-<br />

ner to the Americ<strong>an</strong>/Serninole Wars <strong>of</strong> the nineteenth century.''-<br />

<strong>The</strong> most celebrated alli<strong>an</strong>ce <strong>of</strong> Afric<strong>an</strong>s <strong>an</strong>d Native people was the Red/<br />

Black solidarity exhibited during the Seminole Wars in Florida. Due to the signifi-<br />

c<strong>an</strong>t role <strong>of</strong> Afric<strong>an</strong> maroon combat<strong>an</strong>ts in these wars, General Thomas Jesup,<br />

comm<strong>an</strong>der <strong>of</strong> Americ<strong>an</strong> <strong>for</strong>ces involved in the second U.S ./Seminole conflict,<br />

referred to this engagement as a "Negro, not <strong>an</strong> Indi<strong>an</strong> war."" Afric<strong>an</strong> maroon<br />

villages in north Florida pledged allegi<strong>an</strong>ce to the Seminole nation . This Red/<br />

Black alli<strong>an</strong>ce <strong>for</strong>med a unified state that fought two intense wars with the United<br />

States in the nineteenth century. <strong>The</strong> union between the Afric<strong>an</strong>s <strong>an</strong>d Seminoles<br />

provided that the maroon <strong>of</strong> Afric<strong>an</strong> descent <strong>for</strong>m their own villages, military<br />

units under their own comm<strong>an</strong>d. Some maroons served as interpreters, advisers to<br />

chiefs, military comm<strong>an</strong>ders, <strong>an</strong>d some cases chief <strong>of</strong> a b<strong>an</strong>d . <strong>The</strong> Afric<strong>an</strong> ma-<br />

roons <strong>of</strong> Florida had earned a reputation <strong>of</strong> being skilled <strong>an</strong>d determined warriors .<br />

<strong>The</strong>ir desire to maintain their freedom was definitely the primary motivation <strong>of</strong><br />

their determined military resist<strong>an</strong>ce . Not only did the Afric<strong>an</strong> play signific<strong>an</strong>t<br />

roles as combat<strong>an</strong>ts, but maroons also provided <strong>an</strong>d obtained intelligence, through<br />

their experience <strong>an</strong>d contacts within the pl<strong>an</strong>tation system <strong>an</strong>d with the free Black<br />

community in Saint Augustine. <strong>The</strong> Florida Afric<strong>an</strong> maroons' ability to slip past<br />

enemy lines <strong>an</strong>d communicate with their brothers <strong>an</strong>d sisters on the pl<strong>an</strong>tations

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