Inside History Issue 10

DEMERARA
from the King but cautioned patience, suggesting that the
governor would in time announce changes. But none
came.
This was why Jack was now ringing the bell. Within minutes,
more than forty men and women gathered around him.
For days, they had been preparing for this. It was time to
act, Jack said, time to seize the estates, time to win their
freedom. They first removed the guns, cutlasses and
ammunition from the estate’s storehouse. They had
previously agreed that they would pursue non-violent
tactics, by seizing their oppressor’s weapons they would
protect themselves against future attack. Next, Jack sent a
small group to find the estate’s overseer and manager and
place them in the stocks. With this accomplished, they had
control of the first plantation. Jack led the group of
enslaved abolitionists – for that is what they were, enslaved
men and women who wished to abolish slavery – along the
public road that ran along the coast, taking control of one
plantation and then the next.
Early on the morning of Wednesday 20th August, more
than 4,000 enslaved abolitionists gathered in the cotton
field near the shoreline by Bachelor’s Adventure estate. A
small few had rifles, the vast majority were armed with only
sticks and other hand-made weapons. By this point more
than thirty estates had been seized across the colony with
between 12,000 and 15,000 people taking part. By any
measure, the uprising had exceeded expectations.
Yet, all that had been achieved was about to be tested. In
front of the abolitionists, on the other side of the dusty
public road, was lined up two hundred soldiers from the
British Militia. Lieutenant Colonel John Thomas Leahy now
trotted out to meet with Jack, it was a parley. When Leahy
asked what the enslaved people wanted, Jack said their
freedom. His comment was met by loud cheers of support.
Leahy said this was impossible and that Jack and his
comrades must immediately surrender, or he would be
forced to take extreme measures. Jack repeated his
demands. Leahy then retreated to his men.
Most of all, he had Tupaia’s help when he met wary
islanders in other archipelagos. With Tupaia mediating,
these encounters went smoothly.
A tense silence hung between the two lines. The militia
kept their rifles trained on their targets across the public
road. The abolitionists held their ground. Thirty minutes
came and went. Nothing happened. And then Leahy called
the order: ‘Right face, march!’ The line of soldiers headed
towards the abolitionists, stopping less than fifty yards
away. ‘You Negroes,’ the colonel shouted, ‘I ask you once
more, in the governor’s name, will you lay down your arms
and go to your work?’ Those around Jack yelled out, ‘No!’
and ‘We fight for freedom.’ The colonel shouted, ‘Fire!’ The
sound of gunpowder exploding in a hundred rifles filled
the air. Scores of men and women collapsed in the cotton
Depiction of battle at "Bachelor's Adventure", one of the major confrontations during the rebellion
32 INSIDE HISTORY