Creole Case - The Revolt

The Revolt

In 1841, a brig named Creole was transporting 135 slaves between Hampton Roads, Virginia, and New Orleans, Louisiana.

On November 7, 1841, led by Madison Washington, nineteen male slaves on board the Creole revolted, overwhelmed the crew and demanded that the ship be taken to Liberia. On being told such a voyage was impossible with the available provisions, the ringleaders decided to head instead for Nassau on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas, then a British colony. Slavery had been banned in all territories under British law since 1838. During the revolt, a white slave trader, John R. Hewell, was killed, and a slave died later of heavy wounds (Schoenherr).

On November 9, 1841, the Creole arrived at Nassau, where it was first boarded by the harbor pilot and his crew, all local black Bahamians. They told the passengers that, under Bahamian colonial law, they were now free and advised them to go ashore at once. The Quarantine Officer came aboard and, as the captain Robert Ensor was badly wounded, took First Mate Zephaniah Gifford to inform the American Consul of events. At the request of the American consul, the governor of the Bahamas ordered a guard of 24 black soldiers, under the command of a white officer, on board the Creole to prevent the escape of those implicated in Hewell's death. This also prevented the dispersal of the former slaves.

Fearing the application of British law on slavery, the American consul tried to organize a recapture of the Creole with the help of American sailors on the island. The intention was to sail her out of British jurisdiction with her 'cargo' still aboard. The attempt was made on November 12th but was foiled. A local Bahamian who had followed the Americans shouted a warning to the officer of the guard aboard the Creole, who threatened to fire into their approaching boat, which withdrew.

After an investigation by magistrates, on Friday, 13 November 1841 the Bahamian attorney general came aboard and told the nineteen mutineers that they would be detained: the remainder were informed that 'you are free, and at liberty to go onshore, and wherever you please'. A fleet of small boats manned by locals, which had until then surrounded the brig at a distance, immediately came forward. The boatmen were instructed by the Attorney-General not to set foot aboard the Creole but to take off such of her passengers as wished to leave. Most did so, although three women, one girl, and a boy chose to hide on board, finally returning to New Orleans. The next day, a ship was advertised, paid for by the New Providence government and bound for Jamaica, to take passengers to that island 'passage paid'. Numbers of the blacks from the Creole left aboard it.

The arrest of the conspirators may have sufficiently placated the American public and the government, which dropped its claims. Because there was no extradition treaty between Britain and America and, as the British authorities considered that no breach of British or maritime law had taken place, after a special session of the Admiralty Court in Nassau to consider a charge of piracy, the surviving 17 mutineers were released on April 16 1842.

Meanwhile the Creole had sailed back to New Orleans, arriving on December 2, 1841, with only five slaves still aboard. There, news that her former cargo had been released by British authorities caused outrage among the Southern states and something of a diplomatic row between America and Britain.

Less than a year later the Creole herself was wrecked in a violent storm while in harbour at Funchal, Madeira.