The World of Thomas Jeremiah: Charles Town on the Eve of the American RevolutionThis book profiles the port of Charles Town, South Carolina, during the two-year period leading up to the Declaration of Independence. It focuses on the dramatic hanging and burning of Thomas Jeremiah, a free black harbor pilot and firefighter accused by the patriot party of plotting a slave insurrection during the tumultous spring and summer of 1775. To examine the world of this wealthy, slave-holding African American through his trial and execution, William R. Ryan uses a wide array of letters, naval records, personal and official correspondence, memoirs, and newspapers. He shows that the black majority of the South Carolina Low Country managed to assist the British in their invasion efforts, despite patriot attempts to frighten Afro-Carolinians into passivity and submission. Although Whigs attempted, through brutality and violence, to keep their slaves from participating in the conflict, Afro-Carolinians became actively involved in the struggle between colonists and the Crown as spies, messengers, navigators and marauders. The book demonstrates that an understanding of what was going on in this vital seaport during the mid-1770s has broader implications for the study of the Atlantic world, African American history, naval history, urban race relations, labor history, and the turbulent politics of America's move toward independence. |
Contents
| 3 | |
1 White Divisions June 1774March 1775 | 21 |
2 A Great War Coming April 1775June 1775 | 39 |
3 Under the Color of Law July 1775August 1775 | 53 |
4 Charles Town Harbor September 1775October 1775 | 69 |
The Volatile Geopolitics of Revolutionary South Carolina November 1775December 1775 | 85 |
6 The Greatest Hope and the Deepest Fear December 1775January 1776 | 111 |
7 The Masters Were Still in Charge January 1776August 1776 | 131 |
Other editions - View all
The World of Thomas Jeremiah: Charles Town on the Eve of the American Revolution William R. Ryan No preview available - 2010 |
The World of Thomas Jeremiah: Charles Town on the Eve of the American Revolution William R. Ryan No preview available - 2012 |
Common terms and phrases
According American Andrew Williamson armed arrived attempt August 31 backcountry boat British Campbell to Dartmouth Captain Carolina Historical Society Carolinians Charles Town Charles Town Harbor Charleston Cherokee Christopher Gadsden claimed Colonel colony command Committee Council of Safety Creek December declared Documents fear Fort Johnson Fraser free Negroes Freeholders Gadsden George Milligen Georgia Hemphill and Wates Henry Laurens Ibid Indians Innes James Jemmy Jerry John Drayton John Laurens June Justices King’s Laurens to John Laurens wrote letter Liberty Lord Campbell Lord William Campbell Lordship Low Country loyalists Majesty's Memoirs militia Moultrie NAUK Negro Act November October ordered Papers patriot leader Pearis pilot Province Provincial Congress Rebellion Road reportedly rice royal governor runaway Rutledge Savannah SCGCJ Scipio Handley sent September 15 ship slaves sloop South Carolina Gazette South Carolina Historical Sullivan’s Island Tamar Thomas Jeremiah Thornbrough Tories troops Tybee vessel Whig Whig leader William Henry Drayton