Freedom is Worth Fighting For:Billy and James

Freedom is worth fighting for.

What choices did the Revolutionary War in Virginia create for enslaved African Americans?

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress

Dunmore’s

Proclamation

John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, State Art Collection, Library of Virginia.

From the Proclamation• I do…determine to execute martial Law…and to the End that Peace and good Order may the sooner be restored, I do require every Person capable of bearing Arms to resort to his Majesty's STANDARD, or be looked upon as Traitors to his Majesty's Crown and Government …

• And I do hereby further declare all indentured Servants, Negroes, or others, (appertaining to Rebels) free, that are able and willing to bear Arms, they joining his Majesty's Troops …

Standard: flag

Image courtesy of the Library of Virginia

Petition of Mann Page on Behalf of Billy

From Billy’s Petition (Excerpted and Reworded)

To the honorable the Speaker & Gentlemen of the House of Delegates, The Petition of Mann Page…humbly shows, that Billy, alias Will alias William, a Mulatto Slave…was condemned to die for Treason by the…Court of Prince William County; but upon [hearing of the case]…Thomas Jefferson Esquire the then Governor of Virginia, [issued] a Reprieve…for the…Slave 'till the last Day of the present Month. Your Petitioner [understands] that a Pardon for Treason can only be granted by the Legislature, begs that he may be heard before a Committee on Behalf of the said Slave. Citation: Legislative Petitions, Prince William Co., n.d., Received June 7, 1781], Record Group 78, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Reprieve: delay punishment

James's Petition to the General Assembly

Image courtesy of the Library of Virginia

From James’s Petition (Excerpted and Reworded)

To the honorable the Speaker & gentlemen of the general Assembly,The petition of James (a slave belonging to Will: Armistead of New Kent county) humbly shows: That your petitioner [believing in the] right which all mankind have to Freedom, notwithstanding his own state of bondage, [wanting] to serve this Country…did, during the [Revolutionary War, with] the permission of his master, [go to serve with] the Marquiss Lafayette: [While] serving the Marquiss he often [at great danger to himself went to] the British Camp…at different times your petitioner conveyed [letters] from the Marquiss into the enemies lines, of the most secret & important kind; the possession of which if discovered on him would have most certainly endangered the life of your petitioner: …[James followed commands] with cheerfulness & fidelity, [unlike many other slaves.]…your petitioner [attaches a letter from] the Marquiss Lafayette… [James] humbly [asks] that he may be granted that Freedom, which he [believes] he has [helped] to establish; & which he hopes always to prove himself worthy of: [he also requests that] his present master…shall be [paid] for the loss of a valuable workman…Citation: Legislative Petition for James, Slave Belonging to William Armistead, November 30, 1786, Box 179, Folder 10, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Fidelity: faithfulness