Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Antiguain Rebellion

Antigua is the only Island to have had a genuine slave revolt in the 17th century. Slaves would run away to the hills and hide in the jungle near Boggy Peak in the southwest corner of the Island. There were so many run aways that the colony government posted bounties on them in 1684. The bounty was twice as much for a live run away as a dead one. In 1687 fifty armed negros maintained a fortified camp in the Boggy Peak area, they would enter the sugar plantation compound an encite rebellion. In the later part of that year the Antigua militia spurred by double bounties stormed the run aways camp, captured or killed the majority, burned one ringleader to ashes, executed the others, and cut out the tounge and cut off the leg of another.
Sugar and Slaves, Richard S. Dunn Pg. 259

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