The Fight for Freedom in the Caribbean World, 1756–63

This paper explores the lives of enslaved people residing in French and Spanish circum-Caribbean slave societies in the eighteenth century. It focuses on enslaved people who were not experienced soldiers, but were recruited by British forces to serve as soldiers, privateers, and other auxiliary roles. The paper addresses how British forces manumitted enslaved people for promoting their interest during the Seven Years’ War by fighting French and Spanish forces. The Lieutenant-Governor and Commander in Chief of Jamaica, Henry Moore, manumitted at least 57 enslaved people from neighbouring French and Spanish circum-Caribbean colonies between 1758 and 1762. This paper sheds light on the life histories of these formerly enslaved people who arrived to settle on Jamaica as free people. The paper highlights the contradictions of Caribbean slave societies, arguing that enslaved people pursued military service to achieve their freedom which enabled their emancipation in another slave society.