In what ways did slaves resist on the Middle Passage



In what ways did slaves resist on the Middle Passage?

One of the greatest fears of the captain of a slave ship was that the slaves would rise up and try to take over the ship. With several hundred slaves on board and only thirty or fewer crew, the danger was that if a few slaves got loose they could free the rest, and then kill the crew.

Snellgrave could also be firm. F.G. Kay wrote about him in 1967:

John Atkins, a ship’s doctor tells of another

attempted uprising led by Tomba, an African chief:

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SOURCE A: An extract from the journal of John Newton, a slave ship captain.

As long as I dared I allowed the slaves to move about freely in their rooms. As the ship filled up before we left the African coast I put the men and larger boys in shackles.

I discovered a plot among the men slaves to take over the ship, just before it was due to happen. A young man who had not been in leg irons, because of illness passed a large steel spike down the gratings. Happily he was seen by the crew. By the time we had found the spike 20 of the slaves had broken their irons.

I punished six of the ringleaders. The next day I found they had also loosened the timbers. Their plot was very well planned, and would have given us a good deal of trouble.

SOURCE B: Another extract from the journal of John Newton, a slave ship captain.

While collecting slaves I allowed the boys to go without leg irons. When there were seventy one slaves on board, four of these boys found a chisel and passed it to the men. By chance I surprised two men as they were getting their irons off.

I put the boys in irons and in the thumbscrews to get them to give a full confession. I afterwards put some of the men in iron collars, as well as shackles and handcuffs.

Another captain of a slave ship was William Snellgrave. He had a different method to try to prevent trouble.

SOURCE C: Extract from the journal of William Snellgrave

Whenever I have been in command I have been careful to have the Negros on my boat treated kindly.

My first action is to let the Negros know that the rumours that white men like to eat black flesh are untrue. They have been bought to do farm work in the white man’s country. … I allow them on deck all day from seven in the morning, and give them tobacco every Monday. But I do keep the men separate from the women and children.

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SOURCE D: Extract from The Shameful Trade by F.G.Kay

Snellgrave led a boarding party to find out what was happening on a ship called the Elizabeth, when firing was heard. On the way across they saw two Negros in the sea being eaten by sharks.

The Elizabeth’s crew had gained control and herded the slaves back into the hold. The crew were standing around the body of a crewman who had been killed with an axe.

They found out who had started the trouble and Snellgrave organised a court. The slave was to be hung from the ship’s mast as a warning to others. The killer was hoisted by by his arms, and his body riddled with shot by a firing party. His head was then cut off and thrown into the sea. Although the slaves were on board a further four months, there was no further trouble.

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SOURCE E:

On another ship, in mid-Atlantic the slaves suddenly swarmed around the captain and beat out his brains with their wooden feeding bowls. The chief mate ordered the crew to fire into the slaves. Eighty Negros were shot or jumped overboard.

On two further occasions they tried to take over the ship, then gave up altogether. Some even starved themselves to death.

The slaves were sold very cheaply, as experience showed that resistance, once started, continued.

SOURCE F: Written by John Atkins, a ship’s doctor

Tomba persuaded four os his countrymen to help him break out. They and a woman crept up on the sentries and killed three of them before the alarm was raised. Tomba and his men were arrested and tried.

The captain was going to hang Tomba but Tomba pointed out he would lose a lot of money, so the captain took three others of Tomba’s men, who did not look as healthy and strong. He hung one and forced the others to eat his liver and heart. Then they were hung.

The captain then hoisted the woman up by her thumbs and had her flogged and slashed with knives till she died.

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