BENJAMIN GRIFFITH BRAWLEY

The Seminole Wars were one of the low points in American military behavior. With the specific permission of Commanding General Jesup, the soldiers were to loot the homes and personal possessions of the enemy civilians as well as fighters, but he favored extermination and there were many atrocities. He even seized the Seminole Leaders who had been invited for Peace Talks.

The point about the negroes who were born into American slavery being less aggressive than those captured and transported to America is often overlooked. Slavery not only was cruel, moral, and inhuman in its own right, but also took its toll over generations as a result of the psychological effects of the terror of slavery. Despite these, it is amazing how resiliant the American Blacks were under those circumstances. in some cases one or two saves escaped after committing a violent act as they had little to lose for trying as they wold be killed if caught. A few of these escaped to the North and others reached Southern Cities like Charleston where there was a small free black community in which they could be absorbed.

This is some history that few know about the American Revolution.

During the slavery era, the Southern slave holders and politicians were always fearful of the possibility of slave uprisings. In most cases, they were dealt with locally with little attempt to share the information lest other slaves be motivated to follow the practice. In addition many of the slave rebellions of very small groups and individuals were not treated as a slave revolt or protest but was considered the act of a “bad apple” that was dealt with. Further, as much as the slave owners feared slave revolts, they also had a large investment in their slaves and executing all who might have supported a rebellion of a few could cost them a great deal of money or even bankrupt them. Therefore there was always a tendency to kill the leaders but provide lesser punishment for the others so that they could survive and return to work. All these factors have made it very difficult to accurately estimate the extent of slave revolts and protests in the ante-bellum South.

During the slavery era, the Southern slave holders and politicians were always fearful of the possibility of slave uprisings. In most cases, they were dealt with locally with little attempt to share the information lest other slaves be motivated to follow the practice. In addition many of the slave rebellions of very small groups and individuals were not treated as a slave revolt or protest but was considered the act of a “bad apple” that was dealt with. Further, as much as the slave owners feared slave revolts, they also had a large investment in their slaves and executing all who might have supported a rebellion of a few could cost them a great deal of money or even bankrupt them. Therefore there was always a tendency to kill the leaders but provide lesser punishment for the others so that they could survive and return to work. All these factors have made it very difficult to accurately estimate the extent of slave revolts and protests in the ante-bellum South.

The point about the negroes who were born into American slavery being less aggressive than those captured and transported to America is often overlooked. Slavery not only was cruel, moral, and inhuman in its own right, but also took its toll over generations as a result of the psychological effects of the terror of slavery. Despite these, it is amazing how resiliant the American Blacks were under those circumstances. in some cases one or two saves escaped after committing a violent act as they had little to lose for trying as they wold be killed if caught. A few of these escaped to the North and others reached Southern Cities like Charleston where there was a small free black community in which they could be absorbed.

This is some history that few know about the American Revolution.

The Seminole Wars were one of the low points in American military behavior. With the specific permission of Commanding General Jesup, the soldiers were to loot the homes and personal possessions of the enemy civilians as well as fighters, but he favored extermination and there were many atrocities. He even seized the Seminole Leaders who had been invited for Peace Talks.