Sailing and Fighting for Freedom

Following the recent celebration of the Cup Match holiday, which recognises the emancipation of slaves in Bermuda, it is worth examining the largely untold story of the small yet significant contribution that many Bermudians of African descent made in the fight for freedom on behalf of millions of enslaved Americans. This epic struggle for freedom culminated in the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865. In the second in a two-part series, Kevin Grigsby looks at the role of black Bermudians in the Union Navy. On Saturday, he looked at their role in the Union Army.

According to the National Park Service's Civil War archives, at least 18,000 men of African descent served in the US Navy, which was about 15 percent of the total enlisted Union naval force. They served on nearly every Union naval vessel.

By its very nature the Union navy was more integrated and socially progressive than the Union Army as there were no segregated ships. From the start of the war the Union army had engaged in great debate whether to allow the enlistment of black soldiers. Unlike the army, blacks had been serving in the navy from the onset of the war. Full participation of blacks in the army had been delayed by nearly two years into the war. Despite its more progressive nature, the Union Navy still had strong elements of racism as blacks were prevented from becoming commissioned officers during the war.

A small percentage of the sailors of African descent that served in the Union navy came from Bermuda, Canada, as well as South American, European and Caribbean nations. Canada and Jamaica had the highest number of foreign sailors of African descent.

Military records reveal that at least 40 Bermudians of African descent served in the Union navy. Despite its small size, Bermuda was among the foreign nations with the highest number of black sailors in the Union Navy. Bermuda's numbers exceeded many South American and Caribbean nations that had larger African descent populations. In comparison to Jamaica and Canada, Bermuda had a higher representation of sailors per each country's population size.

Many of the Union foreign sailors of African descent like those from Bermuda were already experienced seamen prior to their enlistment. As evident by Union naval records, at least half of the 40 Bermudian sailors reported having nautical occupations at the time of their enlistment. Some may have already been in the American Navy prior to the outbreak of the war so their enlistment may actually have been a re-enlistment. It is worth noting that of the known Bermudians who served in the Union Army, most were sailors prior to their enlistment.

Blacks were engaged in a variety of roles in Union Navy. Many were recorded in skilled roles such as seamen, while many others were recorded in roles like cooks, stewards, cabin boys and other roles of servitude.

The bravery and courage of those in roles of servitude should not be doubted. Aboard a naval vessel every member of the crew remained in harm's way and was expected to defend the ship if called upon.

In fact two African-American Medal of Honor recipients, who served the Union Navy, were recorded in unskilled and non-combat roles. James Mifflin was recorded as cook, while Robert Blake was recorded as contraband. Blake later officially enlisted in the navy.

Contraband was the term used to describe a slave located in the Confederate territory, who after becoming liberated by Union forces and was temporarily kept under the protection of Union forces. The Medal of Honor is the highest award of bravery bestowed to a person in the American military.

It is remarkable that virtually all of the forty Bermudian sailors in the Union navy were recorded in skilled roles such as seamen and landsmen. They were not recorded in roles of servitude.

Understandably, the only Bermudian recorded in a role of servitude was a twelve year old Charles Hudson, who was recorded as a cabin boy. Even Hudson's story is quite amazing given his young age and being aboard a vessel that was involved in combat during the war.

There were many reasons why so many Bermudians may have served in the Union Navy. According to 1860 US census and enlistment records it was evident that many of the sailors were already living in the United States prior to Civil War.



The number of years the sailors had been in United States greatly varied. Some had immigrated to the country as children and others had immigrated to the country shortly before or during the war.

In addition to possibly having a sense of patriotism towards their adopted homeland, some of the Bermudian sailors may have been driven by deeper and more personal reasons for their service.

Slavery was abolished in Bermuda in 1834, just 31 years before the Union victory in the Civil War finally brought an end to slavery in the United States.

Despite Bermuda's early abolition of slavery, Bermudian sailors of African descent were well aware of the hardships of slavery as their parents, grandparents and even a few of the sailors themselves may have once been enslaved in Bermuda.

The sailors would not have been immune to the reality that in the years following emancipation, Bermudians of African descent still faced racial injustices and second class citizenship.

Still, while they may have enjoyed greater liberties in Bermuda, or in the free northern American states; or on the high seas as sailors, Bermudians of African descent, like free American blacks, understood that the vast majority of the black population in America was still in enslaved. Those troops were driven by a calling higher than any rank, patriotic duty or paycheck. They were driven by the desire to bring an end to the nearly 250 years of slavery that had been inflicted upon people African descent in the United States.

Black soldiers and sailors faced added dangers of war. There were countless incidents where it was claimed that Confederate forces refused to recognise black soldiers as prisoners of war (i.e. The Massacre at Fort Pillow).

Black soldiers and sailors were well aware of the potential consequences if being captured by Confederate forces. Potential risks involved being executed or forced into slavery. This was more than just a threat as the Confederate government passed a law, which called for the execution or enslavement of black Union soldiers and sailors. White Union officers in command of coloured regiments also faced possible execution if captured. For these reasons many soldiers and sailors of African descent were prepared to fight until the death rather than surrender.

Bermudian Union soldiers and sailors would have been well aware that their Bermudian birth would likely have no bearing on how they would have been treated if captured by Confederate forces. This makes their service to Union all the more heroic.

A testament to the bravery and valuable contributions of black Union sailors was the fact that nearly a third of the Medal of Honor recipients, who were black during the Civil War served in the Union Navy.

Four of the sailors, who were awarded the Medal of Honor for acts of bravery during the Battle of Mobile, served alongside Bermudian sailors during the battle. John Henry Lawson and Wilson Brown served aboard the USS Hartford along with Bermudian Augustus Simmons; and James Mifflin and William H. Brown served aboard the USS Brooklyn alongside Bermudian John Tucker.

Listed on this page are the names of some of the brave men of African descent who served in the Union Navy during the Civil War. Their names were obtained from military records on file with the United States National Park Service. It is possible that were other sailors who also served in the Union Navy, whose names were not officially recorded. So this chart should not be considered a complete list.

Behind the names of these sailors are most likely fascinating and powerful stories of bravery and honor. These are the type of stories that Bermudians and Americans of today can take great pride in. Some of these men served aboard ships that were involved in the fiercest and most famous battles of the Civil War. I hope that the names of these men will be remembered and honoured.

Hopefully, more extensive research can be done on all of the Bermudian sailors and soldiers who fought in the Civil War. Union military and pension records are available to the public and can be purchased from the United States National Archives. These records would be a great resource in learning what became of the Bermudian soldiers and sailors following the war.

These records would also be a valuable addition to local history museums and organisations.

Kevin Grigsby is an American who has worked and lived in Bermuda for the past nine years with his wife April and their two children. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in social work.

He is the author of a book entitled, Howardsville: The Journey of an African-American Community in Loudoun County, Virginia, which is due to be published near the end of this year.

Royal Gazette
Aug. 11, 2008

Time long gone.

8-8-08 8:08 Olympics in China

The Opening Olympic Ceromony was wonderful. The Chinese should be very proud of the introduction to the greatest international sporting event. I was very impressed and wished I could have been there. I will have to make the effort and go with my fiance. The first time I went was during the '84 L.A. Olympics as a kid. Everyone should go at least once.