Black Redcoats: The Corps of Colonial Marines

Matthew Taylor reveals the untold story of the Colonial Marines, formerly enslaved African Americans who fought for, and found freedom with, British forces in the War of 1812.

During the Anglo-American War of 1812, thousands of enslaved African Americans fled to join the British forces and, in turn, gain their freedom. From these refugees from slavery, the British built a new fighting force, the Corps of Colonial Marines.

In this talk, Matthew Taylor will explore how the creation of this corps posed an existential threat to the new American nation, fusing their fears of both a slave uprising and the return of imperial control.

Taylor will consider the multiple theatres in which the Colonial Marines fought, including Chesapeake Bay, Georgia and Florida. He will argue that this unique military unit had a significant impact on the course of the war and holds an important position in the history of emancipation.