First Maroon War

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The First Maroon War is the name given to a conflict in Jamaica which reached a crescendo in 1731. Following the flight of the Spanish colonists following their defeat by the English in 1655, the Africans they had enslaved joined others who had previously escaped slavery in the mountainous centre of Jamica to form Maroons communities. The British forces had failed to establish control over the whole of the island, a large portion remaining in the hands of the Maroons. For seventy six years, there were periodic skirmishes betweenthe British and the Maroons, alongside occasional slave revolts. In 1690 one such revolt in Suttons, Clarendon led to a sustainable autonmous community of about 150 people in the south of Jamaica for several decades. In 1728/9, the British sent more regular troops to Jamaica, changing the balance of power with the Windward Maroons. Then in 1730 a section of the Maroons located at Cottawood, near Charlestown, Saint George, led by Cudjoe set out to join the Clarendon rebels. This group numbered about one hundred, composed of men, women and children, principally of Akan heritage. Other groups followed them, until the whole group was reunited. They maintained a distinct identity as "Cottawoods". Cudjoe's forces were also augmented by some Madagascars from Lacovia, Saint Elizabeth. This smaller group spoke a different language to the Coramantee, but the Kramanti language soon became the lingua franca amongst the Maroons. From this time, the term Maroon began to be applied to all free African communities on the island.

In 1739-40 the British government in Jamaica, since it could not defeat them, came to an agreement with them. They were to remain in their five main towns (Accompong, Trelawny Town, Moore Town, Scots Hall, Nanny Town), living under their own chief and a British supervisor. In exchange, they were asked to agree not to harbour new runaway slaves, but rather to help catch them. This last clause in the treaty naturally caused a split between the Maroons and the rest to the black population, although from time to time runaways from the plantations still found their way into Maroon settlements.

The person responsible for the compromise with the British was the Maroon leader, Cudjoe, a short, almost dwarf-like man who for years fought skillfully and bravely to maintain his people's independence. As he grew older, however, Cudjoe became increasingly disillusioned. He ran into quarrels with his lieutenants and with other Maroon groups. He felt that the only hope for the future was honorable peace with the enemy, which was just what the British were thinking. The 1739 treaty should be seen in this light.

A year later, the even more rebellious Trewlany Town Maroons also agreed to sign a treaty though they were never happy about it. This discontentment with the treaty later led to the Second Maroon War.