The Slaves’ Gamble

Professor Gene Allen Smith who works at Texas Christian University and is a curator at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History wrote an interesting book on the impact of war on early nineteenth century slavery at the Antebellum American South. In this book Allen Smith is trying to explore the possibilities for social mobility among the slaves and freedmen. Specifically, the author focuses on the American wars against the British, the Spanish and various Indian tribes as well as the role the slaves played in them. From the evidence it becomes clear that especially the British promised freedom to the slaves in order to join their military ranks. Despite the substantial advantages on offer only very few thousand decided to take the risk of joining the army. The reason the author states is fear that they would be caught by their masters and they would be punished as a result. The hypothesis seems to be plausible. The book is not only well written but it would keep you interest alight for many evenings. There is just one point that I would like to bring to Gene Allen Smith’s attention. Another reason for not joining the military may have been the racial discrimination that the ex slaves would have faced in their new lives as freedmen due to their black skin. Since they could never be fully integrated into the ‘society of the free’ they may have chosen to remain in their current servile status that also provided some safety from the perils of war.