African Slave Trade Patrol

Part of the Blockade of Africa suppressing the Atlantic slave trade

African Slave Trade Patrol

Part of the suppression of the Slave Trade

USS Perry confronting the slaver Martha off Ambiz in 1850.
| Date| 1819–1861

|

Location|

Africa, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea

Result|  in 42 years about 100 suspected slave ships were captured
Belligerents
United States|  African slave traders
Commanders and leaders
Matthew C. Perry
George W. Storer
William Compton Bolton
George H. Perkins
Andrew Hull Foote
Thomas Crabbe
Daniel Dobbins|  Jozé Antonio de la Vega
Francis Bowen

* v
* t
* e

Slave trade suppression

* Abolitionism
* Firman of 1830
* Suppression of the slave trade in the Persian Gulf
* Firman of 1854
* Firman of 1857
* Anglo-Egyptian Slave Trade Convention
* Anglo-Ottoman Convention of 1880
* Blockade of Africa
* Kanunname of 1889
* Brussels Anti-Slavery Conference 1889–90
* Brussels Conference Act of 1890
* West Africa Squadron (U.K.)
* African Slave Trade Patrol (U.S.)
* Africa Squadron (U.S.)
* Brazil Squadron (U.S.)
* Eastern Naval Division (Brazil)
* Slave Trade Acts
* Capture of the Providentia
* Capture of the Presidente
* Capture of the El Almirante
* Capture of the Marinerito
* Capture of the Veloz Passagera
* Capture of the Brillante
* Convention of Saint-Germain-en-Laye 1919
* Creole case
* La Amistad Incident
* Capture of the Emanuela
* Bombardment of Johanna
* Mary Carver Affair
* Edward Barley Incident
* Battle of Little Bereby
* Hamerton Treaty
* Frere Treaty
* Treaty of Jeddah (1927)
* Moresby Treaty
* Temporary Slavery Commission
* 1926 Slavery Convention
* Advisory Committee of Experts on Slavery
* Ad Hoc Committee on Slavery
* Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery

* v
* t
* e

United States Navy and Coast Guard patrols

* West Indies Patrol
* Mediterranean Patrol
* African Slave Trade Patrol
* Great Lakes Patrol
* Yangtze Patrol
* Union blockade
* Bering Sea Patrol
* Ice Patrol
* Rum Patrol
* Weather Patrol
* Neutrality Patrol
* Greenland Patrol
* PIRAZ

African Slave Trade Patrol was part of the Blockade of Africa suppressing the Atlantic slave trade between 1819 and the beginning of the American Civil War in 1861. Due to the abolitionist movement in the United States, a squadron of U.S. Navy warships and cutters were assigned to catch slave traders in and around Africa. In 42 years about 100 suspected slave ships were captured.[1][2]

## Operations

[edit]

### Origin

[edit]

The first American squadron was sent to Africa in 1819, but after the ships were rotated out there was no constant American naval presence off Africa until the 1840s. In the two decades between, very few slave ships were captured as there were not enough United States Navy ships to patrol over 3,000 miles of African coastline, as well as the vast American coasts and the ocean in between. Also, the slavers knew that if they hoisted a Spanish or Portuguese flag they could easily escape pursuit. Congress made it difficult for the navy to keep a small force in Africa until 1842 when the Webster–Ashburton Treaty with the United Kingdom was signed. Commodore Matthew C. Perry was sent to command the Africa Squadron again after serving as the commander in 1821 aboard USS Shark. His arrival marked the beginning of America's growing effectiveness in the suppression though the overall victories were insignificant compared to the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron in the same period. The British captured hundreds of slave ships and fought several naval battles; their success was largely due to the superior size of their navy and supply bases located in Africa itself. The combined efforts of both the British and the United States successfully freed thousands of slaves but the trade continued on and the operation was expanded to the West Indies, Brazil and the Indian Ocean. The Brazil Squadron, the West Indies Squadron, the East India Squadron and the later Home Squadron were all responsible for capturing at least a few slavers each.[3][2]

### Revenue Cutter Service Patrols

[edit]

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|

On 1 January 1808, a law making the slave trade from Africa illegal went into effect. Revenue cutters were charged with enforcing this law. On 29 June 1820, the Dallas captured the 10-gun brig General Ramirez carrying 280 African slaves off of St. Augustine, Florida. On 25 March, the Alabama captured three slave ships. By 1865, revenue cutters had captured numerous slavers and freed nearly 500 slaves.

### Capture of Spitfire

[edit]

On 13 June 1844, the brig USS Truxtun was placed back in commission with Commander Henry Bruce in charge. Two weeks later, she sailed down the Delaware River and passed between the capes and into the Atlantic. After visiting Funchal, Madeira, the ship joined the African Station off Tenerife in the Canary Islands. For the next sixteen months, Truxtun patrolled off West Africa, visiting Monrovia, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where slaves were freed. Truxtun also sailed to Maio islands of Santiago, and São Vicente. The Americans captured only one slaver on their cruise in 1845, the New Orleans schooner named Spitfire. The vessel was caught on the Rio Pongo in Guinea and was taken without incident. Though she was only about 100 tons, she carried 346 slaves. The Americans also discovered that she had landed 339 slaves near Matanzas, in Cuba, the year before. Commander Bruce reported that "between her decks, where the slaves were packed, there was not room enough for a man to sit, unless inclining his head forward; their food was half a pint of rice per day, with one pint of water. No one can imagine the sufferings of slaves on their passage across, unless the conveyances in which they are taken are examined. A good hearty negroe costs but twenty dollars, or thereabouts, and brings from three to four hundred dollars in Cuba." The capture of Spitfire gave the American Navy the incentive to increase the strength of the Africa Squadron. The ship was also fitted out and used in anti-slavery operations. On October 30, 1845, Truxtun weighed anchor at Monrovia, and she headed west towards Gosport Navy Yard, which she reached on November 23. She was then decommissioned on November 28.[4]

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Related

* Common law
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* v
* t
* e

### Capture of Ann D. Richardson and Independence

[edit]

The brig USS Perry served in the South Atlantic with the Brazil Squadron beginning in 1847. Perry got under way from Philadelphia on May 16, 1847, with specific orders to patrol between Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lieutenant John A. Davis was informed that suspected slavers in the American barque Ann D. Richardson were bound for the coast of Africa under false papers. Perry then seized the ship off Rio de Janeiro on December 16. Two days later, she also seized the American brig Independence. Investigation proved that both ships had been engaged in the slave trade, and both were sent to New York City as prizes. The captain of Independence was outraged about his arrest and even petitioned Commodore George W. Storer, but to no avail. USS Perry returned to Norfolk on July 10, 1849, and was decommissioned there four days later. She later served in Africa again, but only for a short while, after which she sailed back to New York.[2][3]

### Capture of Martha

[edit]

One of the Americans' more significant victories in the operation was the capture of the slave ship Martha. On June 6 of 1850, Perry, under Lieutenant Davis, discovered the large rigged ship Martha off Ambriz while she was standing in to shore. Soon after, as Perry came within gun range, Lieutenant Davis and his men witnessed some of Martha's crew throwing a desk over the side while raising the American flag. The slavers apparently did not realize that the brig was a United States Navy vessel until an officer and a few enlisted men were dispatched, at which time they lowered the American ensign and raised a Brazilian flag. When the officer reached Martha's deck, the captain denied having any papers, so a boat was sent after the desk, which was still floating, and all the necessary evidence was recovered. After that the slave trader admitted to Davis that he was a United States citizen and his ship was equipped for blackbirding. A hidden deck was found below with a large amount of farina and beans, over 400 wooden spoons, and metal devices used to restrain slaves. It was also learned that the captain of Martha was expecting a shipment of 1,800 Africans when Perry appeared. Martha was sent with a prize crew to New York City where she was condemned. The slaver captain paid 3,000 dollars to escape prison.[5]

### Capture of Nightingale of Boston

[edit]

"Nightingale", a 1913 picture.

The 1,066 ton clipper ship USS Nightingale originally sailed as part of the American merchant fleet as Nightengale of Boston[citation needed] in China, before trade in that region became unprofitable during the 1850s. She then became a known slave ship until being seized at St. Thomas on January 14, 1861, by the sloop-of-war USS Saratoga. Saratoga's Captain later described the slaver;

> "For some time the American ship Nightingale of Boston, Francis Bowen, master, has been watched on this coast under the suspicion of being engaged in the slave trade. Several times we have fallen in with her and although fully assured that she was about to engage in this illicit trade she has had the benefit of the doubt. A few days ago observing her at Kabenda, I came in and boarded her and was then induced to believe she was then preparing to receive slaves. Under this impression the ship was got under way and went some distance away but with the intention of returning under cover of the night; which was done and at 10 P.M. we anchored and sent two boats under Lieut. Guthrie to surprise her and it was found that she had 961 slaves on board and was expecting more. Lieut. Guthrie took possession of her as a prize and I have directed him to take her to New York. She is a clipper of 1,000 tons and has Nightingale of Boston on her stern and flies American colors."

The slaves were freed and landed at Monrovia in Liberia but not before 160 of them died from African fever aboard Saratoga. The sickness also spread to the crew. The Captain, who was called the "Prince of Slavers",[citation needed] and his Spanish second mate escaped Nightingale while she was anchored of St. Thomas. Lieutenant John J. Guthrie, who was from North Carolina, then a slave state, was suspected of freeing the two and letting them escape justice. The clipper eventually served in the American Civil War as the storeship USS Nightingale in the Gulf Blockading Squadron. Ultimately, she was abandoned at sea in 1893, while under a Norwegian flag.[6]

### End of operations

[edit]

The African Slave Patrol campaign streamer.

United States Navy operations against the slave trade largely ceased in 1861 with the outbreak of the American Civil War. Navy vessels were recalled from all over the world and reassigned to the Union blockade of southern ports.

By the end of the Civil War, the African slave trade on the Atlantic had diminished further, though overland slave trading continued into the 1900s, primarily in North Africa and Central Africa. U.S. Navy officers who served in Africa between 1820 and 1861 received the "African Slave Patrol" campaign streamer.[2][3][7][8]

## Vessels seized

[edit]

USS Constellation docked in Baltimore Harbor. Constellation captured three slave ships during her operations in Africa.

### Africa Squadron

[edit]

Main article: Africa Squadron

Vessel | Captor | Date | Location

|
|
|

Uncas | Porpoise | 1 March 1844  | Gallinas
Spitfire | Truxtun | 24 March 1845  | Pongas R.
Patuxent | Yorktown | 27 September 1845  | Cape Mount
Pons | Yorktown | 30 September 1845  | Kabenda
Merchant | Jamestown | 3 December 1845  | Sierra Leone
Panther | Yorktown | 15 December 1845  | Kabenda
Robert Wilson | Jamestown | 15 January 1846  | Porto Praya
Malaga | Boxer | 13 April 1846  | Kabenda
Casket | Marion | 2 August 1846  | Kabenda
Chancellor | Dolphin | 10 April 1847  | Cape Palmas
Excellent | John Adams | 23 April 1850  | Ambriz
Martha | Perry | 6 June 1850  | Ambriz
Chatsworth | Perry | 11 September 1850  | Ambriz
Advance | Germantown | 3 November 1852  | Porto Praya
R.P. Brown | Germantown | 23 January 1853  | Porto Praya
H.N. Gambrill | Constitution | 3 November 1853  | Kongo
Glamorgan | Perry | 10 March 1854  | Kongo
W.G. Lewis | Dale | 6 November 1857  | Kongo
Brothers | Marion | 8 September 1858  | Mayumba
Julia Dean | Vincennes | 28 December 1858  | Cape Coast Castle
Orion | Marion | 21 April 1859  | Kongo
Ardennes | Marion | 27 April 1859  | Kongo
Emily | Portsmouth | 21 September 1859  | Loango
Delicia | Constellation | 21 September 1859  | Kabenda
Virginian | Portsmouth | 6 February 1860  | Kongo
Falmouth | Portsmouth | 6 May 1860  | Porto Praya
Thomas Achorn | Mystic | 29 June 1860  | Kabenda
Triton | Mystic | 16 July 1860  | Loango
Erie | Mohican | 8 August 1860  | Kongo
Storm King | San Jacinto | 8 August 1860  | Kongo
Cora | Constellation | 26 September 1860  | Kongo
Bonito | San Jacinto | 10 October 1860  | Kongo
Express | Saratoga | 25 February 1861  | Possibly Loango
Nightingale | Saratoga | 21 April 1861  | Kabenda
Triton | Constellation | 20 May 1861  | Kongo
Falmouth | Sumpter | 14 June 1862  | Kongo

### Brazil Squadron

[edit]

Main article: Brazil Squadron

Vessel | Captor | Date | Location

|
|
|

Porpoise | Raritan | 23 January 1845  | Rio de Janeiro
Albert | Bainbridge | June 1845  | Bahia
Laurens | Onkahye | 23 January 1848  | Rio de Janeiro
A.D. Richardson | Perry | 11 December 1848  | Rio de Janeiro
Independence | Perry | 13 December 1848  | Rio de Janeiro
Susan | Perry | 6 February 1849  | Rio de Janeiro

### Home Squadron

[edit]

Main article: Home Squadron

Vessel | Captor | Date | Location

|
|
|

Putnam | Dolphin | 21 August 1858  | Cuba
Cygnet | Mohawk | 18 November 1859  | Cuba
Wildfire | Mohawk | 26 April 1860  | Cuba
William | Wyandotte | 9 May 1860  | Cuba
Bogota | Crusader | 23 May 1860  | Cuba
W.R. Kibby | Crusader | 23 July 1860  | Cuba
Joven Antonio | Crusader | 14 August 1860  | Cuba
Toccoa | Mohawk | 20 December 1860  | Havana
Mary J. Kimball | Mohawk | 21 December 1860  | Havana

[9]

## See also

[edit]

* Bering Sea Anti-Poaching Operations
* West Africa Squadron – British squadron active against slave trade
* Zanzibar slave trade
* Indian Ocean slave trade
* Red Sea slave trade

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "African Slave Trade Patrol | Battle Streamers". Naval History and Heritage Command. 2017. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
2. ^ a b c d Heritage Auctions, Inc, pg. 34–36.
3. ^ a b c Dow, pg. 270–276.
4. ^ Dow, pg. 272.
5. ^ Dow, pg. 273–274.
6. ^ Dow, pg. 274–276.
7. ^ "History.Navy.mil". Archived from the original on 2001-11-18. Retrieved 2001-11-18.
8. ^ "Current Award, Campaign, Service, and Expeditionary Streamer Entitlement, to the Battle Colors of the Marine Corps". Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
9. ^ Canney, pg. 233–234.

* This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
* Dow, George F. (2002). Slave Ships and Slaving. Courier Dover Publications. ISBN 0-486-42111-2.
* Heritage Auctions, Inc. Historical Manuscripts and Autographs. Heritage Capital Corporation. ISBN 1-59967-465-3.
* Canney, D. L. (2006). Africa squadron. Potomac Books.

* v
* t
* e

Piracy

Periods|

* Ancient Mediterranean
* Golden Age
* 21st century
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Types of pirate|

* Albanian piracy
* Anglo-Turkish piracy
* Baltic Slavic pirates
* Barbary pirates (corsairs)
* Algiers
* Brethren of the Coast
* Buccaneers
* Cilician pirates
* Child pirate
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* Filibusters
* French corsairs
* Jewish pirates
* Moro pirates
* Narentines
* Privateers
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* River pirate
* Sea Beggars
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* Sindhi corsairs
* Timber pirate
* Ushkuyniks
* Uskoks
* Vikings
* Victual Brothers
* Wokou
* Women in piracy

Areas|

| Atlantic World|

* Caribbean
* British Virgin Islands
* Spanish Main
* Lake Nicaragua
* Venezuela
* Gulf of Guinea

|

Indian Ocean|

* Horn of Africa
* Somali Coast
* Indonesia
* Persian Gulf
* Strait of Malacca
* Nosy Boraha

Other waters|

* Baltic Slavic piracy
* Barbary Coast
* Falcon Lake
* South China Coast
* Sulu Sea

Pirate havens
and bases|

* Barataria Bay
* Île Sainte-Marie
* Libertatia
* Lundy
* Mamora
* Port Royal
* Republic of Pirates
* Republic of Salé
* Saint Augustin
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* Tortuga

Major figures|

| Pirates|

* Abduwali Muse
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* Abraham Samuel
* Alfhild
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* Anne Bonny
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* Rachel Wall
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* Stede Bonnet
* Teuta
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* Veborg
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* Vincenzo Gambi
* Wang Zhi
* William Dampier
* William Kidd
* Zheng Jing
* Zheng Qi
* Zheng Yi
* Zheng Zhilong
* Zheng Yi Sao

|

Pirate
hunters|

* Angelo Emo
* Chaloner Ogle
* David Porter
* Duarte Pacheco Pereira
* James Brooke
* Julius Caesar
* Jose Campuzano-Polanco
* Luis Fajardo
* Miguel Enríquez
* Pedro Menéndez de Avilés
* Pompey
* Richard Avery Hornsby
* Robert Maynard
* Thomas Warren
* Woodes Rogers

Pirate ships|

* Adventure Galley
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* Fancy
* Flying Dutchman
* Ganj-i-Sawai
* Queen Anne's Revenge
* Quedagh Merchant
* Marquis of Havana
* My Revenge
* Royal Fortune
* Saladin
* Whydah Gally
* York

Pirate battles and incidents|

* 1582 Cagayan battles
* 1985 Lahad Datu ambush
* Action of 9 November 1822
* Action of 28 October 2007
* Action of 11 November 2008
* Action of 9 April 2009
* Action of 23 March 2010
* Action of 1 April 2010
* Action of 5 April 2010
* Anti-piracy in the Aegean
* Antelope incident
* Anti-piracy in the West Indies
* Attack on Veracruz
* Balanguingui Expedition
* Battle of Boca Teacapan
* Battle of Cape Fear River
* Battle of Cape Lopez
* Battle of Doro Passage
* Battle of Mandab Strait
* Battle of Manila
* Battle off Minicoy Island
* Battle off Mukah
* Battle of Nam Quan
* Battle of New Orleans
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* Battle of Pianosa
* Battle of the Leotung
* Battle of the Tiger's Mouth
* Battle of Tonkin River
* Battle of Ty-ho Bay
* Battle of Tysami
* Beluga Nomination incident
* Blockade of Charleston (Vane)
* Chepo Expedition
* Capture of the Ambrose Light
* Capture of John "Calico Jack" Rackham
* Capture of the schooner Bravo
* Capture of the schooner Fancy
* Capture of the sloop Anne
* Carré d'As IV incident
* Dai Hong Dan incident
* Falklands Expedition
* Great Lakes Patrol
* Irene incident
* Jiajing wokou raids
* Maersk Alabama hijacking
* MT Zafirah hijacking
* MT Orkim Harmony hijacking
* MV Moscow University hijacking
* North Star affair
* Operation Enduring Freedom – HOA
* Operation Atalanta
* Operation Dawn of Gulf of Aden
* Operation Dawn 8: Gulf of Aden
* Operation Ocean Shield
* Persian Gulf Campaign
* Pirate attacks in Borneo
* Quest incident
* Raid on Cartagena
* Sack of Baltimore
* Sack of Campeche
* Salvador Pirates
* Slave raid of Suðuroy
* Turkish Abductions

Piracy law|

* Acts of grace (1717–1718 Acts of Grace)
* International piracy law
* Letter of marque
* Paris Declaration Respecting Maritime Law
* Piracy Act (1536, 1698, 1717, 1721, 1837, 1850)
* Piracy Law of 1820

Slave trade|

* African slave trade
* African Slave Trade Patrol
* Amistad Incident
* Atlantic slave trade
* Barbary slave trade
* Blockade of Africa
* Capture of the Veloz Passagera
* Capture of the brig Brillante
* Indian Ocean slave trade
* Trans-Saharan slave trade

Pirates in
popular
culture|

| Fictional pirates|

* Askeladd
* Tom Ayrton
* Barbe Rouge
* Captain Birdseye
* Captain Blood
* Captain Crook
* Captain Flint
* Captain Hook
* Captain Nemo
* Captain Pugwash
* Captain Sabertooth
* Captain Stingaree
* Charlotte de Berry
* Davy Jones
* Edward Kenway
* Elaine Marley
* Elizabeth Swann
* Franky
* Guybrush Threepwood
* Hector Barbossa
* Jack Sparrow
* Jacquotte Delahaye
* José Gaspar
* Joshamee Gibbs
* Long John Silver
* Monkey D. Luffy
* Vaas Montenegro
* Mr. Smee
* Nami
* Nico Robin
* Roronoa Zoro
* Sandokan
* Sanji
* Tony Tony Chopper
* Usopp
* Will Turner
* Zanzibar

|

Novels|

* The Pirate
* The Pilot: A Tale of the Sea
* Treasure Island
* Facing the Flag
* On Stranger Tides
* Jim Hawkins and the Curse of Treasure Island
* Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
* The Angel's Command
* Voyage of Slaves
* Long John Silver
* Pirate Latitudes
* Mistress of the Seas
* Silver: Return to Treasure Island

Tropes|

* Buried treasure
* Davy Jones's locker
* Eyepatch
* Jolly Roger
* skull and crossbones
* Keelhauling
* Marooning
* No purchase, no pay
* Pegleg
* Pet parrot
* Pirate code
* Pirate utopia
* Treasure map
* Walking the plank

Miscellaneous|

* Air pirate
* Space pirate
* International Talk Like a Pirate Day
* Pirates versus Ninjas

Miscellaneous|

* A General History of the Pyrates
* Captain Charles Johnson
* Truce of Ratisbon
* Pirate Round

* Mutiny
* Matelotage
* Piracy kidnappings

Meta|

| Lists|

* Pirates
* Pirate films and TV series
* Privateers
* List of ships attacked by Somali pirates
* Timeline of piracy
* Women in piracy

|

Categories|

* Barbary pirates
* By nationality
* Female pirates
* Fictional pirates
* Piracy
* Piracy by year
* Pirates

* Piracy portal
* Category

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