Africa and the American Flag

by Andrew H. Foote

The political friends of colonization, being desirous of affording aid to the incipient efforts of the society, accomplished their object through Wm. H. Crawford, one of the vice-presidents, who proposed to the government, that recaptured slaves should be sent in charge of an agent to the colonies in Africa. He called the attention of the government to a number of slaves who had been received in the state of Georgia, subsequently to the law of Congress, in 1807, prohibiting the slave-trade. These slaves were to have been sold in payment of expenses incurred in consequence of their seizure and detention by the state authorities. The Colonization Society proposed to take them in charge, and restore them to Africa, provided the government would furnish an agent for the purpose.

Agreeably to the views of the Colonization Society, and to guard against an occurrence of a character similar to that in Georgia, Congress passed an act, on the 3d of March, 1819, by which the President of the United States was authorized to restore to their own country, any Africans captured from American or foreign vessels attempting to introduce them into the United States in violation of law; and to provide, by the establishment of a suitable agency on the African coast, for their reception, subsistence and comfort, until they could return to their relatives, or derive support from their own exertions. Thus the government became indirectly connected with the society.

It was determined to make the site of the government agency on the coast of Africa, that of the colonial agency also; and to incorporate into the settlement all the blacks delivered by our men-of-war to the government agent, as soon as the requisite arrangements should be completed.

The Rev. Samuel Bacon received the appointment of both government and colonial agent, having associated with him John P. Bankson and Dr. Samuel A. Crozer, the society’s agents; and with eighty emigrants, sailed on the 6th of February, 1820, for the coast of Africa. The U. S. sloop-of-war Cyane, also bound to the coast, under orders from the government, accompanied the emigrant vessel, but parted company after being a few days at sea. The vessels met at Sierra Leone, whence they proceeded to the island of Sherboro.

The confidence of the new agents in Kizel was greatly impaired by finding that he had given impressions of the place where he resided, which were much too favorable. The fever made its appearance among the people, who were loud in their complaints of every thing, and their conduct was any thing but commendable. Many were detected in petty thefts, falsehoods and mischiefs of a disgraceful nature. About twenty or twenty-five of the emigrants died. The remainder survived the acclimating fever, and in a few weeks regained their health. Mr. Bacon himself fell a victim to it; but to the last his confidence in the ultimate success of African colonization was unabated. He remarked that he had seen ninety-five native Africans landed together in America, who, the first year, were as sickly as these. And regarding himself, he said: “I came here to die; and any thing better than death, is better than I expected.” Lieutenant Townsend, one of the officers of the Cyane, also died of the fever. After this disastrous attempt at forming a settlement, Sherboro was partially abandoned, and several of the emigrants were removed to Sierra Leone.

Had timid counsels prevailed, the cause of colonization would have been no longer prosecuted. But the society determined to persevere, trusting that experience and the choice of a more salubrious situation would guard against a repetition of these disasters.

The U. S. sloops-of-war Cyane and John Adams in cruising off the coast captured five slavers, which were sent to the United States for adjudication.

In the year following Messrs. Winn and Bacon (brother of the deceased agent) on the part of the government, and Messrs. Andrews and Wiltberger by the society, were appointed agents, and proceeded to Sierra Leone, with forty effective emigrants to recruit the party sent out the preceding year. In a personal interview with Mr. Wiltberger, and from some notes communicated by him, the author has derived much interesting and reliable information relating to the colony during his agency, extending to the purchase and settlement of Liberia.

The island of Sherboro was wholly abandoned, and the remaining emigrants removed to Sierra Leone.

In 1822, Dr. Ayres was appointed colonial physician and agent, and proceeded in the U. S. schooner Shark to Sierra Leone. Soon afterwards the U. S. schooner Alligator arrived with orders from the government to co-operate with the agents of the society at Sierra Leone. Captain Stockton, her commander, with Dr. Ayres and seven of the emigrants, proceeded on a cruise of exploration down the coast, and on the 12th of December anchored off Cape Mesurado, in lat. 6° 19´ N., and long. 10° 48´ W.