The Dilemma of Taking Sides: The King or the Colonies?

Before the first shots were fired in Concord by rebel colonists and British troops, Lord Dunmore dangled a carrot to the enslaved of Virginia offering them freedom from slavery in exchange for loyalty to the King of England. Dunmore explicitly declared all enslaved people owned by Patriot masters “free” if they joined British forces. This was the first official governmental offer of emancipation in the colonies.

What may seem like an obvious choice did not strike most enslaved people so simply. Various considerations weighed against the prospect of freedom. Slaves feared retribution as they chose to rebel. Patriot militias and slave patrols intensified surveillance after Dunmore’s proclamation. The punishment for attempting escape was often worse than before.

Dunmore’s offer freed only those who reached him. Enslaved people feared that their spouses would be abused, their children sold to other plantations, and their parents punished. Many refused to abandon family members who could not flee with them.

It remained a possibility that enslaved people saw Dunmore’s proclamation as an opportunity to “grasp freedom” from a system defined by violence, sale, and family separation. Dunmore formed the Royal Ethiopian Regiment, composed of formerly enslaved men who enlisted. Military service offered structure, purpose, and a recognized role in exchange for freedom. Thousands of enslaved people fled to British lines throughout the war, believing the British were more likely than Patriots to honor promises of protection and freedom.

Other enslaved individuals looked at the British with a skeptical eye. Weren’t their present

matters British also? They were unsure of the intentions of the British. If they did win, would

freedom be granted them? Word spread quickly that many runaways to the British had died in temporary camps from smallpox. Conditions were harsh, and food and shelter were at a

premium.

Some colonial masters had made some of their conditions easier to bear with lighter work

schedules, promises not to sell relatives, and small acts of kindness. Possible runaways could not forget about the horrendous punishment that would be meted out if they were caught supporting the British. Remaining with a master could feel like the “safer” long-term bet.

Although issued in Virginia, Dunmore’s proclamation was printed in newspapers across the

colonies, reaching enslaved people far beyond his immediate reach and inspiring escape

attempts. Dunmore had already begun raiding plantations and encouraging enslaved people to join him even before the proclamation, signaling that the British were serious about using

emancipation as a strategy.

The decision that each enslaved person made was a highly contemplative choice. In the end, less than 1% of the enslaved people chose freedom rather than remaining with their colonial masters. As appealing as Lord Dunmore’s offer for freedom appeared to be on the surface, most turned their backs on this choice and counted on a better life by remaining with their patriot masters.