Yekta Cengiz

21501061

AMER 291 Primary source analysis 1

Boston King recalls fighting for the British and securing his freedom

The American revolution is considered one of the greatest movements and achievements in

America’s history, the reasons behind its formation, the main ideals that was formed during it

and the changes it brought not just on America, but the entire world has been discussed in

great detail many times, and while the topic and the techniques might change one thing that

remains the same is that the research is almost always done from the viewpoint of either the

Americans or the British.

Now that is not to say that Both side’s reasons and goals are overly similar or simple to

understand, or deserve that much attention, it just that the war of independence involved more

individual then just those wanting their own nation to defending territory that they considered

rightfully theirs. From natives that desired to defend their lands from invaders to slaves

struggling to escape bondage for them this was a War for independence for distinctive

reasons. And one of these examples is the war memoir of Boston King, A runaway slave that

recounts how he joined the British army with hopes of finally gaining his freedom.
Boston King’s memoir starts with detailing the issues he had to deal with at the beginning of

his arduous journey, after feeling from his captors he makes it into Charlestown and for a

while stays there with other escapees trying lay low while fearing that they might be captured

and made a slave once again by their cruel masters. To avoid this fate, he alongside many

others tries their and join the English to avoid returning to their owners. During his new life as

a soldier of the Crown he makes note of how their English commanders treat them with

respect, given them rewards for their service. A stark comparison to their previous owners, a

stark who are now busy fighting back against tyranny of the Crown for their freedom and

rights.

The Boston king’s memoirs final parts are about how him and his family were saved once

again by the English who transport them and other rescued slaves into Nova Scotia where

they could finally settle down and live as free man. Now of course since this is the slave

memoir of a slave that fought against the Americans for his freedom the portrayal of

American as ruthless slave owners does not come as a surprise, but it does shed a light on just

how much slavery was accepted and was strong part of society. For example, King mentions

that ‘’we were taken by an American whaleboat…. my mind was sorely distressed at the

thought of being again reduced to slavery and separated from my wife and family; and at the

same time, it was exceeding difficult to escape from my bondage’’. (American yawp, 2021).
Do remember that this point King is an enemy soldier, his worries should be about getting

interrogated for information, or just being outright killed, yet the only thing he fears is

returning to bondage, showing just how brutal a slave’s life is that even in a situation like this

death is not the worst outcome for them. But there also the fact that he was not even captured

by a military boat, but by a civilian one used for hunting whale. Did the owners of the boat

somehow figured that he was fighting for the English? Or maybe they knew that he was a

runaway slave? Or perhaps they did not care about his background and simply captured him

because of his skin.

The American Revolution is almost universally hailed as righteous war, it’s participants and

future generations would claim it not just battle to establish a free America, but to create a

land where every men was equal, where they would allowed make their own choices without

any king making the decisions for them, and yet for this talk of liberty and freedom there still

those denied of said virtues and rights. Worse, it was seen as normal, for slaves to continue to

be slaves. In here the hypocrisy and faults of revolution are bare to see, to claim to fight for

freedom for all man and then deny certain groups their own which forces them join the enemy

who, despite being accused of being tyrants, show them more respect and give them a chance

to battle for theirs against their owners.

Boston King’s memoir showcases the revolution from the eyes of unpresented and oppressed

group, displaying how they fought their own war to gain freedom against the odd from what

the so-called war for liberty and freedom meant for those who were left out, displaying both

the negatives and positives of both sides from the perspective of one stuck in the middle of it

all.
Works cited:

“Boston King Recalls Fighting for the British and Securing His Freedom, 1798.”

Http://Www.Americanyawp.Com/, 2021, www.americanyawp.com.