Fedon’s Rebellion (Transcript)
Content Warning: this episode contains discussions of genocide and slavery.
Amerindians’ Settlement
Before Europeans colonisation, Grenada was first inhabitant by the Amerindians. Specifically, the Arawaks were the first ones who occupied the islands and carvings of heads and faces can still be seen in rocks from Sauters in St. Patrick - a parish in the country. After sometime, around 1000 AD, the more aggressive Caribs, drove out the Arawaks off the island. The Caribs lived in villages of 50 or 60 families where they occupied Grenada for another 150 years before the first Europeans arrived to exploit the region.The Coming of the Spanish
In 1498, during his 3rd voyage to the region, the Italian Christopher Columbus, landed in Grenada, which he called the island, Concepcion. Still, all maps after 1523, call the island Granada, where overtime it was altered to La Grenade, after French colonisation and then Grenada, when the English took control. Around 1592, a group of Spaniards claimed ownership of the island. It was until that 1608, that some 203 Englishmen tried to colonise the island but the Spanish Capuchin Friars encourage the Caribs to kill the English. The Coming of the French
In 1650, a wealthy French from Martinique, M. Du Parquet, decided to take up settlements in Grenada and in exchange for the settlement of Grenada, in which he laid French ownership to the island. In exchange for the settlement, Du Parquet gave the Caribs, cloths, axes, knives, glass, beads, mirrors and brandy. The French, then, started to cultivate tobacco for export. Around 1651, after the first tobacco was harvested for export. The Caribs realising they were tricked organise and began to attack Frenchmen. This began three years of battling between the Europeans and the Carib. Du Parquet order was to “push the savages to the extreme north or to drive them out of the islands altogether” The Caribs in retaliation brought in reinforcements from the islands of Dominica and St. Vincent where they had over 8000 warriors on the islands. When the French used mass machinery to drive the Caribs into the mountain, the Caribs responded with a regional battle, “To Arms… To every white man, Death”. Still by the end of the three years, the Europeans completed a genocide of the Carib population on the island. Africans Enslavement
As the 17th century rolled around, the French, like the other European powers in the Caribbean region, took part in the triangular slave trade to facilitate the ever-expanding plantations in the region. The triangle originated when slave ships left European shore loaded with cheap goods and sailed to Africa where the goods were traded for enslaved Africans. Those slaves ships would then sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, creating the Middle Passage, after which they would trade Africans for produce from the plantation, and then said produce would be shipped to Europe. Throughout the century, millions of Africans were transported across the Atlantic. Historians out the estimates at around 9.5 million persons transported around 9.5 million Africans to the Americas.In 1685, Grenada, like all of French colonies, would be under Code Noir. This means that all enslaves were to be patsies and only members of the Catholic church could own enslaves. Owners were obligated to provide food and clothing to enslaves as slaves could not earn and anything they owned was the property of slaves masters. From the inception, African enslaves held up resistance against white slave owners in Grenada. Thus punishments under Code Noir was as followed: first time run aways were subjected to the having their ears cut off and the branding of their shoulder; second time run aways, would be subjected to the cutting of their buttocks and branding of shoulders; and third time runways would be put to death. Still, throughout the 18th and 19th century were advertisements in The Grenada Chronicle, for the return of runaway enslaves. By the 1700, Grenada has 525 enslaves, 257 whites and 53 coloured individuals. Still, as other islands in the West Indies had a vase sugar industry through the 17th century, Grenada was not so much due to its mountainous terrain. By 1753, Grenada had 12,000 enslaves and the major crop of importance was tobacco, indigo and cotton. By 1763, Grenada has 83 sugar estates.The Coming of the British
As the 1700’s roll by, the English and the French fought battles over the control of the different colonies in the region. This came head to head during the Seven Years’s War during the years of 1756 - 1763. During that period, Grenada was captured by the English which was finalised through the 1763 signing of the Treaty of Paris. When the British took over, they adapted the island’s legislature into a the British including renaming many of the towns in the area: Basseterre became St. Georges, Grand Pauvre was St. Mark and Grand Marquis became St. Andrew. Nevertheless, despite changes in Europeans powers, the Africans in Grenada continue to rebel. Throughout the 1767, the island experienced widespread slave rebellions. To continue the exploration of Grenada, despite the African resistance, the British brought in more enslaves. By 1774, the island was exporting twice as much sugar than in 1763. Grenada then became the second leading producer of sugar in the British colonies behind Jamaica. French Re-occupation
As the 1770s’ rolled on by, the American War of Independence, beginning in 1775, spilled over in the Caribbean. In 1778, a large French fleet, led by Comte d’ Estaing, veered off course from fighting British fleets in the US, and set sailed in the Caribbean. After taking the island of St. Vincent, the French fleet set their sights on Grenada. The British who only had 540 men could not stand up against the French 10,000 troops and thus, the French captured Grenada from the British. Thus, between the years of 1779 to 1783, Grenada was under French occupation, once more. The British would regain control over Grenada in 1783, through the Treaty of Versailles. The British & Grenada’s Coloured French
In 1783, the island’s population consists of 1,125 free coloureds, made up of 185 English and 940 French persons; and of the 24,620 enslaves on the island, 8,280 were French speaking. As such, when the British regained control of Grenada, they went about ensuring that the French had no more opportunities to retake the island. Therefore, in 1786, the British passed a law mandating all French coloured individuals living in Grenada to provide information on their place of residence and claim to freedom. This was in order to monitor the activities of French individuals living in the country from been in contact with other persons of the French Caribbean. Then, in 1788, after reports started circulating of secret gatherings between enslaves and free coloureds on the island, the British authority banned such meetings without special permission from two justices of the peace. The British also required that all free coloured persons carry a lighted lantern at all times between the hours of 9pm and 4am or they would be detained at a guardhouse until the next morning. The 1790’s
As the 1790’s began, the white elites in the country continue to crackdown on the Free Coloureds in the Grenada. Notably three events taking place during the 1790’s were of importance that brought on more paranoia to the white elites in the country: The Haitian Revolution, the French Revolution and the emancipation of the enslaves in Guadeloupe by Governor Victor Hugues. Still, the organising of Africans during this period in the French Caribbean was most paramount and one free coloured living in Grenada during the 1790’s, would find the greatest inspiration in “Liberty, Fraternity and Equality”: his name was Julien Fedon. Fedon’s Rebellion
Not much is known about Julien Fedon early life. However, in 1794, he was the owner of a house in Gouyave and a 360 acre Belvidere estate. This estate consists of 96 enslaves who cultivate coffee, cocoa, and sugar. His associates includes of other free coloureds: Charles Nogues - a former tailer in St. Georges who sold a portion his land to Fedon in 1790Joachin Philip - a free coloured from a wealthy family where he owned a large portion of land in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, where he grew cottonJean Pierre La Valette - a tailor in SauteursStanislaus Besson - a silversmith in GrenvilleJean Fedon - brother of Julien Fedon who was the owner of coffee plantation in St. John.
Julien Fedon organising of an uprising took headway on March 2, 1795. Occupied with about one hundred other free coloured, Fedon went about killing English white inhabitants in Grenville. Another group of free Grenadians and enslaves, led by Ettienne Ventour and Joachim Philip, captured white persons in Charlotte Town OR Gouyave. The next day on March 3, about 40 persons where held captive and brought as prisoners to the Fedon’s Belvedere estate, which serves as the headquarters of the rebellion. Among these prisoners was the Lieutenant Governor of Grenada, Ninian Home. Fedon was able to planned this rebellion effectively as most of the military based was around St. Georges thus leaving other areas of the island defenceless; Fedon was went out about his insurgence without little interference. A day later on March 4, Fedon requested the authority of Brenda to surrender the island’s forts within two hours. He also threatened to kill persons who are up arms against and those who refused to acknowledge the French flag; as well as killing two English prisoners for every one of his associates who were killed in combat. These conditions were also cosigned by Victor Hughes and two other commissioners who were appointed by the French National Convention. It seems they were seeking revenge for the killing of their comrades during a recent attack on the neighbouring island of St. Lucia. Temporary commander of Grenada, Kenneth Francis McKenzie, declared ,partial law on the island and sent an express boat to British forces to control the current situation. He, then, appealed to the insurrectionists to surrender and they would be pardon. This pardon does not apply to those who are guilty of murder on March 2. Mckenzie also offered a reward of twenty Johannes to those who brought in insurgents, dead or live. Still, Fedon wouldn’t be deterred. Governor Home, along with forty-three other prisoners, signed a letter letting the British know that Fedon would kill all prisoners if authorities made any attack on him and his comrades. With the been stated, all negotiations ended between both parties and preparation for battle began. The British was backed by forces stationed in Martinique and St. Lucia and was given assistance by the Spanish Governor of Trinidad, Don Jose Maria Chacon. Fedon and his comrades on the other hand, was backed by other coloured and even French whites in Grenada. Fedon was also backed by enslaved from other plantations. By the end of March 1795, Fedon had 7,2000 strong and the Grenadian government had close to 900. On April 7, Kenneth Mckenzie launched on attack on Fedon, at his base. However, this was futile as Fedon got word of this attacked and killed forty eight of his fifty one British prisoners. Included in the forty eight, was Lieutenant Governor Home. In the following months ahead, the British forces tried unsuccessfully to suppress Fedon’s forces. The government even created an army of about 300 enslaves called the, Corps of Loyal Black Rangers, to assist them in their fight against Fedon, as the British troops were unfamiliar with the island’s forest. However, this too was ineffective. As violence continued throughout the rest of the year, Fedon expanded his power. Due to the white population feeling the capital of St. Georges, they left the surrounding towns defenceless. Fedon took advantage this. He and his troops raided plantations and thus was able to sustained themselves throughout the battle. However, the British faced food shortages while dealing with an outbreak of Bulam fever in St. Georges. To deal with the food shortage, £40,000 was taken from the treasury and the British government loaned the island £100,000 sterling in the rebellion’s expenditure.By January of 1796, Fedon and his troops controlled most of the island which serves as inspiration for the islands of St. Vincent and St. Lucia. However, the end of rebellion was on the horizon. Fedon power was fiddling due to low supply of food, supplies and other necessities. In March, the British forces, backed by overseas troops, launched an attack and took Post Royal in St. Andrews from Fedon. By June of that same year, Lieutenant General Ralph Abercromby, in charge of the British forces in the West Indies, arrived in Grenada and started planning on attacking Fedon’s camp. On June 10, the French military surrendered. Nine days later on June 19, the planned attack took place and Fedon’s insurgence were defeated, captured and punished. Still, Fedon managed to evade the British forces although he was was never captured, it is widely believed that he died at sea while escaping to the island of Trinidad. The Rebellion’s Aftermath
Fedon’s death marked the end of the sixteen-month long war where hunger played major role in the rebellion’s defeat. Fedon’s closest comrades underwent trail and was sentenced to death. Others were sent to non-British territories, on Honduras coast. In December of 1797, an act was brought into place to allow the governor to appoint a commission for the questioning of those who are relatives to the insurgents. Persons found living in the island who the governor believed, dangerous and suspicious had to leave Grenada in ten days. Furthermore, any Grenadian resident who had left the island during Grenada’s rebellion had to seek special permission to renter the island or be labeled a vagabond. In 1797, women who were relatives of executed insurgents, sought to gain entry in Grenada, however, the Governor of Grenada, Charles Green, refused that permission. On the issue of womanhood during the rebellion, even though no women were convicted during the proceeded trials, a wave of suspicion followed them, in years to come. In September of 1796, the governor of the island created a committee “to examine into the characters and conduct of the free coloured women... many of whom lying under strong suspicion of having taken an active part with the insurgents and rebels during the insurrection." Fearing prosecution, many women fled the island voluntarily as the committee sought to compiled a name of women to be labeled persona non grata. These legislations would further continue intense surveillance of free coloureds on the island. Legacy
Today, Fedon is honoured by many Grenadians as the island’s first revolutionary. As one historian states, Fedon legacy stands not for his defeat but his success in organising a powerless population in demanding their rights and freedom from an oppressive system. He ultimately display to Grenadians their potential in mass organising and seizing power from below. Almost 180 years later after Fedon’s Rebellion, the mass organising of Grenadians would once more be on display, as a group of young Grenadians would put the rest of the Caribbean and the wider world on notice: that Grenada is Nobody’s Backyard.