1814 – Formation of the British Colonial Marines of Escaped African Americans

On May 18, 1814, during the War of 1812, the British officially formed the Corps of Colonial Marines—military units composed of formerly enslaved African Americans who escaped Southern plantations to join British forces. These men were trained to fight against the United States and played active roles in raids along the Chesapeake Bay, including the burning of Washington, D.C. The British offered freedom in exchange for military service, giving many Black Americans a stark choice: remain in bondage or fight for liberation with a foreign power. This historical event complicates traditional narratives of American patriotism by showcasing how enslaved Africans often made strategic decisions to escape tyranny by any means necessary. May 18 is a significant date in African American military history, illustrating the lengths to which Black people went to seize freedom during times of war. Their story echoes in later conflicts, including the Civil War and World Wars I and II.