American History
Lord Dunmore Proclamation
The 18th Century
The following events are listed for the reader's convenience, to give a setting and outline the change in American thinking over the course of the eighteen centure. Also, the map to the left indicated British owned North America (dark pink) that later became eastern U.S.A.
During the 1700s, the Americans were - for lack of a better word - frustrated with their European overseers. They fealt a lack of representation in British Parliament. Also, most of this generation of colonists living in America identified themselves, not as British, but as American. They belonged to this land, and it belonged to them. Thus, they wanted the rights to it. In the beginning, they respected the monarchy, its rule, and mild taxation. But then things began to change:
1754 - The French and Indian War
1756 - Seven Years' War - Enland is officially the major power in North
America (Brinkley 91-92)
1760 - George III becomes king - a shift in English power; unstable
government (Brinkley 91, 93)
1764 - Sugar Act - tax on sugar (Brinkley 91, 100)
1765 - Stamp Act - "an attempt by England to raise revenue from the colonies
without the consent of the colonial assemblies." (Brinkley 91, 101)
1770 - Boston Massacre - British military presence to keep Boston in check
results in a simple skirmish that becomes know as "a calculated assult on a
peaceful crowd [of Americans.]" (Brinkley 91, 103)
1773 - Tea Act; Boston Tea Party - resistance against the "taxation without
representation." (Brinkley 91, 105, 108)
1774 - First Continental Congress in Philidephia - party of Americans who
stated grievences to the king, demanded he address them, and prepared for
seperation from British rule through organized boycotts and military
preparations. (Brinkley 91, 110)
1775 - Lord Dunmore Proclamation; American Revolution Begins
(Brinkley 91)
- Dec. 11 Dunmore proclaims maritial law in Virginia (Thane 128)
- Jan. 1 Dunmore burns Norfolk, Virginia (Thane 128)
Lord Dunmore
Lord Dunmore's full name is Lord Dunmore, John Murray Fourth Earl of Dunmore. He lived from 1730-1809. (John Murray) Lord Dunmore was born into the Scottish nobility. (John Murray)As a young man, he joined the British Army until his father and uncle died, leading him as the Fourth Earl of Dunmore. (John Murray)
Becoming an active politician, Lord Dunmore was soon promoted to Governor of New York, but he was switched to Governor of Virginia due to the timely death of the previous governor of Virginia, Lord Botetourt. (John Murray)(Thane 96) As such, he and his family lived in Williamsburg for some time while Lord Dunmore governed Virginia. (John Murray) He was considered "a bull-headed Scot chosen by the Ministry in London to reflect and enforce their [England's] determination to rule the headstrong American colonies." (Thane 97) He became very unpopular and was eventually forced to leave Virginia entirely. (John Murray) His unpopularity grew as he bagan butting heads with the Burgesses in the Assembly concerning local business. (Thane 98) Defore leaving, Dunmore declared maritial law over virginis and began preparing and then fighting the rebels. Lord Dunmore devised a way to raise an army to subdue the rebels. (John Murray) So on November 7, 1775, he set in motion a most cunning plan: release the slaves and indentured servants IF they fight for Britain. (John Murray) By recruiting hundreds of slaves and servants, Lord Dunmore intended to raise an internal army to halt the rebellion in Virginia. (John Murray)
Lord Dunmore finally left Virginia to aid the British occupation in New York. (Thane 121) Eventually, Lord Dunmore left America and lived out his days in England, possessing a seat in the House of Lords. (John Murray) Before retirement, he was given reign of the Bahamas Islands and continued his governorship there from 1786 to 1795. (John Murray)
Lord Dunmore's Proclamation
Transcription from the Original
By his Excellency the Right Honorable JOHN Earl of DUNMORE, His Majesty's Lieutenant of Governor General of the Colony na d Dominion of Virginia, and Vice Admiral of the same.
A Proclamation
As I have entertained hopes that an accommodation might have taken place between Great-Britain and this colony, without being compelled by my duty to this most disagreeable but now absolutely necessary step, rendered so by a body of armed men unlawfully assembled, firing on his Majesty's tenders, and the formation of an army, and that army now on their march to attack his Majesty's troops and destroy the well disposed subjects of this colony. To defeat such treasonable purposes, and that all such traitors, and their abettors, may be brought to justice, and that the peace, and good order of this colony may be again restored, which the ordinary course of the Civil Law is unable to effect; I have thought fit to issue this my Proclamation, hereby declaring, that until the aforesaid good purposes can be obtained, I do, in virtue of the power and authority to me given, by his Majesty, determine to execute Martial Law, and cause the same to be executed throughout this colony: and to the end that peace and good order may the sooner be restored, I do require every person capable of bearing arms to resort to his Majesty's standard, or be looked upon as traitors to his Majesty's Crown and Government, and thereby become liable to the penalty the law inflicts upon such offenses; such as forfeiture of life, confiscation of lands, etc. And I do hereby farther declare all indentured servants, Negroes, or others, (appertaining to Rebels,) free that are able and willing to bear arms, they joining his Majesty's troops as soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing this colony to a proper sense of their duty, to his Majesty's Crown and Dignity, I do further order, and require, all his Majesty's leige subjects, to retain their quitrents, or any other taxes due or that may become due, in their own custody, till such time as peace may be again restored to this as present most unhappy country, or demanded of them for their former salutary purposes, by officers properly authorised to receive the same.
Given under my hand the Ship William, off Norforlk, the 7th Day of November, in the sixteenth year of his Majesty's Reign.
Dunmore
(God Save the King)
(Transcription)
Impact of Lord Dunmore's Proclamation
Lord Dunmore's Proclamation provided an army of Tories and slaves to fight against the colonial rebels. (Thane 119) Many of the slaves had even run away from their masters in order to join Lord Dunmore under the assurance of freedom. (Ethiopian Regiment) This created tentions between masters and slaves all over Virginia. (Summary)
Lord Dunmore set up defences at Great Bridge on the Elizabeth River near the North Carolina border near Norforlk. (Thane 119) There he and his new army intended capture supplies from the colonists. (Thane 119) In doing so, Dunmore's troops ravaged the land and distrupted the local economy. (Thane 118) On January 1, 1776, Dunmore burned Norfolk. (Thane 128) In defending their suppies, the Americans confronted Dunmore. (Thane 118-119) Dunmore was defeated at Great Bridge by Woodford in the first battle on Virginia soil of the American Revolution. (Thane 119) Dunmore ended up leaving his Virginia army of Tories and slaves to fend for themselves without supplies while he headed north to New York. (Thane 121)
So, in summary, the Lord Dunmore Proclamation was the first movement to free American slaves, enabled men from all stations of life to fight with the British (aka, not just Redcoats), and resulted in the first Revolutionary battle in Virginia between its Governor and citizens.
The proclamation ended up hurting Virginia citizens instead of ending the rebellion. It may have even provoked rebellion in Virginia because of Dunmore's civic damage. Also, the Americans greatly feared an uprising of slaves. (Davisson) Thus, they were distressed at the releasing of slaves through Lord Dunmore's Proclamation. The obligation to defend their properties and the fear of take-over, whether that be at the hand of the British or of the slaves, drove the Viginians to rebel against Lord Dunmore and consequently join the American Revolution.
Lord Dunmore Proclamation Picture Biobliography
"The First Emancipation - Boundless Open Textbook." Boundless. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/textbooks/boundless-u-s-history-textbook/american-life-during-the-revolution-1763-1789-8/slavery-and-the-revolution-76/the-first-emancipation-432-4597/>.
"Lord Dunmore's Proclamation (1775) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed." Lord Dunmore's Proclamation (1775) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <http://www.blackpast.org/aah/lord-dunmore-s-proclamation-1775>.
"Seven Years War." Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <http://ns1763.ca/remem/7yw-timeline-w.html>.
"3.5 Lord Dunmore's Proclamation." Lord Dunmore's Proclamation. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-revolution/4238>.
"US Slave." : Lord Dunmore's Proclamation. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <http://usslave.blogspot.com/2011/04/lord-dunmores-proclamation.html>.
Lord Dunmore Proclamation Information Bibliography
Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People. 6th ed. Vol. 1. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2010. Print.
"Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed." Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <http://www.blackpast.org/aah/lord-dunmore-s-ethiopian-regiment>.
"Lord Dunmore, John Murray Fourth Earl of Dunmore." Colonial Williamsburg. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <www.history.org/Almanack/people/bios/biodun.cfm>.
Mr. Davisson. Oct. 2015. Unit on Colonial America. The Covenant School, Charlottesville, Virginia.
"Summary of Dunmore's Proclamation." Colonial Williamsburg. Revolutionary, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <www.history.org/History/teaching/tchaadan.cfm>.
Thane, Elswyth. The Virginia Colony. New York, NY: Macmillan, 1969. 97+. Print.
"Transcription from Original." Lord Dunmore's Proclamation (1775). N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Lord_Dunmore_s_Proclamation_1775>.