Photograph as originally submitted to this page in the Historical Marker Database www.HMdb.org. Click on photo to resize in browser. Scroll down to see metadata.

Photographer: Allen C. Browne
Taken: September 5, 2015
Caption: George Roberts
Bold Privateer and Honored Defender
Additional Description: This c.1850 photo of George Roberts is on display in the Museum of the Historical Society of Maryland in Baltimore.

“While African American sailors comprised a significant portion of the crew on Baltimore's private armed vessels, none proved more legendary than George Roberts.

Surviving British capture and imprisonment in Jamaica, Roberts later served as a gunner on Captain Thomas Boyle's (1775-1825) Chasseur. During the War of 1812, Baltimoreans were flooded with news of the Chasseur outgunning and outsailing British ships in the West Indies and celebrated the safe return of the ship and crew, including Roberts, in March of 1815. For decades, Roberts lived in Baltimore as a honored defender. In death, Roberts carried with him the same honor, memorialized as ‘a man whose patriotism, good sense and high moral character have won him many friends for whom the news of his death will cause heartfelt sorrow.’” — Maryland Historical Society.
Submitted: November 10, 2015, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.
Database Locator Identification Number: p337669
File Size: 1.222 Megabytes

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