Second Maroon War

Quick Facts: Who was Second Maroon War?

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Second Maroon War

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Eight-month Jamaican slave rebellion (1795–1796) between Maroons and British colonials.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Second Maroon War of 1795–1796 was an eight-month conflict between the Maroons of Cudjoe's Town (Trelawny Town), a Maroon settlement later renamed after Governor Edward Trelawny at the end of First Maroon War, located near Trelawny Parish, Jamaica in the St. James Parish, and the British colonials who controlled the island. The Windward communities of Jamaican Maroons remained neutral during this rebellion and their treaty with the British still remains in force. Accompong Town, however, sided with the colonial militias, and fought against Trelawny Town. The Maroons of Trelawny Town felt that they were being mistreated under the terms of Cudjoe's Treaty of 1739, which ended the First Maroon War. The spark of the war was when two Maroons, one named Peter Campbell, were found guilty of stealing two pigs by a court in Montego Bay.

Career & Major Achievements

The court then ordered a black slave to flog the two Maroons, and the humiliation provoked outrage in Trelawny Town. For half a century, the Maroons had been hunting runaway slaves, and while Campbell was being whipped, other imprisoned slaves jeered them. When six Maroon leaders, led by Montague James and including Major Jarrett, came to the British to present their grievances, the British took them as prisoners. They were acting under orders from the new governor, Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres, who wrongly believed that the French had infected the Maroons with their revolutionary spirit. Balcarres completely mishandled the dispute, which could have been resolved without conflict, but he ignored the advice of local planters, and ordered his forces to put down the Maroons of Trelawny Town.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Fighting began in mid-August. The governor's combative approach led to a minor issue being blown up into a full-scale guerrilla war. On the other hand, Trelawny Town did not receive any support from the Windward Maroon towns of Moore Town, Charles Town (Jamaica) and Scott's Hall, Jamaica, while the other Leeward Maroon town of Accompong Town even took up arms on behalf of the colonial authorities against Trelawny Town. The war lasted for eight months and ended in a bloody stalemate. The British fielded 5,000 troops and militia, which outnumbered the Maroons ten to one, but the mountainous and forested topography of Jamaica proved ideal for guerrilla warfare.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1739: 1739 Milestone — The Maroons of Trelawny Town felt that they were being mistreated under the terms of Cudjoe's Treaty of 1739, which ended the First Maroon War.
2. 1795: 1795 Milestone — The Second Maroon War of 1795–1796 was an eight-month conflict between the Maroons of Cudjoe's Town (Trelawny Town), a Maroon settlement later renamed after Governor Edward Trelawny at the end of First Maroon War, located near Trelawny Parish, Jamaica in the St.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Second Maroon War

True or False: “The Second Maroon War was solely fought over the terms of Cudjoe's Treaty of 1739.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the treaty was a background grievance, the immediate spark for the war involved a court ordering the flogging of two Maroons for stealing pigs.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahilyabai Holkar — Historical peer (Died in 1795) (1795): Holkar Queen of Malwa, renowned for governance, culture, and charity in the Maratha Empire.
• Alessandro Cagliostro — Historical peer (Died in 1795) (1795): Italian occultist and self-styled magician, known for European court associations.
• Adolphe Quetelet — Historical peer (Born in 1796) (1796): Pioneering Belgian statistician, founder of anthropometry, and social scientist.
• Ferdinand von Wrangel — Historical peer (Born in 1796) (1796): Baltic German explorer and Russian admiral, famed for managing Russian-American Company and Alaska.
• Dick Turpin — Historical peer (Died in 1739) (1739): Notorious English highwayman whose exploits were later romanticized in literature.
• Grigory Potemkin — Historical peer (Born in 1739) (1739): Russian military leader and statesman, famed for annexing Crimea and serving Catherine the Great.

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