George Roberts
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George Roberts
Updated Jun 26, 2025
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Gaye Thomas
7 followers 274 favorites
02/05/2019
Comments
AncientFaces
382k+ followers 411 favorites
02/06/2019
This photo says it all: Born in the 1760s, he lived into the 1860's. Born a slave, he became a freeman who fought in the war of 1812. A hardworking man with grit and determination (and dignity), what he must have seen and lived through!
Missis Jonathan
100 favorites
02/06/2019
He looks like an amazing, hard working man.
via Facebook
Truly magical ! And I want to know about the person that did the patch work on his clothing . So well done. Took whatever they had to hold it together much like his life must have been.
via Facebook
Even with the coat and vest of patches you can see by his dignified demeaner that he respects himself . What a wonderful share this is.
via Facebook
“The Pride of Baltimore”
On the evening of april 8, 1815, Captain Thomas Boyle sailed his privateer Chasseur
past the ramparts of Fort Mchenry into Baltimore harbor. Boyle ordered the schoo-
ner’s cannons to be fired to salute the fort that six months earlier had withstood the
might of the Royal Navy. The citizens of the city acclaimed the Chasseur the “Pride
of Baltimore.”57
The Chasseur must have been a special source of pride to one of Boyle’s gun-
ners, the free black man George R. Roberts. The african-american seaman was on
board the privateer on august 28, 1814, when Boyle issued his paper blockade of
the British isles, which he requested that the British post at Lloyd’s Coffeehouse in
London. Boyle’s audacious proclamation was a spoof of the blockades of the U.S.
coast that had been declared by British admirals warren and Cochrane in the pre-
ceding eighteen months. During the Chasseur’s capture of the British schooner St.
Lawrence on February 27, 1815, Roberts is said to have “displayed the most intrepid
courage and daring.”58
at the beginning of the war, Roberts had enlisted on board the Baltimore privateer
Sarah Ann under the command of Captain Richard Moon. in October 1812 the Sarah
Ann was captured by the enemy off the Bahamas. Six crewmen, including George Rob-
erts, accused of being British subjects, were put on board ship for Jamaica. in a letter
sent to the owners in Charleston, South Carolina, Captain Moon said he feared the
men would “be tried for their lives.” The privateer skipper rebutted the British charge
that the sailors were not americans. in regard to “George Robert [sic], a coloured man
and seaman,” he stated, “i know him to be native born of the United States. . . . he
entered on board the Sarah ann at Baltimore where he is married. . . .” The editor of
Niles’ Register reported that in retaliation for the British action, the Charleston cartel
took twelve British prisoners from a prison ship “and put [them] into close confine-
ment, to be detained as hostages.”59 No doubt this ploy worked. Certainly, the episode
counts as one of the “hairbreath escapes” this brave african american experienced,
as mentioned in his obituary in the Baltimore Sun following his death in January 1861
at his home in Canton at the reported age of ninety-five years.60
indeed, in his waning years, as his nation teetered toward civil war, the newspa-
permen of Baltimore noted that the aged George Roberts still felt proud to parade
with the other “Old Defenders” of Baltimore. For he too had served.
On the evening of april 8, 1815, Captain Thomas Boyle sailed his privateer Chasseur
past the ramparts of Fort Mchenry into Baltimore harbor. Boyle ordered the schoo-
ner’s cannons to be fired to salute the fort that six months earlier had withstood the
might of the Royal Navy. The citizens of the city acclaimed the Chasseur the “Pride
of Baltimore.”57
The Chasseur must have been a special source of pride to one of Boyle’s gun-
ners, the free black man George R. Roberts. The african-american seaman was on
board the privateer on august 28, 1814, when Boyle issued his paper blockade of
the British isles, which he requested that the British post at Lloyd’s Coffeehouse in
London. Boyle’s audacious proclamation was a spoof of the blockades of the U.S.
coast that had been declared by British admirals warren and Cochrane in the pre-
ceding eighteen months. During the Chasseur’s capture of the British schooner St.
Lawrence on February 27, 1815, Roberts is said to have “displayed the most intrepid
courage and daring.”58
at the beginning of the war, Roberts had enlisted on board the Baltimore privateer
Sarah Ann under the command of Captain Richard Moon. in October 1812 the Sarah
Ann was captured by the enemy off the Bahamas. Six crewmen, including George Rob-
erts, accused of being British subjects, were put on board ship for Jamaica. in a letter
sent to the owners in Charleston, South Carolina, Captain Moon said he feared the
men would “be tried for their lives.” The privateer skipper rebutted the British charge
that the sailors were not americans. in regard to “George Robert [sic], a coloured man
and seaman,” he stated, “i know him to be native born of the United States. . . . he
entered on board the Sarah ann at Baltimore where he is married. . . .” The editor of
Niles’ Register reported that in retaliation for the British action, the Charleston cartel
took twelve British prisoners from a prison ship “and put [them] into close confine-
ment, to be detained as hostages.”59 No doubt this ploy worked. Certainly, the episode
counts as one of the “hairbreath escapes” this brave african american experienced,
as mentioned in his obituary in the Baltimore Sun following his death in January 1861
at his home in Canton at the reported age of ninety-five years.60
indeed, in his waning years, as his nation teetered toward civil war, the newspa-
permen of Baltimore noted that the aged George Roberts still felt proud to parade
with the other “Old Defenders” of Baltimore. For he too had served.
via Facebook
Some people just have faces that make you want to know them better. He is one of them! As others have mentioned, he just radiates dignity and kindness somehow.
via Facebook
Kelsey McKernie absoloutely . V dignified , strong , and id say hardworking. And certainly someone who you would love to have a conversation with . Beautiful picture .
Daniel Pinna
204 followers 10.5k+ favorites
02/06/2019
This is a fantastic photo and great story - thank you Gaye for sharing George's story!
Cathy Anderson
21 favorites
04/07/2024
Just look at his clothing all sewn in pieces ! Terrible our history in how so much injustice done to blacks but we can’t blame it all on the USA as Africa was invading other tribes killing some but holding them so they could escape to be sold to Africans, Americans, and all the other European countries ! So slavery started with their own race of people and I wish blacks would recognize this cause I believe in equality for all people but I get sick of the Americans being the evil doers of black slavery ! Educate yourself that is all I have to say as I respect all cultures and ethnicities as long as they treat me the way I would treat them with kindness and asking for recipes !!
People tagged in this photo
George Roberts was born into slavery and died as a free man, having been a privateer.
In the fall of 1812, he served onboard Captain Richard Moon’s privateer boat 'Sarah Ann' . He was among six American seamen accused of being British subjects and was taken prisoner when the Sarah Ann was captured by the HMS Statira off the Bahamas on September 13, 1812. Captain Moon denied that the men were British.
Eventually, Roberts and the other American seamen were released. He was allowed to participate as one of the Old Defenders of Baltimore of 1814 during parades commemorating the anniversary for many years.
George Roberts married Elizabeth (surname unknown). He was a sawyer (carpenter or timber mill worker) after the war. Later, he was recorded as living with a 50 year old Black woman named Dianna. He isn't recorded as having children.
George lived to the age of 95 (1766 -- 1861). His estate at the time was valued at $100 and his real estate holdings in Canton, a part of Baltimore, were valued at $400. His obituary in the Baltimore Sun, published on January 16, 1861, said "Thus has passed away a man whose patriotism, good sense and high moral character have won for him many friends for whom the news of his death will cause heartfelt sorrow. He was among those who took up arms in defense of the city in 1814, and throughout his long life was always highly thought of by the citizen soldiery. Though laboring under the weight of so many years, his carriage was erect, he never appeared on parade except in uniform and it was one of his highest aspirations to still be considered one of the defenders of his native city should the necessity have arrived to take up arms in its defense." See Find A Grave Memorial.
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