Angola was a prosperous agricultural community[1]: 232 ofMaroons (escaped slaves) who had close relations with disaffectedRed Sticks that existed in the Tampa Bay area following theWar of 1812, thePatriot War, theCreek War and theFirst Seminole War untilFlorida became a U.S. territory in 1821, after which point it was destroyed. Artifacts from that era have been uncovered inManatee Mineral Springs Park along theManatee River inBradenton, Florida.[2] Despite this, the full extent of the settlement is unknown, possibly ranging from where theBraden River meets the Manatee River down toSarasota Bay.[3][4]
Manatee Mineral Spring was a source of fresh water and later the location of theVillage of Manatee, two decades after the destruction of the Maroon community. The only rigorous archaeological survey so far has been constrained to Mineral Springs Park.[5] The archaeology report by Uzi Baram is on file with theFlorida Division of Historical Resources of theFlorida Department of State. In 2019, theNational Park Service added the excavated location at Manatee Mineral Springs Park to the Network to Freedom. Also, of archeological note is an "African-inspired mahogany drum found in the bank of theLittle Manatee River."[6] The drum was found in 1967 and is now stored at theFlorida Museum of Natural History, the artifact has received only minor attention."[7]
At the State Library and Archives of Florida, the Spanish Land Grant applications for both Jose Maria Caldez and Joaquin Caldez, each list Angola as on the north side of theOyster River, respectively eight and nine miles from Tampa Bay (seeFlorida Memory). The location of Angola on theOyster River as described by local history authorJanet Snyder Matthews, was in "southern Sarasota Bay, eight miles from Tampa Bay."[8]71 In the footnotes toEdge of Wilderness, Matthews speculated that the "Oyster River of Caldes which may have been present-day Whitaker Bayou or Hudson Bayou."[8]395
In his book onThe Territory of Florida, John Lee Williams, described "A stream that enters the bay joining the entrance of Oyster River, on the S.W. it was ascended for six miles." Williams goes on to describe the land along this smaller stream and then refers to "The point between these two rivers is called Negro Point." He concluded that the "ruins" on the "old fields" of this "plantation here cultivated by two hundred negroes" belonged to the "famousArbuthnot and Ambrister."[9] Also, he described the shore of "Sarrazota Bay" as "rocky and high" and on the eastern shore with "extensive old fields, of rich land" including the "ruins of fifteen old houses." Among the "old gardens" of these ruins Williams examined in 1828 he reported finding "among luxuriant weeds, tomatoes, lima beans, and many aromatic herbs perfectly naturalized."[9] Hisaccompanying map was published in 1837.
Spanish Florida was a haven for escaped slaves and for Native Americans deprived of their traditional lands during colonial times and in the first decades of U.S. independence. TheUnderground Railroad ran south during this period.[10][11][12]
Autonomous Maroon communities developed in Spanish Florida, though not simultaneously.Fort Mose was the first and smallest autonomous black community but it was abandoned in 1763 after the Spanish cessation of Florida in the aftermath of theSeven Years' War. Fort Mose was heavily influenced by neighboringSt. Augustine.
Following theTreaty of Ghent, in 1815, British officials transported around 80 black veterans (Corps of Colonial Marines) of theWar of 1812 to Tampa Bay area.[13] Other Colonial Marine veterans and their families were transported to other British colonies (seeMerikans).
Another community was atProspect Bluff on theApalachicola River, but it was destroyed by forces under the command of GeneralEdmund P. Gaines in 1816 (Battle of Negro Fort). The refugees from this tragic event, including Maroons from the surrounding plantations who were not at the Fort, moved east to theSuwannee River valley and recreated their communities outsideBowlegs Town, named after Alachua Seminole leaderBolek (Bowlegs).[1]232-233 During GeneralAndrew Jackson's invasion of Spanish Florida during theFirst Seminole War, the Maroons successfully defended the evacuation of the settlements before they were destroyed.[1]243-244 Archeological digs have recently begun at the site of Bowlegs Town, near present dayOld Town.[14]
According to historianCanter Brown Jr., "Most Maroon settlements were tiny because people needed to escape detection. Angola's 600 to 750 people was an incredible size back then, and shows that these were capable people."[5]: 73 He described it as "one of the most significant historical sites in Florida and perhaps the U.S."[5]: 71
WhenAndrew Jackson became Florida'sde facto territorial governor in 1821, he decided that the refugee Maroons and Red Sticks near Tampa Bay would need to be destroyed and its runaway slave populace returned to bondage.[citation needed] Without the official backing of the U.S. government, Jackson decided to employCreek allies to raid in Florida instead.[15] "Acting in direct defiance of Secretary of WarJohn C. Calhoun, Jackson's first order of business was to send his Coweta Creek allies (seeWilliam McIntosh) on asearch and destroy mission against Angola",[1]: 250 which was "burned to the ground".[5]: 73
The result of the raid was "terror" all over Florida and many of the Maroons who could went toCape Florida and left forthe Bahamas.[1]: 250–252 Those Maroons who had been present at Prospect Bluff, especially the discharged Colonial Marines, considered themselves free British subjects, and had been promised protection within British territory like the Bahamas by Nicolls.[1] However, this attitude was not shared by all British leadership. Despite this, they still established a settlement onAndros Island, named Red Bays in 1821 (seeNicolls Town).[16]
A small number of the survivingRed Sticks (seePeter McQueen) joined otherLower Creeks refugees and formed a community calledMinatti at the headwaters of thePeace River nearLake Hancock.[citation needed]
Additionally, many Maroons andBlack Seminoles displaced from Angola and communities like it by theSecond Seminole War stayed in Florida and fought alongside the Seminole Indians, and were deported in kind to Indian territories in Oklahoma. Some migrated even further toEl Nacimiento,Coahuila.[17]
In July 2018, the first Back to Angola Festival was held at the Manatee Mineral Springs Park.[5]: 71 Descendants of those who had escaped to the Bahamas attended.[18]
Municipalities and communities ofManatee County, Florida,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
27°29′53″N82°32′56″W / 27.498°N 82.549°W /27.498; -82.549