Hermosa (slave ship) facts for kids

The Hermosa was an American ship that carried enslaved people. In 1840, it got stuck near the Bahamas. This event caused a big argument between the United Kingdom and the United States. The argument was about 38 enslaved people who were on the ship and were set free by the British government.

The Hermosa Shipwreck

The Hermosa was traveling from Richmond, Virginia, to New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1840. It was carrying a group of enslaved people. During its journey, the ship crashed in the Abaco Islands.

After the shipwreck, the Hermosa managed to reach Nassau in the Bahamas. At this time, the United Kingdom had already ended slavery in 1833. Because of this, the local government in the Bahamas stepped in. They took the enslaved people off the ship and set them free.

How the Event Caused Problems

The freeing of the enslaved people from the Hermosa was a big topic in the United States. People talked about it a lot.

The very next year, a similar event happened with another ship called the Creole. Enslaved people on the Creole rebelled against the ship's crew. They chose to go to the Bahamas because they had heard about what happened with the Hermosa.

Both the Hermosa and Creole cases were discussed in the United States Congress. Some people even suggested that the U.S. should go to war with Britain if they didn't pay money for the freed enslaved people.

Solving the Problem

The owner of the enslaved people from the Hermosa was a man named Robert Lumpkin. He asked a special court to give him money for his loss.

This case was handled along with similar claims from the Creole and another ship called the Enterprize. In 1855, the companies that had insured the Hermosa were given $16,000 as payment.