Port Cresson massacre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Port Cresson massacre |
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| Belligerents | |||||
| American slaves and descendants of American slaves | Bassa forces | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| King Joe | |||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| 20 | |||||
The Port Cresson massacre was a very uneven fight that happened on June 10, 1835. It took place in what is now Liberia, a country in west Africa. The fight was between African-American settlers and local Bassa forces.
Contents
Why Port Cresson Was Founded
Port Cresson was a small town started in 1834. It was set up by a group from Pennsylvania called the American Colonization Society. This group believed that freed slaves and their children should move back to Africa. They hoped this would give them a better life.
About 130 African-Americans lived in Port Cresson. There was also one white person, Edward Hankinson, who represented the Pennsylvania society.
Local Conflict with Slave Traders
A doctor named R. McDowell was visiting a nearby town called Edina. He wrote about why the attack happened. Local slave traders didn't like having the new settlement so close to their business. They told the local Bassa chief, King Joe, that they would move their slave trading elsewhere.
King Joe became very angry about this. He had weapons given to him by American and European slave traders. He decided to force the settlers out of Port Cresson.
The Attack on Port Cresson
On June 10, 1835, King Joe's forces attacked Port Cresson. The settlers were Quakers, a group who believed in peace. They did not have any weapons to defend themselves.
About 20 settlers were killed by King Joe's men. The rest managed to escape the fighting. They fled to a nearby town called Monrovia, which was armed. Edward Hankinson asked for help there.
King Joe then tried to attack Edina, another settlement. But a different local leader, King Bob, stepped in to protect Edina. King Joe was forced to leave.
What Happened Next
When Elijah Johnson heard about the attack, he took action. He was a soldier who had fought in the War of 1812. He gathered 120 armed volunteers. They went to fight King Joe.
The forces from Monrovia won the battle against King Joe. A peace agreement was signed on November 6, 1835. In this agreement, King Joe promised to pay for the damages. He also agreed to stop being involved in the slave trade. He said he would let settler courts decide any land disagreements.
Edward Hankinson was very upset by the attack. He refused to go back to Port Cresson. The strong military response from Monrovia showed its power. This helped Monrovia become the most important of the new settlements in west Africa.
