ATTN:   VA HIST LIST readers.   I'm posting this inquiry made to the
National Park Service at Fort McHenry.   We're unfamiliar with
"bluelighters," but based on my reading of recent VA HIST LIST
correspondence, I wonder if "bluelighters" were active in the Chesapeake
more so than New England, possibly among slaves or free blacks sympathetic
to the British.    If you can assist, please reply directly to Mr. Haen,
and copy Scott Sheads at [log in to unmask], and me, as well as posting
your replies on the list if you so chose.    Thanks.

Clifford Tobias, Ph.D.
Historian, Northeast Region History Program
NPS, Philadelphia
[log in to unmask]

Can anyone assist Scott with this request?

DTP



                      Scott Sheads
                                               To:       Dwight Pitcaithley/WASO/NPS@NPS
                      01/30/2005 03:45         cc:
                      PM EST                   Subject:  Bluelighters




Dwight:
I need some help on this one from fellow historians.
Scott S. Sheads
Fort McHenry National Monument


----- Forwarded by Scott Sheads/FOMC/NPS on 01/30/2005 03:54 PM -----

                      [log in to unmask]
                                               To:       [log in to unmask]
                      01/13/2005 09:52         cc:
                      AM EST                   Subject:  Bluelighters






Dear Mr. Sheads, thank you very much for talking with me a few moments ago.
My name is Luke Haen, I am a grad student here at George Mason University
pursuing my high school history teacher certification.  My American history
instructor, Dr. Sawyer, has tasked me to find out primary source
information about "bluelighters", those American individuals during the War
of 1812 who guided British naval vessels to safe troop landing points by
means of clandestinely hanging naval bluelights.  Possibly Dr. Sawyer is
talking about New Englanders who harbored anti-Democratic Republican
feelings due to the suffering of the New England sea trade at this time.
Any direction you can point me to regarding actual bluelighters or
political "Federalist Bluelighters" would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks
for any assistance you can provide, Luke Haen
e-mail: [log in to unmask]  Phone:571-236-8132 (cell)

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