I am seeking information on some Virginians whose slaves left them in January 1814 to join the British during the War of 1812, and I write to ask for help and advice as to search strategy. In the hope of this reaching a list-member with specific or local knowledge, I give some details of who, where and when: On 23 January 1814, in York County, Virginia: from the farms of Captain Henry Howard (and the late Captain Calthorpe Howard) Robert Shield (and the late Captain Samuel Shield); the following made their escape to HMS DRAGON, then lying in the Chesapeake (in brackets, late owners as given in compensation claims; runaways' surnames as in British lists): Melchezedek Howard (Henry Howard) Ned Howard (Calthorpe Howard) Sam Shield (Samuel Shield or Calthorpe Howard) Jacob Ray (Robert/Samuel Shield) Thomas Shield (Robert/SamuelShield) Charles Shield (Robert/SamuelShield); in a canoe belonging to: Thomas Pescud housed at the farm of: Mrs Elizabeth Reade. In May 1821, Henry Howard gave details of birth dates from registers kept by the late Samuel Shield and the late Mr Hawkins Reade. I presume from the name of the latter that Mrs Elizabeth Reade may have been connected or related in some way to the Shields or the Howards or both. Although these refugees are few among the four thousand of my overall study, four of them are especially relevant to my particular study of the Corps of Colonial Marines and their later settlement in Trinidad (in the 'Company Villages'). Tom and Charles Shield, Melchezedek Howard and Jacob Ray went off together to the British after planning their escape for several days (Tom was overheard to say that he would go when and where he pleased) and became the first sergeants of the Corps when it was formed a few months later. They were in due course sworn in as senior village headmen of the Company Villages on the establishment of the new settlements in southern Trinidad in August 1816, and it is possible that it was Tom Shields who led the Colonial Marines' resistance to joining the Army in their negotiations with the British authorities during their interim stay in Bermuda, and their insistence on the promises that had been held out to them of land in the colonies. I should very much like to explore the lives they left and to find if there are any family records, or other local records apart from the affidavits filed for the compensation claims, that might illuminate the times and locality. They left their womenfolk behind - quite unusual among the general body of refugees - and I hope it might be possible also to follow up the women's subsequent history. John Weiss [log in to unmask] To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html