CAVENDISH, Vt. – Estimates are that between 5,000-8,000 African Americans fought against the British, including Peter Tumbo and Prince Robinson, who settled in Cavendish following the war. However, far more (estimates of 20,000) were Loyalists. These numbers do not reflect the number of enslaved women and children who fled to British encampments in the hopes of freedom, nor those who used the chaotic time to escape to maroon communities, such as the Great Dismal Swamp on the border of Virginia and North Carolina.
On Saturday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m., the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS), in conjunction with the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library, 573 Main Street, will hold a talk about the role of enslaved people during the Revolutionary War period. This will include showing portions of Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution” series, as well as discussing Cavendish’s patriots, Tumbo and Robinson.
The talk will be held at the Cavendish Library in Proctorsville. This event is free and open to the public, and is recommended for those 12 years old and older. In the event of inclement weather, a notice will be posted to the Cavendish Facebook page, www.facebook.com/cavendishvt. For more information, call 802-226-7807 or email margocaulfield@icloud.com.