During the wars for independence in Spanish South America (1808-1826),
thousands of slaves enlisted under the promise of personal freedom and,
in some cases, freedom for other family members. Blacks were recruited
by opposing sides in these conflicts and their loyalties rested with
whomever they believed would emerge victorious. The prospect of freedom
was worth risking one's life for, and wars against Spain presented
unprecedented opportunities to attain it.
Much hedging over the slavery issue continued, however, even after the
patriots came to power. The prospect of abolition threatened existing
political, economic, and social structures, and the new leaders would
not encroach upon what were still considered the property rights of
powerful slave owners. The patriots attacked the institution of slavery
in their rhetoric, yet maintained the status quo in the new nations. It
was not until a generation later that slavery would be declared illegal
in all of Spain's former mainland colonies.
Through extensive archival research, Blanchard assembles an accessible,
comprehensive, and broadly based study to investigate this issue from
the perspectives of Royalists, patriots, and slaves. He examines the
wartime political, ideological, and social dynamics that led to slave
recruitment, and the subsequent repercussions in the immediate
postindependence era. Under the Flags of Freedom sheds new light on
the vital contribution of slaves to the wars for Latin American
independence, which, up until now, has been largely ignored in the
histories and collective memories of these nations.
