An African American soldier in the late 18th century. (Source: nps.gov.)
During the Greek Revolution, numerous philhellenic fighters from various European countries, as well as from the United States, traveled to Greece to support the Greeks’ struggle against the Ottoman occupiers. During the years of the Revolution, brave fighters such as George Jarvis and William Washington arrived from the United States and distinguished themselves on the battlefields. One of the most interesting cases of philhellenic fighters was the African American James Jacob Williams, who arrived in Greece in 1827 and died there two years later.
We have little information about his life and activities in Greece, as the available sources are limited. What we do know about Williams comes from Jonathan Peckham Miller’s book “The Condition of Greece in 1827 and 1828” (1828) and from John Lloyd Stephens’ travelogue *Incidents of Travel in Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Poland* (1838).
The period before he arrived in revolutionary Greece
James Jakob Williams was most likely born in the last quarter of the 18th century in Baltimore, United States of America. He served in the U.S. Navy under the command of Admiral Stephen Decatur and participated in the military conflict between the United States and Algeria in 1815 [1]. He fought bravely in these conflicts and even lost a finger [2].
His Activities in Greece
Excerpt from J. Miller’s book referring to James Williams.
Williams, as the American philhellene politician and abolitionist Jonathan Miller informs us, arrived in Greece in 1827 along with Lord Thomas Cochrane and served as a cook on the ship Savieur (Sotiras). In Greece, he took part in many battles, fighting with determination and courage. He distinguished himself particularly in the Battle of the Gulf of Lepanto (Nafpaktos), where it became clear that he had indeed been trained in Decatur’s “school” [3]. It is worth noting that during this naval battle, he took command of the ship "Sotir" when it was left rudderless, volunteering his services. He fought selflessly and was struck by shrapnel that shattered his leg and arm [4].
Furthermore, according to historian Fotini Tomai, Williams had also served on the flagship “Hellas.” In fact, by participating in military operations, he got to know the Greeks firsthand and learned Greek well enough to communicate with them [5].
The Meeting with Miller and His Demise
On 21 December 1827, Johnathan Miller, as he notes in his book, met Williams on Poros and hosted him at his home. The African American soldier, who had been hospitalized for a time, had no clothes, so Miller gave him a double suit [6]. Williams never left Greece and died there in 1829, two years after his arrival.
Magda Balafouti
Bibliographic references:
[1] Miller, J.P. (1828). The Condition of Greece in 1827 and 1828. New York: J. & J. Harper, p. 160.
[2] Stephens, J.L. (1838). Incidents of Travel in Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Poland (Vol. A). New York: Harper & Brothers, p. 36.
[3] Miller, J.P., ό.π.
[4] Stephens, J.L., ό.π.
[5] Tomai, F. (March 22, 2009). James Williams: The African American Who Fought at Navarino. Retrieved from: https://www.tovima.gr/2009/03/22/opinions/tzeims-goyiliams-o-afroamerikanos-poy-polemise-sto-nayarino/
[6] Miller, J.P., ό.π.
