Tacky's Rebellion
From dKosopedia
Tacky's Rebellion was a 1760 revolt of African slaves held in Jamaica. Sugar made Jamaica and the other other islands of the West Indies the most valuable part of the British Empire in the 18th century. The leader of the rebellion was Tacky, a former Coromantee chieftain from Guinea, who was an overseer on Frontier plantation. His rising on Easter Sunday April 6, 1760 was based on a conspiracy at Frontier and neighboring Trinity plantations. After seizing ghe plantations they took control of the munitions in the storeroom at Fort Haldane in the town of Port Maria: 40 firearms and 4 barrels of gun powder. The rebels then liberated Heywood Hall and Esher plantations. The rebels were chased and ultimately defeated by mounted white militia and collaborationist mercenary Maroons. Maroon leader Davy shot Tacky and cut off his head to prove his feat, an act for which he would be rewarded. Tacky's head was later displayed on a pole in Spanish Town until a follower took it down in the middle of the night. The rest of Tacky's men were found dead in a cave near Tacky Falls, having committed suicide rather than surrender to life slavery.