War puts people on the move. During the War of 1812, the British repeated their strategy of luring slaves away from the plantations, hoping to strike a blow at the American economy. Former slaves escaped to the British ships patrolling the coast, or got behind the British lines. Many of these were taken to the British base in Bermuda, and then sent to Halifax. Before the war ended, some 1200 were shipped to Nova Scotia. At the end of the war, the remaining 1500 to 2000 also arrived in Halifax. These repatriated Americans became known as the Refugees of the War of 1812. Many were not refugees at all. Having asked these people to risk their lives for the war, the British government was in their debt. As the Loyalists of African descent had discovered, however, the goals of the British government differed significantly from those of the provincial governments. The government of Nova Scotia had received no advance warning of the settlers' arrival. At a time, the province was inundated with settlers from the British Isles, particularly the Scots. Settlers of African descent were low on the government's list of priorities. Over 700 of the new arrivals were temporarily housed in the former prison on Melville Island. Seventy-six died of fever. Like their predecessors the Loyalists, the settlers of 1812 were disappointed in their hopes of land. In the end, 200 families were finally settled in Preston, on land previously settled by the Maroons and the Loyalists of African descent. Instead of full grants, they merely received temporary licenses of occupation. By 1816, there were almost 1000 people living in the Preston area. Others settled in Hammonds Plains, Beechville, Windsor Plains, Avonport, Liverpool, and along the roads to Truro and Windsor. In 1842, the Preston settlers finally received outright grants. By then, however, they knew that the land could not support agriculture.Some moved on to establish the community of Africville in Halifax. Among the settlers of 1812, almost 400 had been sent to New Brunswick. Like the Loyalists, they possessed a wide variety of skills and trades, and seem to have found work in the Saint John area. Appeals were also made for residents to take them into their homes, as apprentices and servants. All this, however, was a far cry from the independent life on the land they had been promised. In time, the New Brunswick government offered land in the Loch Lomond area, although the recipients were expected to pay for the surveys themselves. Their settlement became known as "Willow Grove." Their licenses of occupation were for just three years. This was in contrast to other, non-African settlers who received 200 acres and were promised full land grants. (Perhaps the government feared that the possession of full grants would give them the right to vote). The settlers of 1812 experienced many of the same problems that had dogged their predecessors, the Loyalists. Most settlers found it impossible to subsist on their tiny farms, which were beset with mice and frost. As wage-earners, they were competing with the thousands of settlers who poured in from Ireland and Scotland after the Napoleonic wars. To survive, many sold timber products off their land and farm products at the Halifax market. They received little sympathy from government officials, who would have preferred to see them settled elsewhere. Lord Dalhousie, governor of Nova Scotia, wanted to send them to Sierra Leone. In 1820, Governor Sir James Kempt and Bishop Inglis persuaded 95 emigrants from Hammonds Plains to respond to Trinidad's appeals for labour. They sailed in 1821. Over time, the 1812 settlers merged with the descendants of former slaves, the Loyalists of African descent, and the very few Maroons who remained in Nova Scotia. Many intermarried with members of other cultural groups, including the Irish, Scots, English, Acadians, and First Peoples. Of these, a large number disappeared into the larger society. In 1861, others left to fight in the American Civil War, on behalf of the North. In 1865, with the end of slavery in the United States, many sought work and reunited with family members in that country. Click here to view some fascinating facts and link to more information Click here to view printable version of this page This project has been supported by the Canadian Studies Program, Canadian Heritage. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Canada.