Violent Visions: Slaves, Sugar, and the 1811 German Coast Uprising

First and foremost, I would like to thank Susan O’Donovan. I met Professor O’Donovan freshman year, and she has been my guide and mentor ever since. She coached me at the beginning of this project, and she helped me bring it to fruition over the course of this year. Aside from ruthlessly editing draft after verbose draft, Professor O’Donovan provided constant emotional support, and, most memorably, midnight e-mailed answers to obscure questions about everything from the stench of dead bodies to flag designations in colonial militias.

Dan Wewers has provided me with invaluable good sense, a healthy dose of skepticism, and meticulous editing. I have greatly relied on his rigorous historical mind, and I have attempted to learn from his calm, patient, and subtle approach to writing and academia. Walter Johnson first gave me the idea for this thesis. He is largely responsible for my theoretical approach to this topic, and my interest in imperialism and capitalism. From the first, he has tolerated my occasionally bellicose writing, and he has been a constant inspiration. John Stauffer read early drafts of this thesis, and he has helped me to push my analysis even further. His encouragement of my academic career has been one of the defining aspects of my last two years here. His patience and devotion to his students is remarkable. Drew Gilpin Faust has encouraged me on this project and on my academic career in general. An attentive listener, beautiful writer, and insightful scholar, she has been an invaluable mentor for me during my college experience. Without her support and kind words, I doubt this project would have been anywhere near as ambitious.

Gwendolyn Midlo Hall and I began corresponding about this thesis last fall. I have much appreciated her detailed knowledge of Louisiana, and her willingness to translate obscure documents for me. Bob Paquette graciously provided me with translations of the St. Charles Parish courthouse documents, and he also shared his working paper with me, for which I am very grateful. Vince Brown, Tim McCarthy, and Rebecca Scott graciously read early drafts of individual chapters, and I much appreciate the time they took to reflect on and criticize my work. I gained much from discussing this thesis with Glenda Gilmore, Skip Gates, Adam Rothman, and Jill Lepore, who all pushed me to think about things I hadn’t even considered.

I would also like to thank my friends. In our Southern History Colloquium, Diana Kimball has been a constant intellectual companion. She has read every word of this thesis, and she has been a constant support during the past year. Charlie Young, Vince Eckert, Lewis Bollard, Sam Kenary, Nicki Bass, and Simon Williams all read and edited various parts of this piece. They have provided ample proof of my favorite line from Corinthians: as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Peter Trombetta, Jeffrey Ellis Thornton, and Balmore Toro have taken care of me in the absence of my parents, and I much appreciate all of their support.

Finally, I would like to thank my family. My mother has always believed in me, and she has been my greatest fan during the course of this project. My father taught me how to write, and I am grateful to him for editing the introduction to this thesis, as well as early drafts of several chapters.

Sources: Conrad, The German Coast; Thrasher, OTNO.

APPENDIX B