Liberian–Grebo War

The Liberian–Grebo War, or simply the Grebo War, was an armed conflict between the Liberian government and the indigenous Grebo people.

Liberian–Grebo War
Date September 8, 1875 – March 1, 1876 Location Maryland County, Liberia Result Liberian government victory
Belligerents
Liberia Supported by: United States	Grebo people
Strength
1,000 men 1 USS Alaska	30,000 men

Background

There had been tension between the Grebo people and the Americo-Liberian-dominated government of Liberia — descendants of freed African Americans who had moved to Liberia as part of the Back-to-Africa movement — since the establishment of the Cape Palmas colony in 1857. Efforts at reconciliation had been largely unsuccessful, and the Grebo were unwilling to assimilate into the business and social structures of the Liberian state. The aggressive use of Methodist and Episcopalian missionaries also alienated many Grebos.^[1] Motivated by Grebo nationalism and ethnic separatism, the Grebos attempted to establish the "G'debo Reunited Kingdom."^[2]

War

The Grebo people, numbering 30,000 armed men entrenched in Cape Palmas and along the Cavalla River, declared war on the Liberian government for having confiscated their land under the auspices of the Maryland State Colonization Society. The Liberian government army, however, had only around 1,000 men with meager supplies, and ill-suited to the terrain compared to the Grebos.^[1]

The first major battle of the war took place on September 8, 1875, when Grebo tribesmen, armed with Snyder rifles, attacked Cape Palmas. The attack was repelled, with 6 Liberians killed.^[1]

On October 11, 1875, United States Minister to Liberia, James Milton Turner, sent a letter to the U.S. State Department, arguing for United States involvement in the war while due to the risks to American citizens and assets, noting that "two thirds of American [business] interests in Liberia are situated in Maryland County." In mid-December 1875, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant ordered a man-of-war as a show of force to stop the war.^[1][3]

On February 3, 1876, the USS Alaska arrived in Monrovia. Aboard it, Captain Alexander Alderman Semmes, gathered the leaders of the Grebo rebellion and informed them that the United States was prepared to use full force to subdue them. When they complained that the land concessions they received were too small, Semmes replied with "That's more than we gave the Indians for their land."^[1]

On March 1, 1876, the Grebos signed a peace treaty, agreeing to "fully and unequivocally" acknowledge the authority of the Liberian government, effectively ending the rebellion.^[1]

Peace treaty

With the peace treaty, the Grebos agreed "to fully and unequivocally ... acknowledge the Supremacy of the Government of Liberia and agree to submit to its laws."^[1] The American commander had also promised to obtain for the Grebos Liberian citizenship so that they can trade without intermediaries.^[3]

See also

Ivory Coast expedition

African Slave Trade Patrol

Blockade of Africa