During the year 1739, the Spanish wanted to cause trouble in the English colonies so they issued a proclamation saying that any slave who deserted to St Augustine would be given freedom and land. In the fall of 1739, there was an epidemic that disrupted the colonial government in Charlestown, and word had just arrived that England and Spain were at war. This raised the hopes that the Spanish in St. Augustine would give a positive reception to slaves escaping from Carolina plantations.
On September 9, 1739, a group of slaves from South Carolina marched down the road, carrying banners that proclaimed "Liberty!" Every slave shouted the same word. The group was led by an Angolan slave named Jemmy. As the men and women continued to walk south, they recruited more slaves along the way. By the time they stopped to rest for the night, their numbers had approached one hundred.
The group first hit a local store at the Stono Bridge, where they robbed and took weapons and ammunition, ransacked and killed the owners. With weapons in hand and moving south, they looted and burned houses and barns. They killed whites that they happened to come across with no regard to age or sex. It is said that only two whites escaped death when they came into the way of the group only because they were known to be kind to their slaves. Their group began to grow by word of mouth through the black grapevine and drum calls. Many slaves were even forced into joining to help reduce the chances of betrayal. By late afternoon, they had reached Jacksonborough on the Edisto River and the group had over 100 followers. While on the road to Jacksonborough, they had met Lt. Governor William Bull. Bull had quickly realized what was happening and turned his horse around and outran them. This was the beginning of the end for the slaves. He immediately spread the word and militias began to quickly form. The companies moved toward the group's camp and attacked it late Sunday afternoon.
