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Cinque is captured from West Africa
Sengbe Pieh (Cinque), a Mende, is seized in West Africa and sold into slavery. -
West Africans leave Africa on Tecora
The Portuguese slaving brig Tecora loads slaves off Lomboko, at the mouth of the Gallinas River, on the West African coast below the British Colony of Sierra Leone. -
The West Africans are brought to Havana Cuba
The Africans are brought to Havana, Cuba. Jose Ruiz, a Spanish planter from Puerto Principe, buys 49 adult males, paying $450 for each. Pedro Montes, another planter from the same region, buys four children, three of them girls. -
Cinque boards the Amistad
Ruiz and Montes walk their 53 slaves including Cinque through Havana, board the Amistad at 8:00pm and near midnight get underway. -
The West Africans take over ship
Cinque and Grabeau free and arm themselves and then the others and take over the ship Over the next two months the Amistad sails east by day, north by night, through the Bahamas and up the North American coast, into United States waters. -
USS Washington, seizes the schooner Amistad
Early morning, Lt. Richard W. Meade, commanding the surveying brig USS Washington, seizes the schooner and escorts it to New London. They claim a salvage award for their actions. -
Cinque reach New London
Amistad reaches New London. U.S. Marshal Norris Willcox notifies U.S. Federal District Judge Andrew T. Judson. At an inquiry aboard the Washington, Ruiz and Montes demand as property the 39 surviving adult African males, the four children and the Creole cook Antonio. Judge Andrew T. Judson hears testimony aboard the Washington and decides to put the matter to a grand jury, at U.S. Circuit Court in Hartford in September. The Africans are taken to the New Haven jail -
The trial begins
The first trial begins in the U.S. Circuit Court at Hartford, Judge Thompson presiding. -
The doubt
Though he expresses doubt as to the legality of the Africans’ enslavement, Judge Thompson denies their motion for writ of habeas corpus, keeping them in custody in the New Haven jail. -
The second trial
The second trial opens at the federal district court in Hartford, Judge Judson presiding. Abolitionists try to get the case dismissed on grounds the “salvage” should have been taken to New York. They then introduce evidence demonstrating that the Africans were not legally enslaved. The court postpones the hearing until January and moves it to New Haven. -
Ordered back to Cuba
Secretary of State John Forsyth orders the Navy to prepare to transport the Africans to Cuba as soon as the district court ruling is reached, before an appeal can be lodged. The Navy dispatches the USS Grampus to wait in New Haven harbor. -
Cinque Testifies
Cinque testifies, describing his capture, enslavement, middle passage, sale in Havana, revolt and encounter with Green. Grabeau and Fuliwa also testify. -
Judge Orders Africans back to Africa
Judge Judson affirms the jurisdiction of the district court, and dismisses Green’s salvage claim. The court awards salvage to Gedney and the two Spaniards. The court also rules that the Africans were not legally enslaved. The court places the captives in the charge of the U.S. President, to be returned to Africa. -
Supreme court hears the Amistad case
The U.S. Supreme Court begins hearing the Amistad case. -
Freedom
Justice Story delivers the decision of the Supreme Court, affirming the Africans’ freedom. -
Back to the Motherland (Africa)
Thirty five survivors depart New York for Africa aboard the barque Gentleman, accompanied by two black Americans, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wilson, and three whites, Rev. and Mrs. William Raymond and Rev. James Steele, to minister the “Mendi Mission. -
Welcome Back Cinque
The Africans reach Sierra Leone.
