Escaped Slaves Became British Marines vs USA The Corps of Colonial Marines: Escaped American slaves who received full Royal Marine training, fought against the U.S. in the War of 1812, burned Washington D.C., and defended Negro Fort in Florida—until Andrew Jackson ordered its destruction. July 27, 1816: One cannonball hit the powder magazine, killing 270 people in what's documented as "the single deadliest cannon shot in American history." Survivors were re-enslaved or shipped to Trinidad, estab