James Jacob Williams was an African American fugitive slave and soldier who fought for freedom on two continents. He first served in the US Navy during the Second Barbary War (1815) and later joined the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829), supporting the Greek struggle to liberate themselves from Ottoman rule. Severely wounded while fighting for the Greek cause, Williams was discovered by American abolitionist and philhellene (lover of Greek culture) Jonathan Peckham Miller, who cared for him at his home on the island of Poros. Williams eventually recovered and lived out the rest of his life as a free man in Greece.
Born on a plantation in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1785, much of Williams’s early life remains unknown. However, he escaped slavery during his youth and hid aboard the American warship USS Guerriere, which was part of the Delaware Flotilla during the War of 1812. Williams later became a Marine in the United States Navy. In 1815, he participated in the Second Barbary War, a conflict between the United States and Algeria, serving under Admiral Stephen Decatur.
Williams took part in several engagements, including the Battle off Cape Gata on June 17, 1815, the first battle of the Second Barbary War. The battle, which took place in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain, resulted in an American victory. He also fought in the Battle of Cape Palos on June 19, 1815, the final battle of the war, which likewise ended in American success. Williams was injured during the campaign, losing one of his fingers in combat.
In January 1827, Williams moved to Greece, where slavery had been abolished. He was appointed as an assistant to British naval officer Thomas Cochrane, who was actively involved in the Greek War of Independence, a struggle between Greek revolutionaries and the Ottoman Empire. Williams volunteered to support the Greek cause and joined a small squadron led by the flagship Karteria, notable for being the first steam-powered warship used in combat.
Williams participated in the Battle of Itea, a naval engagement fought on September 30, 1827, in the Gulf of Corinth. During the battle, he was seriously wounded by cannon fire, which shattered his arms and legs. While recovering in a hospital, he was discovered by Jonathan Peckham Miller, who brought him to his home on the island of Poros to convalesce.
Miller later wrote about Williams’s service in his journal. Williams remained in Greece for the rest of his life and died there in 1829. He is buried at the cemetery of Agios Ioannis in Argos. Williams has been honored by numerous Greek organizations, including the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism (EEF) and AHEPA.
