During the War of 1812 the British forces offered to free any American slaves who joined them. Many who left for the British lines were enlisted into the West India Regiments and the Royal Navy, but some 800 formed the 3rd or colonial battalion of the Royal Marines.

Black refugees, including women and children, who did not enlist were discharged in Bermuda and then moved to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, although a few went to Trinidad.

The Colonial Marines were formed in May 1814, but most records do not start until September 1814. There appear to be no attestation (joining up) papers for these marines among the records for the regular Royal Marines. However, there are lists of the Colonial Marines in the effective and subsistence lists (National Archives series ADM 96) and in the ships' musters and paylists (National Archives series ADM 37). For example, the muster for HMS Severn in ADM 37/5430 lists Colonial Marines and black refugees for the period April 1814 to March 1815.

The corps was disbanded in August 1816 in Bermuda and the marines were settled in the Company Villages in Trinidad.

For further information see:

J McNish Weiss, The Merikens: Free Black American Settlers in Trinidad , 1815-16, 2nd edn (McNish and Weiss, 2002) The Merikens: Free Black American Settlers in Trinidad

J McNish Weiss, 'The Corps of Colonial Marines 1814-1816: A summary' in Immigrants and Minorities , vol 15, no 1, April 1996 'The Corps of Colonial Marines 1814-1816: A summary'