The primary source under analysis was a libel to the district court of the United States in and for the district of Connecticut. A libel is a written claim presented by a plaintiff in an action at admiralty law, and this particular libel was written by Thomas R. Gedney who was the Lieutenant Commander of the U.S. Naval Brig entitled the Washington. The libel was written following the confiscation of the Spanish slave schooner, the Amistad, by Thomas Gedney and the rest of the crew of the Washington. The Amistad had been taken over by the slaves on board, and after two months of sailing in the Atlantic Ocean the ship was seen by the naval brig. The cargo, the remaining 45 slave who survived the journey and two Spaniards taken hostage by the slaves, all were taken by the brig. This document is Thomas Gedney's plea to the district court that he and his men are owed a salvage reward for "rescuing" the schooner and all those on board.…
