Closer Look

This is a non-fiction historical account of the Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands) Emancipation of 1848. This book entails Danish-to-English translations of depositions, court trials and testimony from the enslaved population as well as the Danish officials. Additionally, there's much personal information included about the two main heroes (John 'General Buddhoe' Gottlieb and Admiral Martin King) of the Emancipation and the tumultuous events leading up to and inclusive of the July 3, 1848 Emancipation Day. Some of the personal letters of the then Governor-General Peter von Scholten is also included along with very surprising information about his mistress, Anna Heegaard.