ments, as well as provisions, by sea, from one place to another, while the strength of the fortifications enabled them to repel the attacks of the negroes. However, Rochambeau could now have no hopes of finally maintaining himself in the island, but by the arrival of reinforcements from France, which were daily expected. Those reinforcements arrived but slowly, and not in sufficient force to enable him to commence offensive operations. The blacks were not only masters of the mountains, but of the plain country, and the French were consequently cooped up in the sickly towns of the coast; which they defended successfully against all the attacks of the negroes.

Such was the situation of affairs in St. Domingo, at the breaking out of the war between England and France. This event hastened the total overthrow of the French armament sent against this island; a force which, at the outset, certainly appeared more than sufficient to subjugate the brigands or atrocious Africans (as they were termed by the French) of St. Domingo; and perhaps had it not been for the rupture between this country and France, the blacks must eventually have been subdued. As long as the ocean could be traversed in safety, Bonaparte would certainly have found sufficient reinforcements in his immense population, either to have subjugated or exterminated the revolters. It was a matter of importance to France, and a favorite project of the first consul; it is not, therefore, to be expected that he

would easily abandon it. But the commencement of hostilities between England and France, rendered any attempt to reinforce the army of Rochambeau extremely dangerous, if not impracticable; for no sooner was war declared between the two countries, than British men of war blockaded all the principal positions of the French on the coast of the island of St. Domingo. This measure not only deprived Rochambeau of the hopes of receiving reinforcements, but also broke the chain, as it were, that had hitherto firmly bound the French force together.

In consequence of these measures, the French garrisons were soon reduced to the most deplorable condition. The British cruizers prevented reinforcements, intercepted supplies passing along the coast, from one place to another; while the negroes were masters of the field, and hourly threatened them with assault; and to add still to their calamity, the yellow fever continued its ravages, and not only diminished their numbers, but paralized the strength and spirits of the survivors.

Rochambeau had collected the principal strength of the French army at Cape Town, which he made his head-quarters; and which, notwithstanding the dreadful complication of unfortunate circumstances under which it labored, made a long and powerful resistance: nor was it in the power of the English ships to block up the harbor so completely, but that supplies of provisions were frequently thrown in by coasting vessels. But the other posts, where of course

the French were much weaker, fell either before the attacks of the negroes, or capitulated to the blockading squadrons.

The first strong town which fell into the hands of the blacks, was Port au Paix; where the French garrison, consisting of 500 men, were made prisoners. General Dessalines also successively besieged and took, Port au Prince, Leogane, and St. Marc. Numbers of the French fell sacrifices to the revengeful fury of the blacks; which, indeed, might naturally be expected, when the manner in which the former behaved, when victorious, is recollected. But the English cruizers, aware of the sanguinary intention of the blacks, very humanely made it a point to carry off the garrisons in every case where it was possible.

The operations of Rochambeau were now confined to the defence of the Cape. He wished to escape to the city of St. Domingo, in the Spanish part of the island; but as the blacks were masters of the whole interior, every route was consequently occupied by them; this design, therefore, could only be accomplished by cutting a passage through the native army, which the French were in no condition to effect; and he was under the necessity of remaining at Cape Town. The English blockading squadron too, perceiving that frequent supplies of provisions were carried to the Cape, from Fort Dauphin, made a very spirited attack on the latter place, when the garrison evacuated it, and retired within Cape Town, which was now the only spot in possession of the French.

For a long time, the French maintained a great superiority, by means of fortified places; the negroes had made several very brave and even desperate efforts to carry different forts, but till lately had been repulsed with great slaughter; owing, no doubt, to the superior skill of the French, in the management of great guns. Notwithstanding, the negroes (like the ancient Romans, or the Muscovites under Peter the Great) had profited by repeated defeats; and acquired a knowledge of military tactics, which, if it did not make them equal to the French, at least enabled them to attack their enemies, even in fortified places, with a better prospect of success. The black army under Dessalines, had now regularly and completely invested Cape Town; and hourly threatened to storm it. All the out-posts successively fell into their hands; and Fort Piccolet itself they carried in the most gallant manner with the bayonet.

Rochambeau was now hemmed in on all sides: retreat and supply were equally cut off; and the town every moment in danger of falling into the hands of the negroes, which was much dreaded by the French. They knew the cruelties they had been guilty of, and dreaded a severe retaliation; and the French general in chief, now turned his attention to measures of safety, to prevent him and his army from falling into the hands of the blacks; he, therefore, resolved to surrender the place, on being allowed to carry off the garrison unmolested. For this purpose, a negociation was opened with Dessalines; but on the Eng

lish squadron coming into the road, a capitulation was signed on the 30th of November (1803) on board the Surveillante. Captain Bligh, of the Theseus, on the part of commodore Truscot; and general Boyer, on the part of Rochambeau, conducted this negociation; by which it was agreed, that all the ships of war, and merchant vessels belonging to France, should be surrendered to his Britannic majesty; and that the garrison should be received by the English as prisoners of war, to protect them from the fury of the blacks.

The English commodore lost no time in communicating this intelligence to Dessalines, with whom the French had continued a sort of negociation, for the purpose apparently of amusing him, while they provided for their own safety, under English protection. The black chief was at length prevailed upon to suffer the French garrison to embark without molestation. But they were not able to leave the harbor on account of the wind; the British commodore, with great difficulty, restrained Dessalines from ordering the batteries to fire upon the French ships; and without making farther allowance for wind or tide, he peremptorily declared, that if they were not clear of the road in twelve hours, he would spare them no longer. The ships, however, were enabled to get out of the harbor before the expiration of the. time allowed, or there is no doubt, that Dessalines would have brought every gun in his power to bear, upon them.