Post by Bruce on Jul 7, 2014 0:37:18 GMT -5
Autumn 1791 -- Originally printed in the New York Daily Times
A group of approximately ten thousand slaves revolted on August 21, and successfully seized control of the Northern area of the island over the next ten days. The heavily armed white population of the French colony fought viciously to suppress the revolt, but failed overwhelmingly with horrid result. The slaves reportedly pillaged, raped, tortured, killed, and mutilated overseers, owners, and any other whites that failed to escape. Government authorities scrambled to maintain order in the rest of the island, but the only whites reportedly still alive in the North were those in a few armed, fortified camps.
The French government deemed the situation dire yesterday, but maintained its ability to restore order. Colonial officials declared a state of emergency, and requested support from France, though the instability there made the receipt of rapid aid unlikely. But colonial troops joined with white volunteers over the last few days to seek to put down the revolution, and many on the island expected its heavily-armed citizenry to succesfully suppress the revolting slaves. Some believed the situation to be far worse than the state admitted, though, and a number of whites sought to flee Saint-Domingue yesterday.
The slave revolt in Saint-Domingue sent shock waves through much of the world, and especially the American South, where many wondered whether the government should take steps to prevent any future American slave revolt. Some even suggested that the United States should assist the Saint Dominguen government, though many maintained that the United States should not involve itself in European colonial affairs. It remained to be seen how Congress, or the President, would react.
Slaves Revolt in Saint-Domingue
PORT AU PRINCE -- A slave revolt in Saint-Domingue threatened to completely destroy the island's government as thousands of slaves seized control of large swaths of the colony, massacring any whites unable to escape in time.A group of approximately ten thousand slaves revolted on August 21, and successfully seized control of the Northern area of the island over the next ten days. The heavily armed white population of the French colony fought viciously to suppress the revolt, but failed overwhelmingly with horrid result. The slaves reportedly pillaged, raped, tortured, killed, and mutilated overseers, owners, and any other whites that failed to escape. Government authorities scrambled to maintain order in the rest of the island, but the only whites reportedly still alive in the North were those in a few armed, fortified camps.
The French government deemed the situation dire yesterday, but maintained its ability to restore order. Colonial officials declared a state of emergency, and requested support from France, though the instability there made the receipt of rapid aid unlikely. But colonial troops joined with white volunteers over the last few days to seek to put down the revolution, and many on the island expected its heavily-armed citizenry to succesfully suppress the revolting slaves. Some believed the situation to be far worse than the state admitted, though, and a number of whites sought to flee Saint-Domingue yesterday.
The slave revolt in Saint-Domingue sent shock waves through much of the world, and especially the American South, where many wondered whether the government should take steps to prevent any future American slave revolt. Some even suggested that the United States should assist the Saint Dominguen government, though many maintained that the United States should not involve itself in European colonial affairs. It remained to be seen how Congress, or the President, would react.