The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Oct. 25. By Capt. Ward, who arrived here from Martinico since our last, we learn, that the commotions which has so long agitated that island, have produced a melancholy scene of human carnage. Our readers will recollect that there are two implacable parties in that island. Count Damas, (the Governor) the principal planters, the King's troops, and free mulattoes form one party, which is denominated the Royalists ; the other party is formed of the inhabitants of St. Pierre, and some of Fort Royal, who are called the Revolutionists. In a former tumult, the latter executed several mulattoes ; which occasioned the expedition against St. Pierre, commanded by Count Damas, and the Viscount de Ponteves-Gign, [Accounts of which have been published.] The ringleaders of the mob who murdered the mulattoes, were apprehended, some were committed to gaol, and others sent to France, and tranquillity was thereby restored for a time.

Since then the St. Pierre Revolutionists have demanded of the Governor, that the prisoners in gaol should be liberated, the suits commenced against those sent to France stopped, the Mulattoes disarmed, and Fort Bourbon put into their possession. These the Governor could not comply with ; but the Revolutionists found means to get possession of Fort Bourbon, on which the Governor and his officers retired to Gourbeyre, where the Assembly was sitting ; and the St. Pierre people fitted out five cutters, to prevent supplies going to that part of the island. The Governor also took measures to stop all supplies for the Revolutionists in Fort Bourbon : In consequence of which the garrison were obliged to send out large parties to collect subsistence from the plantations : One of these parties, on a marauding expedition, was attacked by the mulattoes and negroes, (whom the planters had armed for the protection of their property ;) and being overpowered by numbers, were obliged to retreat to a cane field--to this the negroes, &c. immediately set fire, and the Revolutionists issued therefrom, massacred them without distinction to the number 784; with the loss of only 5 or 6—Captain WARD had the account of the numbers killed, from officers who counted the dead bodies. The planters have since solemnly sworn, never to carry any more of their produce to the market of St. Pierre; and the Count Damas was preparing for an expedition against that city, which he was determined to bring to submission, or reduce to ashes. In this unhappy situation was the island, when Capt. Ward left it.