National Gazette

The following account of the distress
at Cape Francois is copied from a New-York
paper of last Monday.

Capt. Fanning of the brig Union, arrived
yesterday in 14 days from Cape Francois,
gives the following melancholy particulars
respecting the state of that unhappy island.

On the 18th of June, the civil commissioners,
Messrs. Santhonax and Polverel, arrived at
the Cape from Port-au-Prince,—they immediately
suspended Mons. Galbaud, the governor and
commander of the troops at that place, and
sent him on board ship; on the 19th a number
of mulattoes were encouraged by these gentlemen,
to come into town, who, by unfair means, armed
all the negroes belonging to the citizens, and
encouraged them to assist in destroying all the
whites, which scene actually began on the 20th
about noon when an indiscriminate massacre of
both sexes took place—men, women and children
were cut to pieces, to the number of between 8
and 10 thousand; numbers took refuge in the
mountains, where it is supposed they have shared
a similar fate to their brethren ere this;—those
who were more fortunate, escaped on board the
shipping with what little clothes they had on;
the wretches then began to plunder the town,
after which they set fire to it, and on the 23d,
when capt. Fanning sailed, there were not more
than 20 houses standing. Capt. Fanning sailed
in company with 250 sail of vessels bound to
different ports in America, under convoy of two
74's and five frigates, who were bound to Boston
or Newport, so that we may hourly expect to hear
of their arrival. On Saturday last he fell in with
the L'Ambucade, off Barnegat, who detained him
for three hours, and then ordered him to proceed
on—Capt. Fanning's register, and all his papers
were burnt at the Cape.