Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

DOMINICO.

ROSEAU, Dec. 7. Yesterday evening, about seven o'clock, a party of the run-aways came down to the Rosaly estate, where they carried their usual attendants, fire and devastation. It seems from the only information which we have yet been able to collect, which is from a person (a Mr. Dunche) who made his escape from this scene of horror, whilst the perpetrators were busied in the height of their incendiary proceedings, and who does not give the most distinct account, that they were surprised. Before he quitted the place, the whole of the buildings were in flames.

Since the above account, some negroes have arrived in town, who left the estate this day, and among them a wench named Catharine, a house servant, who was present during the performance of a great part of this horrid tragedy, of which they give the following particulars:

That about seven in the evening, near Graffthrowing, the negroes not having come from the field, Mr. Gamble, the manager, who had been bottling off a cask of Madeira, sent Catharine to the kitchen to light a candle; that on her way she received a shot in her arm; on which she ran back to the manager's house (a turret detached from the dwelling house) crying out, that she was wounded by the run-aways: That Mr. Gamble immediately ran out upon the steps before his door, and called down to the negroes at the works, to come up; that in this act he received a shot in his left breast. It appears to have been at this stage of the melancholy business, that Mr. Dunche made his escape, as he was unacquainted with the entrance of Augustine the driver, and other circumstances in the early part of this unfortunate affair. This faithful slave, hearing Mr. Gamble call for assistance, forced his way through the run-aways into the house, as did also a negro named Robert, the property of Mr. Gamble--but the latter was killed in the attempt. It appears that Mr. Gamble, on finding himself wounded, snatched up a musket, with which he brought down one of the run-aways, as did Augustine, the son of the chief Congoree, with another.--Mr. Gamble then took a second piece, with which he killed another of the run-aways. At this time three white men, who were employed on the estate, forced their way into the house, and finding no more ammunition, they attempted, by flashing some of the priming of the swivels, which were in the house, in the pans of their muskets, to discharge them, but in vain. Mr. Gamble then sent a negro, who was in the house, to the kitchen for a brand of fire, with a promise of a considerable reward, if he bro't it: but he had scarce left the house, before a shower of balls flew about him, which obliged him to fly, and it was with some difficulty he escaped the pursuit. He hid himself in the bushes, and was unable to return. The three white men who had last joined Mr. Gamble, now thought only of their own preservation, and attempted to make their escape by the windows. Mr. Armstrong, a carpenter, who first leaped out, was shot and fell, on which one of the run-aways run a bayonet up through his throat, which pierced the upper part of his skull. Mr. Harton, an overseer, received a shot on leaping out, and was cleft down through the skull; and Mr. Lisle, another overseer, was shot as he was standing at the window, preparing to leap out. The faithful Augustine now proposed to Mr. Gamble, who knew himself approaching to his last moments, to suffer him to remove him to a place, where he might breathe his last in peace, and his corpse not be subjected to the barbarity and indecent insult of these barbarians; but he replied, that since it was to be his fate to die by doors, he would face death on the spot! This worthy black then intimated an intention of endeavouring to seek his own safety by flight--on which Mr. Gamble, now almost spent and faint, said, "Augustine, will you leave me?" to which the faithful servant replied, with a true greatness of soul, worthy one in a higher sphere, "No, Master, we will die together." This was, alas! their fate: for at this moment the murderers rushed in, and shot him. Mr. Gamble reeled to his bed, and fell down on it, on which the savage leader, Congoree, with a leer of brutal satisfaction said, "That is what I wanted, you are now in your grave--now my boys set fire."--This, after plundering the house, they performed.-- Humanity revolts at the shocking sequel.

After having given to their savage thirst of blood full scope; they spread a long table in the dwelling house, which they covered with the plate, &c. of the Hon. Lieutenant Governour Stuart, and having killed all the stock they could find, they, whilst their drums were beating and guns firing, gave themselves up to every excess of riot and inebriety.--

The chief (Balla) had dressed himself in a uniform coat, with gold epaulets, which they had found among their plunder. But previous to this, Congoree, with a party, had gone down to the bay, and begun to spread fire and desolation around them. There they again found Catharine in a house with her mother, and both her sisters, whom they fired at, and again wounded--they also wounded the mother, and both her sisters. Congoree then exultingly displaying a lock of hair, said, "see there your manager's hair--go look at him now, how he looks--your father killed my son--but him myself dispatched." They then set fire to the store near the crane, and continued doing the same to all the other buildings, till the whole, except the dwelling house, and two or three of small importance, were entirely consumed. They continued in riot and plunder till ten o'clock the next day, when they departed--leaving an estate, in point of buildings, one of the first in the island, a heap of ruins.

Mr. Gamble was a young man of an amiable disposition, universally regretted, and his unhappy fate is by all lamented.