Gazette Of The United States

By Capt. Ward, who arrived at Boston the 22d inst. from Martinique, we learn, that the commotions which have 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 Porteves (Gen.). The ringleaders of the mob who murdered the mulattoes, were apprehended—some were committed to gaol, and others sent to France, and tranquility 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 Gourmon, where the Assembly was sitting; and the St. Pierre people fitted out 5 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 as the Revolutionists issued therefrom, massacred them without distinction to the number of 84; with the loss of only 5 or 6—Capt. 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.