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of them have come. Are not the officers of engineers bound, as well as others, to march where honour calls them? I beg you will request government to send me, without delay, two chiefs of brigade, and two chiefs of battalion of that corps.

The General in Chief to the Minister of Marine.

Cape, Feb. 9.

I have found in the Cape a quantity of provisions, a great quantity of cannon, and ammunition of all kinds. The fusils, cannot, and powder have been furnished by the United States.

Although we are much incommoded by the great quantities of rain which have fallen, in five days we shall pursue Toussaint. I am uncertain whither he will betake himself, and what he will do. I an informed that one part of his treasures is at Gonaïves. If this be true, the war will soon be finished, as I shall be there by the 14th. The whites, the people of colour, and the old free-blacks, begin to return to their habitations. troops are even beginning to abandon Toussaint. The government may rest assured that the army will never repose till all be completed. The black generals make the cultivators of their own colour work more severely than the whites do..

His

A letter from a secretary of Toussaint's, who has come to Port Liberté (Port Dauphin), assures me, that for a month past he has been making the greatest preparations to oppose our landing, that his real force consists of 10 demi-brigades, each of 11 or 1200 men, and a body of cavalry, amounting to from 12 to

1500 horse. He adds that Tous saint did not expect our squadron for three months; and that our sudden arrival had disconcerted his plans completely.

I have also in my hands a treasurer of Toussaint's, who is immensely rich. I have caused a loaded vessel to be seized, which was on its way to the United States.

The merchants may rest assured they may now trade, in the fullest security, to the ports of the colony; and that they need not be afraid, neither of requisitions nor of any arbitrary measures.

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the honour of sending to you, opened the campaign on the 28th ultimo (January 18th), and on that day general Desfourneaux's division advanced to Limbe; general Hardy's division advanced to the Great Boucan, and to the Momets, whi that of general Rochambeau proceeded to the Tamerie, and to the Bois de L'Ame. A small force, composed of the garrisons of the Cape and of Fort Dauphin, marched towards St. Suzanne, Trou, and Velliere. These divisions had actions of a difficult nature to encoun ter, from the local advantages pos sessed by the natives, inasmuch as the rebels concealed, themselves in the underwood, and impenetrable

forests

forests that shelter the valleys, and who possessed, when they were repulsed, a secure retreat in the Mornes. The troops whom I ordered to advance have, notwithstanding, made themselves masters of the positions which I had given them orders to take.

On the 29th, general Desfourneaux's division took a position near Plaisance; Hardy's division posted themselves at Dondon; and Rochambean's at St. Raphael. These three divisions discomfited the enemy in all directions, with the greatest impetuosity. One must be acquainted with the country, in order to form a competent idea of the difficulties that are to be struggled with in every encounter. I experienced nothing in the Alps to be compared

with them.

On the 30th, Desfourneaux's division posted themselves at Plaisance, without meeting with any obstacle. This district was commanded by J. P. Dumesnil, a man of excellent character, who took the first opportunity of a parley with gen. Desfourneaux. He had under his command 200 cavalry and 300 infantry, and manifested the generous resolution of saving his country in spite of the orders issued by Toussaint to set every thing on fire.

Hardy's division posted itself at Marmalade. Previous to its arrival they made themselves masters of the Morne at Boarspen, one of the most formidable positions which I have ever had occasion to attack since I entered into the military profession. This division entered Marmalade with fixed bayonets, though it was a post defended by gen. Christophe in person, who had under his command 1200 men of the line, and an equal number of common labour

ers.

Every thing gave way to French impetuosity. On the same day gen. Rochambeau took a position at St. Michel, where he met with very little resistance. His right column which was to pass by Marie-a la-Roche, which was entrenched and defended by artillery and a body of 400 men, carried that position with the bayonet, without firing a single shot, and joined the general in the evening at St. Raphael. I was well aware that it was the enemy's intention to defend the canton of Ennery and of Gonaïves, and for that reason I harassed them in that position as much as was in my power. With that view I dispatched general Debelle to Port-dePaix, at the head of a division, and he had instructions to press hard, and drive back general Maurepas, upon the Gonaïves. The latter ge neral had under him 2000 troops of the line, and as many cultivators, entrenched about two leagues from Port-de-Paix, in the narrow pass of the Trois-Rivieres. I thought it of great advantage to annihilate this corps, who had obtained some advantages over general Humbert. I gave orders to general Boudet to advance by Mirabalais, towards the Petite-Riviere, in order to cut off the enemy's retreat, whom I had hopes of discomfiting at the Gonaïves. Of these two divisions I could not avail myself, in order to give success to that operation.

General Debelle, who, according to my calculations, should have landed his troops at Port-de-Paix on the 29th, could reach it only on the 30th, and that very late; the eastern winds, which prevail upon the coast, having failed during the passage from the Cape to Port-dePaix.

On

On the 1st Ventôse (February 20) general Debelle proceeded to attack general Maurepas; but a dreadful fall of rain which came on prevented the column which was intended to turn the enemy's position from arriving in time. The columns which attacked the front of the position were overpowered with fatigue and could not carry it; and as to the column that was to turn the enemy's position, it employed twenty-four hours in executing that manoeuvre, having been obstrusted in its march by torrents and bad roads; it was moreover attacked by the whole force of the rebels collected together against it. It effected, however, a retreat in very good order. General Debelle had advanced to favour its motions.

Boudet's division, on setting out from Port-au-Prince, marched towards the Croix-des-Bouquets, to which the rebels set fire on seeing him approach. General Dessalines, who commanded at this point, made a faint to retreat to the Montagne des Grands-Bois: but by a rapid march, he advanced towards Leogane after passing by the MontagneNoire. I had left orders for general Boudet to dispatch a frigate to take possession of Leogane, but his forces were unable to preserve the town, which Dessalines had ordered to be set on fire. From thence Dessalines advanced against Jacmel, from whence he addressed a letter to me, signed by all the inhabitants of the commune, in which these wretches expressed their regret at being under the barbarous and ferocious government of Toussaint. Never were heads cut off with more facility at Constantinople, or bastinadoings bestowed with more generosity, than at St. Domingo under the govern.

ment of Toussaint and his adhe rents.

General Boudet, who was aware of the intentions of general La Plume, who summoned the southern district to submit to the French government, did not think it expedient to depart from that interesting quar ter. He dispatched thither 1500 men under the command of adjutant Darbois, in order to force general Dessalines to retreat, and to determine the submission of general La Plume. This measure saved the southern district. Dessalines retreated with his followers into the Grands-Bois, and general La Plume sent me a certificate of his submission. Since that time I have received no communications from general Boudet: I am only informed, that the day before yesterday he entered Saint Mark, which he found in part consumed by fire.

On the 1st Ventôse the different divisions remained in their respective positions. On the 30th the weather was abominable, and continued so till the first.

On the 2d, Desfourneaux's division advanced within two leagues of Plaisance. Hardy's division took possession of Ennery with the bayo net, as usual. This post was also defended by Christophe, who had under him 1000 troops of the line and 1200 cultivators. I learned that general Christophe had retreated to the Plantation Bayonnai: I immediately ordered general Hardy to dispatch thither the brigade of general Salm. This brigade, which had performed a very fatiguing march on the 2d, continued, nevertheless, to march the whole of the night, and, on break of day of the 3d, car ried the position of Christophe They, moreover, made considerable

booty,

booty, having got possession of a dépôt belonging to the rebels.

On the 3d, Rochambeau's division posted itself at the head of the Ravine-à-Couleuvre, which leaves the Coupe-à-Linde to the left, and the Mornes, where Christophe had entrenched himself, to the right. On the same day, general Desfourneaux came and posted himself before Ennery, where general Hardy also assembled his division.

On the 4th, Desfourneaux's division marched to Coupe-à-Pintade, where they fell in with the enemy, I had ordered that division to be supported by Desplanque's and Hardy's brigade. General Desfourneaux attacked the enemy, and drove them to Gonaïves, which had been burnt two days before. The enemy being vigorously pursued could no longer make head, but retreated towards the river Ester, leaving 200 men killed upon the field of battle.

Salm's brigade, belonging to Hardy's division, came the same day and took its position at the Piteau, in face of La Coupe-àPintade.

On the same day the division of Rochambeau entered the Ravine-àCouleuyre. It was there that gen. Toussaint, with his guards, forming a body of 1500 grenadiers, drawn from different demi-brigades, and about 1200 men,chosen from the best battalions of his army, together with 400 dragoons, expected to be able to defend himself. The ravine at Couleuvre is enclosed on all sides in an extraordinary manner. It is flanked by mountains, the tops of which are covered with woods, in which were placed more than 2000 armed cultivators in addition to the troops already enumerated. The

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rebels had collected a quantity of materials for the purpose of obstructing the passage, and were possessed of the entrenched positions which commanded the ravine. position so uncommonly strong as this would have deterred almost any other man than general Rochainbeau; he, however, made his dispositions with the rapidity of lightning, and attacked the entrenchments of the enemy.

A combat of man to man commenced; the troops of Toussaint fought with great courage and obstinacy, but every thing yielded to French intrepidity. Toussaint evacuated his position, and retired in disorder to Petite-Rivière, leaving eight hundred of his troops dead on the field of battle. On the 5th I arrived at Gonaïves. I was extremely anxious about the fate of generals Debelle and Boudet, of whom I had received no intelligence.

On the 6th I discovered by means of my spies that general Debelle had not succeeded in repulsing general Maurepas. I gave orders to the division under general Desfourneaux to march to Gros Morne on the road to Port-de-Paix, and to general Rochambeau to advance to the bridge of Ester, and to push forward on the right and left, for the purpose of gaining intelligence of general Boudet, and the retreat of the enemy.

On the 7th I gained intelligence that general Boudet had made himself master of St. Mark. I saw in this quarter no other enemy but Maurepas to encounter; I gave orders to general Hardy to march to Gros Morne with five companies of grenadiers and 800 men drawn from his division. I added to this body a company of my guards, consisting of 200 men. I marched in person

with this body, and on the evening of the 7th took up a position within two leagues of Gros Morne. My intention was to march with the division of Desfourneaux, and 1500 men of Hardy's division, for the purpose of taking up a position on the 8th two leagues further in the rear of general Maurepas, with a view of attacking him at break of day on the 9th in concert with gen. Debelle, whom I had apprized of this movement. But general Maurepas, who had no means of retreat left, had previously sent deputies to general Debelle, whom my letters had not then reached, offering to surrender on the terms specified in my proclamation, in which I offer to continue those officers, who should submit, in their respective ranks. To this proposal general Debelle assented, and notwithstand ing the excellence of my position I thought it my duty to confirm what general Debelle bad done, and gave orders to general Maurepas to join the army at Gros Morne, where I was waiting his arrival. I have sent back the body drawn from the division of Hardy to Gonaïves, to which place I shall march for the purpose of recommencing to-morrow the pursuit of Toussaint.

Since the affair of the 4th the inhabitants consider Toussaint as lost; the cultivators return to their habitations, the soldiers desert his standards, and already it is the opinion of all, that we are masters of the colony.

General Desfourneaux bestows particular praise on Grandet, chief of brigade; general Hardy gives great credit to the exertions of Deplanques, adjutant-commandant, whom I have appointed general of brigade; general Salm is also highly

spoken of. I have appointed Congeat a chief of battalion, formerly a chief of brigade in the 11th light corps, on the field of battle. This brave officer is since dead of the wounds which procured for him this accession of rank.

General Rochambeau speaks in high terms of the services of Brunet, general of brigade; of Lavallette and Andrien, adjutant commandants; and of citizen Rey, chief of brigade in the 5th light. Citizen Lachatre, one of this general's aide-de-camps, was killed in storming Fort Dauphin. I have every reason to be satisfied with the exertions of Bruyere, my aide-de-camp chef d'escadre, and of Billcourt, holding the same rank, who is attached to the general staff.

The exertions of the whole army deserve my particular acknowledg ments; the 5th, 11th, and 17th light, and the 31st and 68th of the line, have particularly distinguished themselves. General Boudet is liberal in his commendation of Pamphile Lacroix and Darbois, adjutsat commandants. As soon as the returns from the different corps shall reach the chief of the staff, a de tailed account on this point will be transmitted to you. He will serd you a list of those brave individuals to whom I have judged it proper to assign rewards. I have to beg of you to require a confirmation of them from the chief consul.

Thus has the army of St. Domin go, in the space of a campaign of fifteen days, dispersed the principal bodies of the rebels, got possession of a great part of their baggage, and a considerable portion of their artillery.

Among the number of officers who have submitted are Clervaux,

La

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