Le Cap panicked as refugees poured in bearing news of the revolt.
Evidence
On the morning of August 23 a man rode into Le Cap on a barebacked horse, shoeless, hatless, a sword in his hand. “To arms, citizens, our brothers are being slaughtered and our properties are being burned; all the slaves of the plain are advancing with fire and iron in hand!” “At first everyone thought he was crazy,” but they gathered around him, asking questions, and soon came to believe him. Refugees from the northern plain were soon pouring into Le Cap. The town’s officials issued an order preventing all ships in the harbor from leaving—to keep the sailors around for the defense of the town, and to ensure that there was somewhere for the inhabitants to go if it failed. — Dubois, Laurent, Avengers of the New World_ The Story of…, 327
Categorization
Category: Factual Claims
Related
- White colonial authorities responded to the slave revolt with mass executions and terror (similarity 0.83)
- Christophe threatened to burn Le Cap before surrendering it (similarity 0.81)
- Rumors held Louverture secretly staged Le Cap’s burning (similarity 0.79)