The work of blood was perpetrated most systematically, in exact obedience to the cruel mandate of the chief. Precautions were adopted to prevent any other foreigners from being involved in the fate of the French. In Cape Francois, where the tragedy took place on the night of the 20th of April, lest from mistake or some other cause any of the American merchants should be molested, a strong guard was sent in the evening to each of their houses, with orders not to suffer any individual to enter, not even one of the black generals, without the consent of the master, who was apprized of these orders that he might be under no apprehensions for his own safety. These orders were so punctually obeyed, that one of those privileged individuals who had given shelter to some Frenchmen was able to protect them to the last.

The French priests, and surgeons, and others who during the war had manifested humanity to the negroes, were spared, to the amount of about one-tenth part of the whole number. The massacre, in other respects, was indiscriminate. Neither age nor sex was regarded. The personal security enjoyed by the Americans did not prevent them form feeling it a night of horrors. At short intervals they heard the pick-axe thundering at the door of some devoted neighbor, and soon forcing it, piercing shrieks almost immediately ensued, and these were followed by an expressive silence. The next minute the military party were heard proceeding to some other house to renew their work of death.

There was one act in this tragedy which stamps the conduct of Dessalines with the character of most flagitious perfidy, as well as cruelty. A proclamation was published in the newspaper, stating that the vengeance due to the crimes of the French had been sufficiently executed, and inviting all who had escaped the massacre to appear on the parade and receive tickets of protection, after which, it was declared, they might depend on perfect security. As the massacre had been expected, many hundreds had contrived to secrete themselves; most of whom now came forth from their hiding-places, and appeared on the parade. But instead of receiving the promised ticket’s of protection, they were instantly led away to the place of execution and shot. The rivulet which runs through the town of Cape Francois was literally red with their blood.

The vindictive, measures of the chief were far from being generally applauded, even by his brethren in arms. The disapprobation of Christophe was well known, though a regard to his own safety restrained him from any open opposition. Telemaque, and another officer, expressed their horror at such scenes, and were punished by being compelled to hang, with their own hands, two Frenchmen then in the fort. The military execution, with all its enormity, must be imputed to Dessalines alone. In an address “to the inhabitants of Hayti,” with the publication of which he concluded the month of April, he ostentatiously claimed the procedure as his own, gloried in his superiority to the vulgar feelings which would have opposed such severity, and evidently laboured to reconcile his followers to his sanguinary conduct by insisting upon its justice and necessity; at the same time affecting to contrast his system with that of the mild and humane Toussaint, charging him with a want of firmness at least, if not of faithfulness, and warning his own successors against following the same conciliatory plan.

Dessalines invades the Spanish part of the Island — but without success.
A small detachment of French troops still retained possession of the city of St. Domingo; add the Spanish inhabitants of the eastern part of the island, who, until evacuation of Cape Francois, had acknowledged the new government, had since, under the influence of their priests, withdrawn their promised obedience, and espoused the cause of the French. The first objects which engaged the attention of Dessalines, after the massacre in the month of April, were the subjugation of the Spaniards, and the expulsion of the French from the last of their strong holds. He determined also on proceeding all round the coast, to examine every station, and enforce, where it should be necessary, all the regulations he had established.

On the 14th of May, Dessalines set out from Cape Francois, by the way of the Mole, Port Paix, and Gonaives, employing himself at the different places in repairing the injuries of war, and settling every thing that required his interference and authority. After going through the western and northern provinces, he proceeded on his march to the Spanish part of the island, with a confidence of success which no circumstances warranted his entertaining. His recent cruelty, notwithstanding the attempt in his proclamation to prevent its being turned to his prejudice with these Spaniards, could not but have inspired them with horror; and they were not, like Europeans, inferior from the influence of the climate. They were chiefly descendants of negroes, and a mixture of the African race, and their numbers, according to the best accounts, at the time of Toussaint’s conquest of their country, were above a hundred thousand free persons, and about fifteen thousand slaves. The species of slavery there was so mild that the subjects of it were generally and strongly attached to their masters; and both masters and slaves inherited a national prejudice against all the inhabitants of the other part of the island.

Dessalines laid siege to the city of St. Domingo, which appears to have made a more vigorous resistance than he anticipated. He would probably halve persevered in the attempt, but the arrival of a French squadron with a reinforcement of troops leaving him little hope of a speedy conquest, he raised the siege, and matched back again without having accomplished either of the objects of his expedition.

Dessalines takes the title of Emperor.