1793-Jul.: The evacuation of Cap Français resulted in a massive spectacle as hundreds of vessels filled with destitute survivors arrived in North American po…

1793-Jul.: The evacuation of Cap Français resulted in a massive spectacle as hundreds of vessels filled with destitute survivors arrived in North American ports. In a two-day period, over 20 ships loaded with French passengers reached Norfolk, a city of only 4,000 residents. By the end of the month, 137 ships had dropped anchor there, leading residents to report the town was crowded with “too many [French] negroes”. Baltimore received fifty-three ships carrying approximately 1,500 immigrants, while hundreds more arrived in Charleston. This sudden influx added more than 10,000 residents to the coastal United States, fundamentally altering the demographic and political landscape.