Irois. Rigaud’s assault with 300 grenadiers on the fort held by Bowyer fails; English cavalry cut up his army.

On receiving the delegation’s dispatches, Rigaud learned from the letters of one of his friends, Juste Bigot, an officer in the Legion of the South, of the conduct of Rey and Desfourneaux at Les Cayes. Nor was he left unaware that Leborgne had seduced his betrothed; though of a very violent temperament, he had enough command of himself to stifle his indignation. He obeyed the orders of the delegation and set out against Les Irois, which General Bowyer held. The English garrison numbered more than 2,000 men. The republican army halted on the Laroc plantation, where it camped along the sea. An English frigate discovered it, cannonaded it for three hours and inflicted some losses on it. The next day Rigaud broke camp and in the course of that day arrived within cannon range of the fort of Les Irois. It was 7 August. This fortification rose on the summit of an almost sheer rock washed by the sea. The path leading up to it was so narrow that two men could scarcely walk abreast on it. Rigaud drew up his army, 2,000 strong, in line of battle on the plain. A column of 300 grenadiers carrying long ladders received the order to assault. The republicans, in spite of the round shot and grapeshot of the fort, reached its foot without firing a single musket shot, set their ladders against the rock and began to climb. At once a most murderous plunging fire, boiling water, molten lead and enormous stones poured down on our grenadiers. The main body of the division, arms at the shoulder on the plain, stood motionless under the fire of Les Irois without being able to answer it. Our grenadiers, thrown from their ladders, perished for the most part. Rigaud ordered the retreat. But the enemy cavalry rushed into the plain and charged with fury. The English hussars cut through the republican army in every direction, making the most frightful carnage of our soldiers, great numbers of whom were driven into the sea. Several battalions lost their colors. The soft ground of the plain slowed the impetus of the cavalry and saved the rest of our army. Rigaud returned to Tiburon with the remnants of his troops.