Fort-Dauphin. Moyse is declared outlaw and flees by sea.

Already Colonel Dalban, on Manigat’s orders, had assembled before the town headquarters the battalions of the Morbihan and of Fort-Liberté, the 84th and 106th European regiments commanded by Colonel Romain; the national guard, and the gendarmerie under the orders of Quayer Larivière; and a corps of Spanish cavalry that Colonel Grandet had brought from Monte Christ and Laxavon. Five pieces of cannon loaded with grapeshot were trained on the parade ground. Cartridges were distributed to all these troops, who made up a force of 3,000 men. General Moyse was absent from the town; he was going through the mountains of Grande-Rivière, preparing the cultivators for the insurrection he had concerted with Toussaint Louverture. Manigat ordered the 5th colonial to form in line of battle before General Moyse’s house. This corps numbered only 700 men, without ammunition; and Manigat had 3,000 men to set against it, supported by a numerous artillery. The officers of the 5th, though murmuring, went to occupy the position assigned to them. Discouragement was painted on the faces of all the soldiers, who saw certain death before them. Madame Moyse, an energetic and daring woman, indignant at their irresolution, came out of her house, harangued them, raised their courage, and led the whole regiment to the Arsenal, which was held by only a few men. She herself opened the cartridge boxes to the soldiers; and the 5th, supplied with munitions of war, came back to resume its position, now with a proud and threatening bearing. On Raffin’s advice, Manigat summoned the 5th to lay down its arms. Colonel Adrien refused to obey. Colonel Dalban advanced the Morbihan battalion and the 106th regiment: the action began at once. The European troops delivered terrible volleys; but the 5th, answering their fire vigorously, did not give way. Dalban hurled the 84th regiment against it, which was repulsed with loss. Then the five cannon played upon it; the Black soldiers, though horribly raked with grapeshot, did not yield the ground. But Quayer Larivière, charging them impetuously at the head of a hundred horsemen, broke their ranks, put them to utter rout, and took most of them prisoner. With his own hand he killed a captain of grenadiers named Charles Zamore. Colonel Adrien and a battalion commander named l’Africain were also taken prisoner.

The next day, 17 October (26 Vendémiaire), General Moyse, followed by three dragoons, presented himself at the gates of the town; he found them shut. Colonel Grandet had them opened for him. Moyse went at once to his house to learn exactly what had happened the day before. But Manigat wrote to him that, as delegate of the Agent of the Directory, he had the armed force under his orders, and invited him to come and receive instructions from him, holding him personally responsible for any disorders that might break out in the town. Moyse answered that he did not refuse to join with the authorities in maintaining order, but that he wished to speak with him of the danger that still threatened the town, since he saw cannon still loaded with grapeshot trained on the parade ground, and the national guard, as well as the European troops, remaining under arms; that for the rest he would guarantee the tranquillity of the town if the troops withdrew to their respective quarters. Manigat refused him the interview he asked. He ordered him to declare himself against Toussaint Louverture, who was the agent of the English, and to carry out the instructions that would be given him. Moyse refused to take up arms against the general-in-chief. Then Manigat accused him of wishing to have all the whites massacred and of having cried “To arms!” when he came back into the town; he removed him from his functions and ordered that he be hunted down and taken dead or alive. Moyse was forced to flee; he had only time to throw himself into the sea and reach the mangliers of the roadstead, from which, through a thousand dangers, he made his way to Boisblanc. Colonel Adrien and the battalion commander l’Africain were sent to the Cap by sea, and Hédouville had them put in irons aboard a frigate.