Sarrasin pushed back to Torbeck, saved by Laplume’s 700 men

In October 1802, a few days after the taking up of arms by Auguste at Saint-Louis du Sud, a revolt, led by a black indigène named Samedi, broke out in the plain of Torbeck. Smith, a white colonist who claimed to own him, was murdered on his habitation. Samedi had under his orders only 30 men armed with stones and sticks. General Laplume, who was in command at the Cayes, marched against him with a detachment commanded by an officer of Torbeck named Elie Boury. Laplume flooded the district of Torbeck with national guards and European troops; the workshops were decimated; the blood of the indigènes flowed in torrents. Samedi’s revolt had broken out too soon against Leclerc and had no result but the slaughter of his brothers who had favored his flight. On 13 March 1803 the French commanded by General Sarrasin were driven back from Welche Taverny as far as Torbeck, where Geffrard came to attack them from his camp at Gérard. Sarrassin, seeing himself surrounded, barricaded himself in the church. He was saved by the arrival of 700 men whom Laplume sent to his aid.

Rouzier tells this under the entry TORBECK.