Context: English Martinique
After many twists and turns, the Republic was finally installed in Martinique in 1793. The wealthy landowners were strongly opposed to this change in status, fearing that slavery would be abolished and they would be dispossessed of their status and property.
They sent representatives Dubuc and Curt to show their support for the members of Louis XIV's family who had taken refuge in London, and also to sign the Whitehall Agreement with the English, promising their help in taking Martinique away from the French until the Monarchy was re-established in France, in return for powers of influence in Martinique.
On February 6, 1794, the British landed in Martinique, aided by the island's wealthy planters, who were opposed to the republican regime and wanted a return to the monarchical system in France. They laid siege to the entire island. The governor at the time, Comte de Rochambeau, did his best to resist, but after a month and a half of siege he had no choice but to capitulate.
The population was called upon to swear an oath to the British Crown, but some refused and fled to Saint-Barths, a neutral Danish island.
The planters who had gone into exile following the English defeat of the Republican forces in June 1793 returned to Martinique and regained possession of their property and slaves. As provided for in the pact with the English, they were given administration of the island, while the men of color promoted under Rochambeau were all removed from their roles.
Martinique was once again run as it had been under the Ancien-Régime and the monarchy.
The landing at Le Vauclin
Martinique had fallen to the English, but in Guadeloupe, the Republic had been installed, and the royalists who had pacted with the English were defeated, most of them shot. Victor Hugues (photo opposite), Governor of Guadeloupe and colonial administrator in the West Indies, tried to motivate the resistance to fight against the English, so that the islands taken by the English would become French once again. He succeeded in Saint Eustatius, Saint Martin and above all Sainte Lucia, where Martinique captain Magloire Pélage made his name. Only Martinique remained.
From Sainte-Lucie, preparations began for an attack to retake Martinique from the English. First of all, Victor Hugues sent two white Martinican emissaries, Fourne and Thiberge, who had settled in Saint Lucia. They were denounced, handed over to the English by the planters and shot.
On December 16, 1795, a troop of 120 whites and coloreds from Saint Lucia landed in Le Vauclin in the middle of the night with the aim of re-establishing the republic and, above all, abolishing slavery. They were to be joined by a confederation of 400 patriots from the François region, but this was not to be. Their arrival did not arouse the enthusiasm hoped for, even among the free black population and the slaves. Only 30 slaves and free men joined them.
The reinforcements that were due to arrive were crushed by the English navy and had to turn back. On land, the outnumbered Republicans were soon surrounded and suffered heavy losses. The survivors fled to the heights of Montagne du Vauclin, where a price was put on their heads.
When they were found, they were hunted down and massacred by the slaves they had come to free...
No further land operations were attempted to reconquer Martinique. The Guadeloupeans had to make do with sometimes successful sea operations against the English. Martinique remained under English occupation until 1802. The war between France and England, which was being waged in Europe, was concluded by a pact stipulating that Martinique would once again become a French colony.
Conclusion
This landing at Le Vauclin is little known and little reported in Martinique's history, yet it could have helped free the slaves before 1848. Alas, poorly organized and few in number, the blacks from St. Lucia who came to deliver the slaves from Martinique failed to mobilize the latter.
Were they so afraid of the planters that they rallied to the planters' cause rather than that of their liberators from Saint Lucia? After chasing down and killing the slaves who had come to free them, they were to return to the fields and the beatings, insults and bruises of their owners, whose cause they had defended.
In the end, the slaves of Martinique had to wait until 1848 to finally obtain their freedom.
