The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-11 00:00:00

PRIGHTPUL.ATROCITIES OF THE

BLACKS;

(Per French steamer Caravelli.)

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, Monday, Oct. 16, 1865.
James Carson, Esq., Spinfield, Great Marlow.
Dear Sir,—ln addressing you last occasion, I
thought that I should not be so soon called on again
to write.

I was returning from the North side, having pur-
chased some cattle for Hopewell at Fort George,
when, at about 11 p.m., at Golden Spring,
I was met by Mr. Hammott, • the Overseer, or
Manager, who handed me a letter from. St. Thomas
in the East, stating that a fearful scene had taken
place in Morant Bay. The people had broken out
in the most diabolical and infamous rebellion that
has ever disgraced a country or a people. A special
Session had met in the Court-house, and the ma-
jority of the respectable inhabitants of the parish
were present. This was the time chosen by the rebel
leaders for the murderous outbreak, and accord-
ingly large numbers of people collected around
the Court-house with every weapon of offence and
defence they could muster, and created a noise
and riot. Baron von. Ketelholdt read the Riot
Act—and, the mob not dispersing, the volunteers
fired a volley. This appeared to be a signal
for a general outbreak, and with unearthly
yells and shouts—tore round the Court-house, the
now infuriated negroes ! The Custos, with magis-
trates and volunteers, retired into the Court-house,
and the armed force kept up firing through the
windows: Unfortunately ammunition was short,
there being only two rounds each.
On the shooting down of the people the mob
separated, and during their absence Georges and a
few others escaped from the Court-house, but
were seen and pursued. The mob now augmented,
and, more furious, surrounded the Court-house,
and put the fire-stick to it in order to drive out or
consume the people. Most of the inmates tried to
make their escape by the door, but as each ap-
proached the entrance he was brutally butchered.
by the ruffianly insurgents. The Baron was among
the first to come out, and he was literally cut to
pieces. His right hand was cut off joint by joint.
His head was cleft in two. His brains were
mixed with rum, and drank by his murder-
ers. His body, stripped of all save his
socks, was left exposed in the street. Black
Price, merely on account of his association with
white people, was subjected to the most horrible
and appalling indignities. After his body had been
cut up with cutlasses, he was held on his feet while
the women cut out his bowels and strewed them on
the street. Parson Herschel had his tongue cut out
before the poor man was dead. It is impossible for
me to present to you an account of all these fright-
ful atrocities, or to tell you of all the poor fellows
who have come to an untimely end by these merci-
less assassins. Georges escaped with two gunshot
wounds in his leg. The insurgents took all the
guns and ammunition from the murdered
volunteers and police, and then with yelling impre-
cations and anathemas on the white man and his
race, commenced the work of demolition -and de-

struction. Morant Bay is ruined. • The following
morning the insurgents pursued their course in two

directions, gathering numbers in their cause as they
went along. One party went up Blue Mountain

Valley, murdering every white and brown man

hey came across.

All who could not escape

met a terrible death. They also pro-
ceeded to Monklands, where they did much

harm, but Mr. Paterson miraculously escaped.
The troops went from Newcastle bf Green Valley
to Arntully, and had anticipated further progress in
that direction. They report the rebel force as