The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1889-02-14
SLAUGHTERED.
Details of the Butchery of Troops
In Hayti.
rhree Hundred OF Legitime's Soldiers Sur
rounded by "a Large Force Of Hippo
lyte's Troops and Put to Death
No Quarter Given.


b.
sr. MARC, Hayti, Feb. 7.-General Hippo
lyte has just gained great victory. 1t is
the most important battle which has been
fought In the civil war Of Hayti. Battle"
by the way, is rather misleading word In
the present instance, for when 800 men are
caught like rats In a trap with their retreat
intercepted and they are then surrounded
and shot down at leisure with barbarous
cruelty, no quarter being shown, no prison
ers taken and every living soul put TO death,
"butcheryn seems TO be the proper charac-
terizaton OF the horror. That was the scene
witnessed on January % at the little seaport
town OF Grandeseline, about twenty-five
miles from here, where detachment OF
Legitime's army was completely annihi-
lated
1t was about 1:3O in the morning OF the
24th when the distant booming OF heavy
guns was heard TO the northward, General
Montpoint, General Hippolyte's Secretary OF
War was in command at St Marc. He had
only 900 troops at hand, but there was gen
eral call 10 arms and every man In the town
capable OF bearing arms was required to re
spoud at once. In an hour the army was in
motion with the civilian volunteers IL
numbered about 500. The troops set out at
once for Grandeseline, expecting 10 join
forces with about 200 troops which were
known TO be at Gonaives, and an equal
number scattered at interior points. The
troops arrived at Grandeselinc on the fol-
lowing morning. They advanced cautious
ly and camped under the shelter OF trop-
ical forest The soldiers from St. Marc had
met those from Gonaives and the interior.
Meantime the bombardment had continued
from the Legitlmist gunboats in the harbor
and the whole town had been completely
destroyed and laid In ruins.
Three hundred Legitimisttroop had been
sent ashore 10 hold possession OF the town
after the shells Of the gunboats had re-
duced It TO ruins, Many OF the Inhabitants
OF the town had been killed and wounded In
the attack, but most OF the people had fled
to the woods when the bombardment began.
After having put the troops ashore the
naval vessels steamed away from Grande
soline, thus leaving the landing party with
out means Of retreat, and entirely dependent
upon their own resources TO hold the town.
with force outnumbering the Legitimist
troops two 10 one Hippolyte's men quietly
surrounded the town, still remaining con-
cealed until tho invaders should feel COM
paratively secure at the apparent absence OF
any foe.
Then the soldiers OF the North poured into
Grandcseline from all sides. No quarter
was shown. The Legitimists scattered and
fed, but they were pursued and shot down
IKE rats. Not one was spared. Nothing
was left to mark the site OF the little town
but smolderlng ruins and heaps OF dead and
dying.
There was an engagement on the Goth at a
town in the interior called Hishie. About
500 men were engaged On both sides. The
Northern army came of victorious, captur-
ing eighteen prisoners. Fifteen OF these
prisoners were shot Immediately and the re-
naming three were sent 10 St Marc TO be
put on the rack and otherwise tortured uu-
til they give information as to the move
ments OF Legitime's troops. Then they will
be mercifully shot TO end their agonies.