It was on the 2nd March 1795 that the revolt broke out in Grenada. None of the English had the least idea that it was coming. The Governor himself had gone away on a trip to the leeward side of the island, unconscious of any mischief. Before the morning of the 3rd of March had dawned the negroes had massacred the whites at Grenville Bay to windward, captured those at Charlottetown to leeward, and held forty-two of them, including the unlucky Governor, as prisoners in their hands. The civilian next in rank to the Governor at once took command of the island, sent to Martinique, Barbados, and Trinidad for assistance, and called out the local militia. This done he sent the 150 men of the 58th, together with the militia, to attack the insurgent post at Charlottetown. But when it came to the point the militia was not to be found--every man had fled on board the coasting vessels. The insurgents’ position being very strong, the 58th could not attack it, and were compelled to return to St. George’s. [Sidenote: 12th Mar.] On the 12th March General Lindsay arrived from St. Lucia (which as yet was still quiet) with 150 men of the 9th and 68th Foot, and on the 17th attacked the insurgents, who forthwith retired to an impregnable position. Then the tropical rain came down and put a stop to all further operations. There are not many roads in Grenada now, and there were still fewer then--mere narrow, cobble-paved tracks, hardly wide enough for any wheeled vehicle. In fact these West Indies are miserable places to fight in, as this poor handful of British soldiers now discovered. Soaked with rain, exhausted by the stifling heat, and broken down by fever, the men had to tramp back as best they could. [Sidenote: 1795.] General Lindsay in the delirium of fever committed suicide, and his successor saw that without a stronger force it was useless to attack the rebels. Meanwhile the head of the insurgents, a ruffianly mulatto named Fédon, issued a proclamation threatening death to all who helped the English, and announcing openly that he would retaliate for any measures of repression by slaughtering his prisoners. As a natural consequence the negroes flocked to his standard in thousands, and laid the whole island waste. [Sidenote: 1st April.] On the 1st of April there arrived a weak reinforcement of the 25th and 29th Foot, probably about 400 men, from Barbados. With these and a few blue-jackets Brigadier Campbell attacked the insurgent stronghold on the 8th, but was repulsed. The rebel position was of extraordinary strength, well chosen, well fortified by abattis and other obstacles, and strongly manned. The British troops did all that men could do, with everything--numbers, climate, and tropical rain--against them; but they were compelled to retreat with the loss of 100 killed and wounded. Fédon then brought out his prisoners and cut the throat of every one.