n
falls into his hands, and he drives the Spanish ally, Jean Francois,
westward along La Montaigne Noire. Then he hastens into the rich valley
of the Artibonite, attacks and beats back the English and besieges the
strong fortress of St. Marc; but neither forces nor ammunition is
sufficient and he retires to the mountain fastnesses of Marmalade to
recruit his troops. On October 9, 1794, he carries the fortress of San
Miguel by storm.

Toussaint determines to drive away the English, and he falls with fury
upon General Brisbane in the Artibonite and compels him to retreat. But
Jean Francois hung over him in the heights of La Grande Riviere. Again
he retires to Dondon and organizes his forces to repel the Spaniards. In
four days he takes and destroys twenty-eight positions, but Jean
Francois with a superior force threatens his rear while the English are
in front; again he is baffled and he returns to Dondon. Toussaint is no
longer the leader of marauding bands but the head of an army. His troops
are mostly raw and ignorant, badly clothed, armed, and fed, but they
trust in him and have courage. He seeks for efficient officers, and
finds Dessalines, Desroulaux, Maurepas, Clervaux, Christophe and
Lamartiniere. These he must command with discretion; his troops he must
provide with arms, ammunition, and food. He must watch the forces of the
Spaniards, the movements of the English. Intrigues abroad and
treacheries at home; henceforth he must organize campaigns.

The treaty of Basel had secured the cession of the whole Spanish part of
the island to France. Jean Francois was, therefore, at liberty to retire
to Spain, to enjoy his honors. There remained now but the English to
distract the plans of Toussaint and the French. One more disturbing
element yet existed. The mulattoes felt themselves superior to the
blacks, and the rightful successors to the whites in the honors and
government of the island. Jealous of Toussaint and the favors shown the
blacks, headed by Nillate (Villate), they rose against Laveaux, the
Governor of the Cape, and threw him into prison; his danger was extreme.
Toussaint descended on the town with ten thousand blacks and saved him.
Laveaux appointed him his lieutenant, second in command in the island,
and declared that he was the "Spartacus," foretold by Raynal, who should
avenge the sufferings of his race. Confidence grew now between the
blacks and the whites, and Lacroix--who is in no way friendly to the
b