s, for
example, as Rev. Mr. DuBois who was known to be their friend. Goods
were thrown into the street and burned. Men dared not utter a word
when they saw their accumulations of a life time destroyed. The
rioters later made another attack on the fort but could not carry it.
When they contemplated making a third attack the much desired
assistance had come in time to drive the mob away in all directions.

There had been much difficulty in reaching Christiansted and
especially in informing the Governor. This official arrived the
following afternoon and declared the town in a state of siege. New
troops were put in the field, but it was not until the 3d of October
that they succeeded in overtaking the first band of rioters, after
several soldiers and other whites had been killed and one third of
Frederiksted had been reduced to ashes. Some were captured and some
shot. Others were later hunted down and bayoneted, the innocent
suffering with the guilty. The militia was reenforced by other
soldiers and French and British men-of-war arriving opportunely in
port offered their assistance to the struggling government. Later the
United States _Plymouth_ appeared and assisted. Three hundred
prisoners were finally captured, and twelve were condemned by a court
martial and shot. On the 28th of October the court martial was
discontinued and a commission of investigation charged with adjudging
all cases arising from the riot was appointed. No other severe
punishments, however, ensued. The fact is that the riot had destroyed
the Labor Act and made the Negro actually free.

Despite these undesirable conditions, the United States had for years
desired to purchase the Danish West Indies. The Civil War
demonstrated very clearly our need for a naval and coaling station in
the West Indies. The ports of the Southern States were declared
blockaded, but it was difficult to maintain that decree, when at
several ports in the West Indies, especially at Nassau, blockade
runners were hospitably received and helped where our vessels were not
wanted.[389] A writer has said: "If it had not been for the friendship
of Denmark our vessels would have had a hard time in the Caribbean
during the Civil War so President Lincoln was disposed to be generous
in his offer for the islands out of gratitude to the Danes. The
purchase of Alaska was in part payment of a war debt of the same
sort."[390] It doubtless appears strange, however, that one of these
plans was