e colony, made one Vincent, the Captain-general of all the
colored militia in the vicinity of the Cape. This Captain Vincent died
in 1780 at the reputed age of 120 years. He was certainly of great age,
for he had been in the siege of Carthagenia in 1697, was taken prisoner,
afterwards liberated by exchange and presented to Louis XIV, and fought
in the German war under Villars. Moreau de St. Mery, in his description
of Vincent incidentally mentions the Savannah expedition. He says: "I
saw him (Vincent) the year preceding his death, recalling his ancient
prowess to the men of color who were enrolling themselves for the
expedition to Savannah; and showing in his descendants who were among
the first to offer themselves, that he had transmitted his valor.
Vincent, the good Captain Vincent, had a most pleasing countenance; and
the contrast of his black skin with his white hair produced an effect
that always commanded respect."

The Haytian historian, Enclus Robin, says when the call for volunteers
reached Saint Domingo: "eight hundred young freedmen, blacks and
mulattoes, offered themselves to take part in the expedition;" that they
went and "fought valiantly; and returned to Saint Domingo covered with
glory." Madiou, another Haytian historian of the highest respectability
says: "A crowd of young men, black and colored, enlisted with the French
troops and left for the continent. They covered themselves with glory in
the siege of Savannah, under the orders of Count D'Estaing."

What effect this experience had upon these volunteers may be inferred
from their subsequent history. Robin says: "These men who contributed
their mite toward American independence, had still their mothers and
sisters in slavery; and they themselves were subject to humiliating
discriminations. Should not France have expected from that very moment,
that they would soon use in their own cause, those very arms which they
had learned so well to use in the interests of others?" Madiou says: "On
their return to Saint Domingo they demanded for their brothers the
enjoyment of political rights." Beauvais went to Europe and served in the
army of France; but returned to fight for liberty in Hayti, and was
Captain-general in 1791: Rigaud, Lambert and Christophe wrote their
names--not in the sand. These are the men who dared to stir Saint
Domingo, under whose influence Hayti became the first country of the New
World, after the United States, to throw off European rul