264
HISTORY OF ST. DOMINGO.
also commanded a division.    To them were added Generals
Kerversan and Boudet, with a force of twenty thousand men.
The two sons of Toussaint L'Ouverture who had been educated
in France, were sent as hostages for the reception of the French
army by their father, under the care of the tutors who had ac-
companied them. Admiral Villaret (who was in the service of the
regal government of France) commanded the fleet, under whom
were Rear-Admiral Latouche, and Captain Magon.    The fleet
consisted of some of the best ships of the line, and a propor-
tionable number of frigates, transports, &c.    The prevalent sen-
timent seemed to be, that after the first attack, a compromise
would be effected with Toussaint and the different chiefs, which
would enable the French force to establish itself throughout the
island, and complete the subjugation of the armed blacks.%
In the month of December the expedition sailed, amidst the
acclamations of all, who were either interested in its success, or
* The absurdity of this idea, when the state of St. Domingo at the time is considered, and
the accumulated strength which the General in Chief had acquired from the defeat of every
enemy as well as the experience which the different contentions had afforded him, is a suf-
ficient proof of the inconsideration with which Bonaparte was hurried into tins rll-contrived
and ruinous measure.    The writer did not omit any means, both with those in power
and otherwise, to convince them of the futility of the scheme, and to caution the British
government against the temptation afforded to Admiral Villaret, to turn his course to a mor
accessible destination.   But such was the predetermined state of the public «^1     h
opinions and his cautions were alike disregarded.   Both have, however, been fullyeonroho
rated • and if the "feeble and divided" blacks had not given a better account of the French
expedition, worse effects of such an inattention might have been experienced. As a curiosity,
when compared with the French General's dispatches, the anticipation of h.s  ate, as pub-
lished at the Military Library in London in the beginning of 1802, will be found in the
Appendix to this work.                     g                                                  imagined