After a stay of several days in the island of St. Thomas,
Governor-General v Scholten sailed in the forenoon of the 2nd
July, 1848, for St. Croix, in the brig-of-war "Ornen," which I
commanded.
About four o'clock in the afternoon we anchored in Bassin
(Christiansted), suspecting nothing of the row which the negroes
intended to make. The General dined with me. At sunset he landed
in order to proceed to Bülowsminde, and as he heard that I
intended to have the ship painted, he invited me to pass the time
at his beautiful country seat.
About 10 o'clock, p.m. we retired to rest. The 3rd July, at
about two o'clock in the morning, I was awakened by the General's
servant with a request that I would come to the General as
quickly as possible. I immediately repaired to his presence and
found him already dressed. He then showed me a report from the
Chief Commander of the Fort in West End (Frederiksted), Capt. v
Castonier, which stated that the negroes were restless at that
part of the island--that bells were being rung on the
estates--and they were sounding the alarm on their shells
(conchshells).
When I had read the report, the Governor-General said: "What is
now to be done?" To this I answered that I thought the best thing
to do was to seek as quickly as possible to smother the
disturbance at its birth, because every minute now lost would
lend additional strength to the disturbers of the peace. It was
my impression that twenty to thirty armed men should immediately
be sent on horseback to West End in order to scatter the negroes
apart.
The Governor remarking that he could not dispose of such a force,
I replied that I did not think it would be so difficult to get
such a number of mounted militia collected from the nearest
estates.
In the meantime, the General's horses were saddled and we now
both rode, accompanied by a mounted servant, down to the
Government house in Bassin. The night was a starry one and the
weather exceedingly fine. We stopped now and then on the tops of
the different hills which we rode over to listen if we could not
hear the blowing of shells or any shouting. But all was hushed,
and we heard only the rustling of the cocoa-nut palm leaves moved
by the trade wind. As soon as we arrived in town, messages were
sent to Major v Falbe, who was Chief of the Fort in Bassin, Major
v Geillerup, who lived in the barracks, Oberst de Nully, Major
Keutsch and others. We now spoke of what was to be done. I still
maintained that action should be taken immediately and that if
the cavalry force which I had asked for could not be got, which I
could by no means admit, other military must immediately be sent
to West End. I furthermore said to the General that I would go on
board to let the men that could be dispensed with get ready to
land, and, at the same time, get the brig ready for sea so as to
be able to leave for West End by daybreak, if ordered. The
General requested me to remain a little longer in the Government
House so as to avoid making any disturbance in town where all was
still and quiet. The conference ended, I believe, in Major
Keutsch's coachman being sent towards West End for more
information as to how it stood with the island. It was now nearly
five o'clock in the morning. The time passed and nothing was
done. I believed I knew the negro character, and that the riot
could have been smothered at the beginning by decisive action.
Seeing that my presence at Government House was of no further
use, I told the General that I would now go on board, so that I
could get the brig ready for sea, and to send armed men on shore,
if required. This I did, and awaited the General's order.
To my surprise I received none whatsoever, and about eight
o'clock a.m. I again went on shore. There I was informed that
Oberst de Nully and Lieutenant v Meincke had been sent to West
End. I also found some soldiers drawn up and ready to set out,
though I afterwards learned, with orders not to go further than
King's Hill (an estate in the middle of the island.)
Interrogating the General as to whether the brig should not sail
to West End, I received the answer that she might be possibly
required in Bassin, and I would receive further orders.
In Bassin, everything was quiet, and I began to believe that the
whole affair did not mean much. Indeed, scarcely any one seemed
to have any knowledge of it. I then informed the General that
everything was ready as well for sea, as to send men ashore, and
should the General have anything to order, I could be found in
the Athenaeum; a reading room nearly opposite the Government
House. About one o'clock p.m., Lieutenant v Meincke arrived from
West End and reported the state of affairs. He brought at the
same time information that the negroes wanted to speak to the
Governor-General himself. General v Scholten had the horses
immediately put to, taking Kammerjunker Rothe with him into the
carriage to drive to Frederiksted. This man, from what I had
heard, had been always an advocate for the emancipation of the
negroes. Before the General drove off, I requested a decided
order from him as to whether I should remain lying in Bassin or
depart for West End. After some reflection, he gave me the order.
With this I left for that place.
On my arrival, and immediately after having anchored, the
"Ornen's" boats were armed, and I went ashore. The King's Wharf
was full of negroes, and everything was in disorder. Accompanied
by some of my armed men, I went to the Fort. By the entrance to
same, I met General v Scholten in his carriage; he was just ready
to drive back to Bassin. I reported my arrival, and asked for
orders. The General's answer was: "I have given Emancipation.
Remain here with the 'Ornen'."
This was the last order I received from him, and I did not see
him again before my arrival in Denmark in the following year.
In the Fort I spoke with Captain v Castonier, and shortly after,
I sent, according to agreement with him, an officer with about
fifty men as a reinforcement as well as for patroling. This
detachment remained ashore some time.
"By this time nearly all the estate negroes had left the town.
Still everything was in the greatest confusion. Town-Bailiff
Andresen's house and Police-Assistant Didrichsen's were entirely
wrecked by the negroes. A Mr. Moore's house and store had
suffered to the extent of 20,000 dollars. Several lesser excesses
had been committed, and armed negroes were seen off and on riding
through the streets at a gallop. Most of the whites had fled to
vessels lying in the harbour, of which the 'Johann Marie' had
over two hundred fugitives on board. On the night of our arrival,
fires illumined different parts of the island."[399]
As every thing was yet in the greatest confusion, and deeming it
of the utmost importance to bring about order,
Vice-Stadthauptmand F. v Scholten, the commander of the Fort,
Captain Castonier, Police-master Ogaard and myself, assembled,
and after due deliberation, issued the following order:--
"It is hereby made known, for the information of everyone
concerned, that in case the country people should come to
town in a riotous way and threaten to attack the Fort, or
otherwise to disturb the inhabitants, then, and in such
case, where more than ten people are collected together, the
Fort is ordered to fire upon them, as also his Majesty's
brig-of-war 'Ornen.' All peaceable inhabitants are therefore
desired not to interfere with the country people, but keep
out of their way.
"Frederiksted, 4th July, 1848.
"F. SCHOLTEN, C. IRMINGER, CASTONIER, OGAARD."
At the same time, the Proclamation of Emancipation that had been
sent to West End from Bassin was read out. It is as follows:--
1. All unfree in the Danish West India Islands are from
today free.
2. The estate negroes retain for three months from date the
use of the houses and provision grounds of which they have
hitherto been possessed.
3. Labour is in future to be paid for by agreement, but
allowance of food to cease.
4. The maintenance of the old and infirm, who are not able
to work, is, until further determined, to be furnished by
the late owners.
The General Government of the Danish West India Islands, St.
Croix, the 3rd July, 1848.
P. V SCHOLTEN.
(L. S.)
Still the greatest disorder reigned in the country, and there was
much plundering and destruction on the estates. In the meantime
many negroes showed that they themselves wished for peace and
order. So much so, that several of the originators of the
disturbances were caught and brought into the Fort by the
friendly-inclined negroes.
On the 5th July, the condition of the country being about the
same, and as several buildings, together with a large garden
planted with cocoa-nut trees near to the Fort, obscured the view
and prevented firing from the Fort in that direction, it was
found expedient to demolish them. This was soon effected by the
brig's indefatigable crew, so that we could now cover the North
side road from the Fort.
There were now forty or fifty men from the brig almost
continually in the Fort as a reinforcement. As it was then found
necessary to undertake military excursions inland to overawe the
negroes, and at the same time to secure the authors of the riot,
I took over on the 6th before daybreak the command of the Fort
and garrisoned it with the crew from the brig. At four a.m. all
the Royal infantry and artillery, together with the planters,
overseers, and managers of estates, marched off under the command
of Captain v Castonier. The latter force alone amounted to forty
horsemen, and from sixty to seventy foot.
At noon Art. Lieutenant Frank arrived from Bassin with a
detachment of militia cavalry. Immediately after, a report was
circulated that the Governor-General was dying, and on that
account a Provisional Government had been organized in Bassin. I
asked Lieutenant Frank if he knew anything about it, to which he
answered that shortly before he had left Bassin, he had seen the
General on the wharf.
Some time after Kammerjunker Rothe arrived in a boat from Bassin
and read aloud the following:--
"On account of the illness of the Governor-General, and with
his concurrence, have we, the undersigned, Govt. Councillor
Kunzen, Govt. Councillor Petersen, Kammerjunker
Landsoverrets Assessor Rothe, Justitsraad Lands-overrets
Assessor Foester, Justitsraad Police-master Frederiksen,
Kammar Assessor Arnesen, and Lawyer Bahneberg, assembled as
a Governing Commission, with full power to take all steps
necessary in the present disturbed condition to bring about
peace and order in the country.
"The command of the military will be taken over by Oberst P.
de Nully and Major A. v Falbe, who will confer with the
above-named commission if necessary.
St. Croix Christensted,
6th July, 1848.
"KUNZEN, C. B. PETERSEN, FOESTER, ROTHE, FREDERIKSEN, II.
L. ARNESEN, BAHNEBERG.
"CARL REIMERS."
As the two Royal Government Councillors, Kunzen and Petersen,
according to my ideas, could just as well have been in charge of
the Government with full powers, notwithstanding that the
Governor-General was sick, and there were even contradictory
reports as to the correctness of that. I, for my part, protested
against acknowledging this new Government until I was certain as
to how it had originated. At half past four o'clock p.m. the men
that had marched out in the morning returned with several of the
leaders of the rising, upon which I again handed over the Fort to
its commander.
Although the military which had returned had not met with any
opposition on their march, and the negroes on many estates had
shown that they wished for peace and order, there were yet many
of them who sought to excite the better part of the population.
For this reason, and in view of the necessity for action,
Vice-Stadthauptmand F. v Scholten, Major Gyllich, Capt, v
Castonier, Policemaster Ogaard, Lawyer Sarauw, and I were
unanimous in publishing the following:--
"As the Authorities here have received no answer from His
Excellency the Governor-General to the Reports forwarded to
him, nor any of the instructions requested, and having this
day learned that on account of illness he is not in a
condition to occupy himself with instructions, and as it is
moreover necessary during the present negro rebellion in
this jurisdiction to act immediately, we, the undersigned,
as the highest authority in the place, have assembled to act
until further.
"Frederiksted, 6th July, 1848.
"F. SCHOLTEN, C. IRMINGER, CASTONIER, GYLLICH, OGAARD,
SARAUW."