Chapter 637: The Worst Collaborator
The British soldiers were stunned—they had never imagined that these Black rebels would have cannons.
Moments later, on the northern edge of the cotton field, a neat line of infantry emerged—more than 700 soldiers, most of them Black, though some officers appeared to be of mixed race.
Although their clothing was mismatched, each carried a Charleville Model 1763 flintlock musket.
The British forces had been so preoccupied chasing the fleeing rebels that their formations were in complete disarray. It was only through the frantic shouting of their officers that they managed to halt and turn toward the new threat.
But Toussaint Louverture, at the head of the rebel forces, gave them no time to reorganize. He raised his sword high, leading the charge himself. Only when he could clearly see the faces of the British soldiers did he shout his command:
"Halt! Prepare to fire!"
The officers quickly passed down the order. In less than a minute, 700 muskets were raised in unison.
"Aim!"
"Fire!"
A dense cloud of smoke erupted into the air as bullets rained down on the disoriented British soldiers, felling over a dozen on the spot.
Louverture's men wasted no time reloading, advancing 20 paces as they did so, before unleashing another volley.
Then another.
It wasn't long before Colonel Straw, sensing something was wrong, ordered reinforcements from the rear. But by the time they arrived, the nine British columns caught in the open near the cotton fields were already in shambles, leaving over 200 dead behind.
Louverture quickly pivoted his infantry line to engage the reinforcements—300 British soldiers—who arrived to stabilize the situation.
A Clash of Experience
The British "lobster backs" were clearly better trained than Louverture's troops. They fired faster, more accurately, and fought with discipline. Despite their numerical disadvantage, they managed to hold their own against Louverture's forces.
Meanwhile, Kenneth Liddington, watching the once-invincible British regulars scurrying around like panicked rats, felt a surge of confidence. Riding through the field, he rallied his shattered forces:
"Look at them! The white men, the ones who enslave us—they can fall just like anyone else!
"You can do it too! Stop running! Turn back and fight with me!
"Today is the day you earn your freedom for real! Use the guns in your hands and show the slave masters that your spirits can never be enslaved!"
The scattered Bahamian rebel soldiers, hearing his passionate speech, turned to see British soldiers fleeing in disarray—worse off than themselves.
Slowly, they regrouped around Liddington, gathering by the hundreds. Soon, they charged back into the fray to aid Louverture.
The Tide Turns
Elsewhere, more rebels who had initially fled now picked up discarded weapons and began hunting down fleeing British soldiers.
Though not as skilled as their enemies in formation fighting, the rebels had an advantage in sheer numbers and physical strength from years of grueling plantation labor. Their endurance and ferocity were unmatched.
All around the cotton fields, swarms of Black rebels cornered British soldiers. They took no prisoners—bayonets stabbed relentlessly as if possessed.
Meanwhile, Louverture's forces remained locked in a tense struggle with the British reinforcements. Suddenly, 400–500 Bahamian rebels appeared, charging from the flank with Liddington leading them on horseback.
Spotting the towering figure of Liddington, Louverture's grim face softened into a fleeting smile:
"Colonel Liddington, I thought you wouldn't return until the battle was over."
Before Liddington's troops even had a chance to fire, the sight of the fresh wave of rebels shattered the British reinforcements' morale.
One British lieutenant dropped to his knees in surrender, while two other companies turned and fled.
Louverture quickly ordered his men to stop the Bahamian rebels from slaughtering prisoners. Together with Liddington, they chased the retreating British into Nassau.
A New Republic
By dawn the next day, Nassau was firmly under the control of the Bahamian abolitionist forces. Under Louverture's watchful eye, the local parliament convened to draft declarations for a new republic.
Meanwhile, Bahamian Governor Frederick Essex, protected by Colonel Straw and a few dozen soldiers, escaped to the open sea.
The battle left over 500 British soldiers dead, 220 captured, and Straw's forces reduced to fewer than 70 men.
News of this resounding victory quickly spread throughout the Caribbean. Members of the "Unified Abolitionist Front" celebrated jubilantly.
In Barbados, the rebel forces drew renewed strength from this triumph. Despite facing relentless assaults from Brand's forces, they continued to resist fiercely. More enslaved people escaped plantations to join the rebellion, swelling the ranks of the abolitionist armies.
British Frustration
Outside the Barbadian capital of Bridgetown, the British set up a temporary command post.
Brand glared at his silent officers, his face dark with rage. After a long pause, a lieutenant timidly broke the silence:
"General, the messenger requesting reinforcements has already left for London. Also… uh… we killed more than 70 rebels this morning…"
"What use is killing a few Black devils?" Brand roared. "There will always be more crawling out of the plantations! That idiot Straw! Now the Bahamas have declared independence too! What are we supposed to do? What?!"
A Scottish officer cautiously suggested:
"General, we could return to Nassau and crush that so-called 'Bahamian Republic' immediately."
"No! I refuse to leave Barbados again," Brand growled. "I'll clear out every last Black devil here first, then recruit a local militia to keep them in check. That way, they won't dare rise again."
"But, General, about the Bahamas…"
"Damn the Bahamas! We can't be everywhere at once!"
Another Scottish major rose hesitantly:
"General, perhaps we could seek the French's help."
"Do you even hear yourself?"
"Please, sir, hear me out. The French forces in Saint-Domingue are bogged down at Fort Immaculata, locked in a stalemate with the rebels there. In truth, they don't need 6,000 troops to defend the fort. If we promise to help them suppress their own rebellion, they might send reinforcements to the Bahamas."
Brand narrowed his eyes.
It was true—the French had suffered significant losses in Saint-Domingue, and their current position was precarious. Perhaps they would entertain the proposal.
Historically, Britain, France, and Spain often fought bitterly in Europe, yet they occasionally united to suppress Caribbean slave uprisings, as their colonial interests aligned.
What Brand didn't know, however, was that the mastermind orchestrating this wave of Caribbean rebellions was none other than France.
After a moment's thought, Brand finally nodded.
"Fine. Go to Saint-Domingue immediately. Use whatever means necessary to convince the French."
Across the Atlantic
United States: Georgia-South Carolina Border
Rebel leader Booker gazed through a telescope at the encampment of American troops across the field, his expression one of simmering hatred and resolve.
His rebel army had grown to nearly 5,000 fighters, well-armed thanks to the seizure of a Georgia militia arsenal.
But standing before him was a force of 16,000 American soldiers, including 5,000 members of the newly formed U.S. Legion—America's most elite standing army.
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