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 138 French occupied the whole former Spanish portion; in the North they had Cap-Français, Môle, Fort Liberté, and Tortuga Island, the rest of the province being in the possession of the natives. The whole Artibonite province, with the exception of Saint-Marc, was under the authority of Dessalines. In the West, Port-au-Prince, Mirebalais, Croix-des-Bouquets, Grand-Goave, Petit-Goave, Léogane, and Jacmel were still under French domination; as was also the whole Southern province.

However, the Southern province had begun to be disturbed. In order to prevent more disturbance, the French resorted to their usual system: the executions. At L'Anse-à-Veau many people were drowned. At Cayes blacks and mulattoes who were merely suspected of not having much sympathy for France were at once hanged or drowned. These crimes incensed the natives; and a black man, Joseph Darmagnac, took up arms in the town of Cayes. He was defeated and with the rest of his followers was put to death. The French availed themselves of Darmagnac's affray to gratify their vengeance. Twenty-two native officers who were imprisoned on board the frigate Clorinde in the harbor of Saint-Louis were all thrown into the sea and drowned. As usual these cruelties, instead of demoralizing the blacks, made them more eager to retaliate.

Geffrard had succeeded in penetrating into the Southern province. He hastened to organize the forces at his disposal. After occupying Miragoane he stormed Anse-à-Veau on the 16th of January, 1803. At the same time Gilles Bénech, at the head of about 2,000 peasants, took possession of Tiburon. Uprisings took place at Port-Salut and at Camp Périn in the plain of Cayes; all the leaders acknowledged the authority of Férou, who was at that time Commandant of the arrondissement of Coteaux. Intrenched at "Morne-Fendu" and at Marauduc the natives defeated the French who had tried to dislodge them from their positions. This success provoked the insurrection of the whole plain of Cayes.