APPENDIX.] THE MAROONS. 379 



roons had taken an oath, after their manner, to mur- 

 der all the whites without distinction, he massacred 

 both him and his nephew (the only white person with 

 him) without compunction or remorse. 



But, perhaps, no one circumstance in the course of 

 this most unfortunate war excited greater indignation, 



o o 



or awakened more general sympathy, than the death 

 of colonel Fitch, who notwithstanding the recent ex- 

 ample of colonel Sandrord's fate, perished nearly in 

 the same manner as that unfortunate officer had done ; 

 being like him surprised by an enemy in ambush. 

 On the 12th of September he went out with a de- 

 tachment of the 83d regiment, consisting of thirty- 

 two men, to relieve some distant out-posts - y at one of 

 which he left a guard, and proceeded onwards with 

 the rest of his men; but after getting about half a 

 mile farther, he was attacked by a volley of musque- 

 try from the bushes, and received a wound in the 

 breast with which he dropt. After expressing a wish, 

 and receiving assurances, that he should not fall alive 

 into the hands of the merciless savages, he raised 

 himself up ; whan another ball took place in the 

 forehead, which instantly put an end to his life. A 

 corporal and three privates of the 8 3d, and two ne- 

 gro servants, were also killed, and captain Leigh and 

 nine of the party wounded 3 and if the guard, which 

 had been left behind, had not pushed forward to their 

 assistance, immediately on hearing the firing, not one 

 ot the whole detachment would have escaped with 

 life ; two of them actually fell into the hands of the 

 enemy, and were put to death with circumstances of 

 outrageous barbarity, and captain Leigh afterwards 



