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Source: Bell's Weekly Messenger, No.1858, Sunday, November 13, 1831

According to advices from St. Thomas, to the end of September, a very serious revolt had broken out among the negroes at Tortola, who had demanded their liberty, and refused to work on the estates. Had their plans not been providently prevented there would not, at this moment, be a single white individual alive in the colony. Fortunately all the gangs did not assemble in the town simultaneously. The few that did come were intimidated, and their intentions, which were to fire the place, and murder every white person in it, were thus discovered. The inhabitants were obliged to send to the authorities at St. Thomas for protection, and a Danish brig was immediately sent. It was understood a great many of the negroes had been made prisoners.