Soon, also, he placed pikes in the hands of his black prisoners.

But that ceremony did not make soldiers of them, as his favorite maxim taught.
They held them in their hands with listless indifference, remaining themselves, as before, an incumbrance instead of a reenforcement.

He gave his white prisoners notice that he would hold them as hostages, and informed one or two that, after daylight, he would exchange them for slaves.

Before the general fighting began, he endeavored to effect an armistice or compromise with the citizens, to stop bloodshed, on condition that he be permitted to hold the armory and retain the liberated negroes.

All this warrants the inference that he expected to hold the town, first, by the effect of terror; secondly, by the display of leniency and kindness; and supposed that he could remain indefinitely, and dictate terms at his leisure.