midday
For three miles the coast was in flames . Seventeen vessels in the roadstead , two of which were American steamers , burned at anchor . The heat from this immense conflagration prevented the boat from proceeding and it returned to Fort-de-France , reaching there at one o'clock , bringing the sinister tidings . At midday , the Acting Governor of Martinique ordered the _ Suchet _ to go with troops to be under the direction of the Governor , then at St. Pierre . About three o'clock , a party was landed on the shore . The pier was covered with bodies . The town was all in fire and in ruins .