In Jan. 1791, during the French Revolution, the National Assembly sent four "Commissaries" to St. Lucia to spread the revolution philosophy. By August, slaves began to abandon their estates and Governor de Gimat fled. In Dec. 1792, Lt. Jean-Baptiste Raymond de Lacrosse arrived with revolutionary pamphlets, and the poor whites and free people of color began to arm themselves as "patriots". On 1 Feb. 1793, France declared war on England and Holland, and General Nicolas Xavier de Ricard took over as Governor. The National Convention abolished enslavement on 4 Feb. 1794, but St. Lucia fell to a British invasion led by Vice Admiral John Jervis on 1 April 1794. Morne Fortune became "Fort Charlotte". Soon, a patriot army of resistance, "L'Armee Francaise dans les Bois", began to fight back. Thus started the First Brigand War.