The Triumph & Betrayal of Toussaint L' Ouverture
After the British vacated the western part of Saint- Domingue, there were only two British held places left. There was a naval base in a town called Jérémie which André Rigaud had put under threat; and a naval base at Môle Saint- Nicholas which Thomas Maitland thought could not be taken by the fire power of Toussaint’s artillery through a siege. Throughout the year of 1798, Maitland continued to try and places wedges between Toussaint and Hédouville. Maitland gave Toussaint the town of Jérémie as well as Môle Saint-Nicholas in a peace treaty. However, unknown to Toussaint, Maitland had Hédouville promised that Môle Saint-Nicholas would be his. When the treachery and deceit of Maitland was leaked, irrevocable damage was done to the already unstable relationship between Toussaint and Hédouville. (Bell, 2007, p. 160).
Inevitably, Maitland visited Hédouville in secret and even brought André Rigaud with him. When Toussaint heard of the disloyal acts, he was even more suspicious of Hédouville, Maitland, and Rigaud. Hédouville began to try and draw power away from Toussaint, but much to his dismay, Hédouville’s efforts to do so were unsuccessful. Hédouville left Saint- Domingue on October 22, 1798 after being commissioner of the island for less than one year. However, as a final blow to Toussaint, he left André Rigaud in charge as commissioner. (Bell, 2007, p. 165). Toussaint refused to recognize Rigaud as commissioner. Instead he invited an old friend, Roume to be commissioner and Roume accepted the position in January of 1799. Rigaud did not admit defeat well and to show his unhappiness, he decided to try and take Petit and Grand Goâve (two posts that were under Toussaint’s command). Rigaud took the two posts quickly and tried to assassinate Toussaint as he called for supplies from an American counsel named Richter. (Bell, 2007, p. 175). Toussaint pressured Roume to declare Rigaud a traitor of France. He did so on July 3rd. 1799. Five days after this, Toussaint sent some of his army went to meet Rigaud and his army at Petit and Grand Goâve. Toussaint was stretched all over the colony, trying to suppress uprisings and on July 25, 1799, Toussaint won the siege at Port de Paix. Amazingly during all the chaos of suppressing uprisings instigated by Rigaud and capturing important towns, Toussaint managed to wage a propaganda campaign against Rigaud. (Bell, 2007, p. 177-178).
While the internal war between the various mulatto and black factions raged, in November of 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte undertook sole rule of the French Nation. This meant that napoleon had become dictator and this law extended to the island of Saint-Domingue. During this time, Roume began to lose some of his loyalty toward Toussaint. In secret he wrote to Napoleon in protest of the decisions being made by Toussaint in regard to the Haitian Revolution. On April, 20th, 1800, Toussaint urged Roume to give him permission to take the Spanish Santo Domingo. Roume did not want Toussaint to possess the Spanish territory, so he refused to give the order to Toussaint. Toussaint had Roume locked away in Forty Picolet as a response to Roume’s refusal to grant Toussaint an executive order. (Bell, 2007, p. 180-181). Toussaint had hoped that Roume would buckle under the imprisonment. When Roume did not change his mind, Toussaint decided to attack Roume in other ways by undermining Roume’s authority as commissioner. Toussaint had a committee of notorious whites issue a declaration stating Toussaint was “the only man who can seize the reins of government with a certain hand.” (Bell, 2007, p. 181). This committee also gave Toussaint the ability to override any action taken by Roume, a mandate that this prominent committee had no right to proclaim.
Incredibly, due to Toussaint’s widespread influence, six thousand men gathered together and voted to no longer recognize Roume as commissioner of Saint-Domingue. Toussaint wanted his old friend Laveaux to resume a position as the commissioner of Saint-Domingue. However, his ship was captured by the British before it could land and Laveaux was taken prisoner on the British owned island of Jamaica. Toussaint was left with Roume as his only choice for commissioner. Roume, who had finally buckled under Toussaint’s pressure, signed the order for Toussaint to capture Santo Domingo. After this occurred, Roume was reinstated as commissioner of Saint-Domingue. (Bell, 2007, p.182). Meanwhile, in the midst of all the drama surrounding Roume, Toussaint had been attempting to take the town of Jacmel, which was in Jamaica. Unfortunately, for Toussaint, Roume had encroached upon the amnesty agreement with General Maitland and this technically made Toussaint in breach of the agreement as well due to his attempted blockade of Jacmel by four naval ships. Toussaint was in a quandary and he sent General Huin, one if his trusted advisors, to negotiate with the British in Jamaica. The British allowed for Toussaint backed by American support to be in Jacmel. (Bell, 2007, p.183).
In June of 1800, some fresh ambassadors arrived in Saint-Domingue. One of them was a man by the name of General Jean-Baptiste Michel. All of the delegates were captured by Toussaint’s men and their papers seized. This was a pre-caution to ensure that they were not involved in some secret operation. Through messengers that were sent back to France, it was reported to Napoleon that Toussaint considered himself to be general in chief of Saint-Domingue. (Bell, 2007, p. 184). Toussaint meanwhile continued to defeat Rigaud, forcing him to flee from town to town. Eventually, Rigaud was forced to flee for France. Toussaint by 1801, was considered to be the sole dictator on the island of Saint- Domingue. Napoleon, sensing a threat to his own authority, decided to take action against Toussaint. When Napoleon discovered the secret deals with the British that Toussaint had engaged in, he was enraged. In secret, he annulled the occupation of Santo Domingo and in March of 1801, he had Toussaint removed from the French army roster. Slowly, things began to unravel and they turned from Toussaint’s side. French General Leclerc attacked Le Cap, one of the main ports in Saint-Domingue, on February 4th, 1802. During all of this Toussaint had gone into hiding in Ennery, an area in the mountains near Gonaïves. Toussaint owned several plantations there. (Bell, 2007, p. 238). Toussaint had two sons who had gone to France during the revolution. Napoleon planned to use his sons Placide and Isaac, as a way to lure Toussaint out of hiding and destroy him. On February 17, 1802, Leclerc issued an order stating that all black officers except Toussaint and his new partner Christophe would be granted amnesty if they changed sides and joined the French army.
On February 19th, Leclerc launched a strike intended to draw Toussaint out of hiding. (Bell, 2007, p. 241). As a result of the attack, Toussaint was completely estranged from access to Gonaïves. He was also blocked from Maurepas one of his general that lead his other regiment at Port de Paix. Maurepas was forced to surrender to Leclerc on February 25th, 1802. On March 4th, 1802, Leclerc fought Dessalines, another one of Toussaint’s faithful commanders in the Battles of La Crête á Pierrot. Dessalines died during the battle, bleeding to death in Toussaint’s arms. Toussaint and his men lost this battle as well. Toussaint had another plan to counter the French army, nut by the time he gathered enough men to do so, it was too late. (Bell, 2007). On March 24th, 1802, during the Battle of Ravine à Couleuvre, the French army struck Toussaint’s army again. Though the French army acquired some ground, they had difficulty keeping it. (Bell, 2007, p. 252). Shortly after this time, on August 23rd, 1802, Toussaint was captured and placed in a cell at Fort de Joux. By this time, however, the Haitian revolution could prosper without his leadership. Leclerc died of yellow fever in November of 1802, and Toussaint only lived until April of 1803. For more information about the evfents of 1802, please visit: http://toussaintlouverturehs.org/BattleBertieres.htm.
In conclusion, Toussaint as a leader was not as extreme as other leaders of the Haitian Revolution. Toussaint did not advocate for the removal off the white race off the colony. (Aristide, 2008, p. 6). By 1795, Toussaint had managed to jumpstart the Haitian economy. (Aristide, 2008, p. 9). Toussaint was merciless as a leader as was seen by the damage he inflicted on the British army. Toussaint tirelessly defended his underlying belief for freedom to be granted to former slaves (Bell, 2007). Toussaint was known for his uncanny ability to engage in many skirmishes and interests at the same time, but he never lost sight of his goals amidst all of the chaos he was confronted with. This characteristic made Toussaint an effective organizer during the Haitian Revolution. If Toussaint had not be freed from slavery and gained experience in the French army, the Haitians might have been enslaved for many more years to come. Toussaint was the heart and soul of the Haitian revolution, and the revolution would not have succeeded without his brilliant military prowess and his excellent leadership.
Inevitably, Maitland visited Hédouville in secret and even brought André Rigaud with him. When Toussaint heard of the disloyal acts, he was even more suspicious of Hédouville, Maitland, and Rigaud. Hédouville began to try and draw power away from Toussaint, but much to his dismay, Hédouville’s efforts to do so were unsuccessful. Hédouville left Saint- Domingue on October 22, 1798 after being commissioner of the island for less than one year. However, as a final blow to Toussaint, he left André Rigaud in charge as commissioner. (Bell, 2007, p. 165). Toussaint refused to recognize Rigaud as commissioner. Instead he invited an old friend, Roume to be commissioner and Roume accepted the position in January of 1799. Rigaud did not admit defeat well and to show his unhappiness, he decided to try and take Petit and Grand Goâve (two posts that were under Toussaint’s command). Rigaud took the two posts quickly and tried to assassinate Toussaint as he called for supplies from an American counsel named Richter. (Bell, 2007, p. 175). Toussaint pressured Roume to declare Rigaud a traitor of France. He did so on July 3rd. 1799. Five days after this, Toussaint sent some of his army went to meet Rigaud and his army at Petit and Grand Goâve. Toussaint was stretched all over the colony, trying to suppress uprisings and on July 25, 1799, Toussaint won the siege at Port de Paix. Amazingly during all the chaos of suppressing uprisings instigated by Rigaud and capturing important towns, Toussaint managed to wage a propaganda campaign against Rigaud. (Bell, 2007, p. 177-178).
While the internal war between the various mulatto and black factions raged, in November of 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte undertook sole rule of the French Nation. This meant that napoleon had become dictator and this law extended to the island of Saint-Domingue. During this time, Roume began to lose some of his loyalty toward Toussaint. In secret he wrote to Napoleon in protest of the decisions being made by Toussaint in regard to the Haitian Revolution. On April, 20th, 1800, Toussaint urged Roume to give him permission to take the Spanish Santo Domingo. Roume did not want Toussaint to possess the Spanish territory, so he refused to give the order to Toussaint. Toussaint had Roume locked away in Forty Picolet as a response to Roume’s refusal to grant Toussaint an executive order. (Bell, 2007, p. 180-181). Toussaint had hoped that Roume would buckle under the imprisonment. When Roume did not change his mind, Toussaint decided to attack Roume in other ways by undermining Roume’s authority as commissioner. Toussaint had a committee of notorious whites issue a declaration stating Toussaint was “the only man who can seize the reins of government with a certain hand.” (Bell, 2007, p. 181). This committee also gave Toussaint the ability to override any action taken by Roume, a mandate that this prominent committee had no right to proclaim.
Incredibly, due to Toussaint’s widespread influence, six thousand men gathered together and voted to no longer recognize Roume as commissioner of Saint-Domingue. Toussaint wanted his old friend Laveaux to resume a position as the commissioner of Saint-Domingue. However, his ship was captured by the British before it could land and Laveaux was taken prisoner on the British owned island of Jamaica. Toussaint was left with Roume as his only choice for commissioner. Roume, who had finally buckled under Toussaint’s pressure, signed the order for Toussaint to capture Santo Domingo. After this occurred, Roume was reinstated as commissioner of Saint-Domingue. (Bell, 2007, p.182). Meanwhile, in the midst of all the drama surrounding Roume, Toussaint had been attempting to take the town of Jacmel, which was in Jamaica. Unfortunately, for Toussaint, Roume had encroached upon the amnesty agreement with General Maitland and this technically made Toussaint in breach of the agreement as well due to his attempted blockade of Jacmel by four naval ships. Toussaint was in a quandary and he sent General Huin, one if his trusted advisors, to negotiate with the British in Jamaica. The British allowed for Toussaint backed by American support to be in Jacmel. (Bell, 2007, p.183).
In June of 1800, some fresh ambassadors arrived in Saint-Domingue. One of them was a man by the name of General Jean-Baptiste Michel. All of the delegates were captured by Toussaint’s men and their papers seized. This was a pre-caution to ensure that they were not involved in some secret operation. Through messengers that were sent back to France, it was reported to Napoleon that Toussaint considered himself to be general in chief of Saint-Domingue. (Bell, 2007, p. 184). Toussaint meanwhile continued to defeat Rigaud, forcing him to flee from town to town. Eventually, Rigaud was forced to flee for France. Toussaint by 1801, was considered to be the sole dictator on the island of Saint- Domingue. Napoleon, sensing a threat to his own authority, decided to take action against Toussaint. When Napoleon discovered the secret deals with the British that Toussaint had engaged in, he was enraged. In secret, he annulled the occupation of Santo Domingo and in March of 1801, he had Toussaint removed from the French army roster. Slowly, things began to unravel and they turned from Toussaint’s side. French General Leclerc attacked Le Cap, one of the main ports in Saint-Domingue, on February 4th, 1802. During all of this Toussaint had gone into hiding in Ennery, an area in the mountains near Gonaïves. Toussaint owned several plantations there. (Bell, 2007, p. 238). Toussaint had two sons who had gone to France during the revolution. Napoleon planned to use his sons Placide and Isaac, as a way to lure Toussaint out of hiding and destroy him. On February 17, 1802, Leclerc issued an order stating that all black officers except Toussaint and his new partner Christophe would be granted amnesty if they changed sides and joined the French army.
On February 19th, Leclerc launched a strike intended to draw Toussaint out of hiding. (Bell, 2007, p. 241). As a result of the attack, Toussaint was completely estranged from access to Gonaïves. He was also blocked from Maurepas one of his general that lead his other regiment at Port de Paix. Maurepas was forced to surrender to Leclerc on February 25th, 1802. On March 4th, 1802, Leclerc fought Dessalines, another one of Toussaint’s faithful commanders in the Battles of La Crête á Pierrot. Dessalines died during the battle, bleeding to death in Toussaint’s arms. Toussaint and his men lost this battle as well. Toussaint had another plan to counter the French army, nut by the time he gathered enough men to do so, it was too late. (Bell, 2007). On March 24th, 1802, during the Battle of Ravine à Couleuvre, the French army struck Toussaint’s army again. Though the French army acquired some ground, they had difficulty keeping it. (Bell, 2007, p. 252). Shortly after this time, on August 23rd, 1802, Toussaint was captured and placed in a cell at Fort de Joux. By this time, however, the Haitian revolution could prosper without his leadership. Leclerc died of yellow fever in November of 1802, and Toussaint only lived until April of 1803. For more information about the evfents of 1802, please visit: http://toussaintlouverturehs.org/BattleBertieres.htm.
In conclusion, Toussaint as a leader was not as extreme as other leaders of the Haitian Revolution. Toussaint did not advocate for the removal off the white race off the colony. (Aristide, 2008, p. 6). By 1795, Toussaint had managed to jumpstart the Haitian economy. (Aristide, 2008, p. 9). Toussaint was merciless as a leader as was seen by the damage he inflicted on the British army. Toussaint tirelessly defended his underlying belief for freedom to be granted to former slaves (Bell, 2007). Toussaint was known for his uncanny ability to engage in many skirmishes and interests at the same time, but he never lost sight of his goals amidst all of the chaos he was confronted with. This characteristic made Toussaint an effective organizer during the Haitian Revolution. If Toussaint had not be freed from slavery and gained experience in the French army, the Haitians might have been enslaved for many more years to come. Toussaint was the heart and soul of the Haitian revolution, and the revolution would not have succeeded without his brilliant military prowess and his excellent leadership.