Toussaint L'Ouverture

On May 6, 1794, Haiti, under Toussaint L'Ouverture, revolted against France. From the article:

"Toussaint L'Ouverture
Toussaint L'Ouverture was a leader of the Haitian independence movement during the French Revolution.
Who Was François Toussaint Louverture?
François Toussaint Louverture was a former Haitian slave who led the only successful slave revolt in modern history. Standing steadfastly, he fought to end slavery and gain Haiti’s independence from European powers, France and Spain. Forming an army of former slaves and deserters from the French and Spanish armies, he trained his followers in guerrilla warfare and successfully ended slavery in Hispaniola by 1795.

Toussaint's Significance / Accomplishments
Though he didn’t live to see it, Francois Toussaint’s actions set in motion a series of global events that changed the geography of the western hemisphere and spelled the beginning of the end for European colonial domination in the Americas. Frustrated by a rebellion he couldn’t control in Hispaniola, Napoleon Bonaparte decided not to expand his empire into North America and sold the Louisiana territory to the United States in 1803. This paved the way for western expansion throughout the 19th century. Toussaint’s actions also inspired revolutions in several Latin American countries over the next 100 years and American abolitionists, both black and white, to fight for an end to slavery.

Abolishing Slavery
On August 22, 1791, slaves rebelled in the French colony of Saint-Domingue on the western half of Hispaniola. Inspired by the French Revolution, and angered by generations of abuse, slaves began slaughtering whites with impunity. At first, François Toussaint was uncommitted. He was nearly fifty years-old and married with a family, farming a small plot of land and running a plantation for his former master. But the rebellion began to expand and eventually it migrated to where Toussaint was living. His decision to join the rebellion wasn’t only driven by the desire to defend his way of life. Toussaint was also deeply influenced by his Catholic religion, which condemned slavery, and Enlightenment philosophers, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who wrote of the equality of man.

Toussaint first secured safety of his wife and family in the Spanish-controlled eastern half of the island, away from the rebellion. He then saw to it that his former master’s family was on a boat bound for the United States. Toussaint joined Georges Biassou’s rebels who had allied with the Spanish against France. During his time in slavery, Toussaint had learned African and Creole herbal-medical techniques. He now served as a doctor to the troops as well as a soldier. Toussaint quickly developed a reputation and was given command of 600 black former slaves. His forces were well-organized and steadily grew to 4,000 men. Jean-Jacques Dessalines, an escaped slave, joined Toussaint and quickly became a close confident and able lieutenant. It was during this time that Toussaint adopted the surname Louverture, from the French word for “opening” or “opening the way.’

While the Caribbean islands boiled with rebellion, European powers were fighting to gain advantage. The British government was concerned that the slave revolt would spread to their neighboring colony of Jamaica. Seeking an opportunity to harass the French, the British sent troops to put down the slave revolt. Fearing defeat, the French National Convention acted to preserve its colonial rule and secure the loyalty of the black population. In 1794 France granted freedom and citizenship to all blacks in the Empire. But the British troops remained determined to wreak havoc on France’s tenuous hold on Saint-Domingue.

Haitian Revolution
Following France’s decision to emancipate the slaves, Toussaint Louverture reversed his allegiance and joined forces with the French against Spain. His first mission was to attack Spanish-controlled Santa Domingo on the eastern side of the island. He was now fighting his former black colleagues, who were still loyal to Spain. Under his leadership, Toussaint’s troops were able to capture Santa Domingo. The Treaty of Basel, in July 1795, ended the hostilities between France and Spain and the Spanish pulled out of Hispaniola. Toussiant contained the remaining British troops, rendering them ineffective and soon they too withdrew from the island.

By 1796 Toussaint was the leading political and military figure in the colonies. Admired by the former slaves, whom he’d help free, he was also well respected by the many French authorities who technically still controlled Saint-Domingue. Having temporarily secured peace with the European powers, Toussaint turned to the domestic unrest still festering on the island. Prior to 1791, the mulatto population, who were not enslaved, had owned slaves themselves. Many wanted them back. In 1799 Toussaint was able to defeat the mulatto army with the help of Dessalines. The contest lasted a year with claims of atrocities committed by Dessalines’ army."