Toussaint Louverture

Toussaint Louverture
Birth	20 May 1743 County residents Breda, near the Cape-French ( Santo Domingo )
Deaths	7 April 1803 (59 years) Fort de Joux , The Cluse-and-Mijoux ( France )
Origin	Haiti
Allegiance	Haitian rebels and Spain , then French Republic , then Haiti
Weapon	Cavalry
Grade	General
Years of Service	1791 - 1803
Conflicts	Haitian Revolution
Feats	Expedition to St. Domingo
change

Toussaint Louverture (born Franois-Dominique Toussaint 20 May 1743 in a house near Cape French , died on 7 April 1803 at Fort de Joux in the Cluse-and-Mijoux in France ) is the great leader of the Haitian Revolution , later became governor of Santo Domingo (the name of Haiti at the time).

He is known for being the first Black leader to have defeated the forces of a European colonial empire in his own country. Born a slave, who has distinguished herself in the arms and leading a successful struggle for the liberation of slaves in Haiti, he became a figure of historic importance in the movement for emancipation of blacks in America.

Biography

Origins and youth

His grandfather, Gaou-Guinou, is an African born in Dahomey (now Benin ), from a royal family of Allada. Deported to Santo Domingo , his father Hippolytus Gaou is sold as a slave to the Manager of Housing Breda gives the possibility, as his father had had, to possess and cultivate a plot of land with five slaves under his direction .

Toussaint, despite a small size and ugliness earned him the nickname of Patras-Rod earns a reputation for excellent rider and Dr. sheet, beating the herbal medicine. He married a free woman of the name of Suzanne whom he has two son Isaac and Saint John. It also adopts a first son of Suzanne, the mestizo Placide, and a numerous offspring illegitimate.

When the first signs of slave revolt, Toussaint was then the head of a small coffee farm he rents for 1,000 pounds a year to his son, Philip Jasmine Desire, also freed , leading a slave family of a dozen members . It also does not participate directly in the first events of 1791 , then no longer a slave himself.

The rebel ally in Spain

The French Revolution caused a huge impact on the island. Initially, the great white (rich owners, administrators and local aristocrats) are considering independence, the poor whites (farmers, artisans and employees) seeking equality with the first and the free people of color.

In August 1791 , the slaves of the northern plain revolted after the ceremony of Bois-Caiman. Toussaint Breda became aide-de-camp to George Biassou , commander of slaves who sought refuge in the eastern part of the island, join forces in 1793 the Spaniards, who occupied the French to overthrow slavery. Toussaint is introduced to the art of war by the Spanish military. At the head of a troop of more than three thousand men, he won several victories in a few months. Therefore it is nicknamed Louverture. He became general of the armies of the King of Spain.

On 29 August 1793 , Toussaint launched his proclamation in which he presents himself as the black leader:

"Brothers and friends. I am Toussaint Louverture, my name was perhaps made known to you. I undertook the revenge of my race. I want the freedom and equality reign in San Domingo. I work to make them exist. Unite, brothers, and fight with me for the same cause. Uproot the tree with me in slavery.
Your most humble and obedient servant, Toussaint Louverture, General of the King's army, for the public good. "

But it excites the jealousy of his superiors, Jean-Francois and Biassou, fomenting a conspiracy to which he escapes, but he lost his younger brother Jean-Pierre. The little attention he showed the Spaniards completed to convince him that they will not abolish slavery.

The situation is different with the French authorities. The commissioners of the French Republic , Leger-Felicite Sonthonax and Etienne Polverel are indeed arriving in Santo Domingo in September 1792 to guarantee the rights of people of color. The island is invaded by the Navy British and Spanish troops, which have rallied many whites royalists. On 29 August 1793, the same day that the proclamation of Toussaint, Sonthonax emancipate all slaves so that they join the Revolution. 16 Pluviose Year II ( 4 February 1794 ), the Convention ratified this decision in abolishing slavery in all territories of the French Republic.

General of the Republic

Through in-chief Stephen Lavaux , the commissioners are trying to persuade Toussaint to join the Republic. Only the 5 May 1794 , Toussaint performs a volte-face. The army under his command - which includes black soldiers, mulattos , and even some white - defeated in a fortnight his former Spanish allies and removes a dozen cities.

In one year, it drives the Spaniards on the eastern border of the island and defeated the troops of its former leaders have remained loyal to them. In July 1795 , the Convention on the student to the rank of brigadier general.

In March 1796 , he saves Lavaux , abused for its rigor in a revolt of mulattoes in French Cape. As a reward, the latter appointed him lieutenant general of the colony of Santo Domingo. The Management students at grade of major general in August 1796. However, the stream of French refugees from Santo Domingo in America grows.

The march to absolute power

Toussaint Louverture mail sent to Rochambeau in 1796.

Written notice of the insurrection against Toussaint Louverture in 1801.

His talent is not only military. Wherever he goes, he confirmed the emancipation of slaves. It organizes the restarting of plantations by encouraging settlers to return, including those who fought against the Republic, and despite the opinion of representatives of French authority.

The struggle against the British is more difficult. Toussaint can not dislodge the North and West. In the South, the mulatto general Andre Rigaud contains them bravely, but without the push.

The return of Sonthonax as civil commissioner in May 1796 is a shadow of Toussaint's ambition to lead alone. He succeeded in September 1796 to get elected as MPs Sonthonax Lavaux and with the Executive Board of the return to the mainland: the first in October, the second in August 1797.

To reassure France, he sent his two elder son, Isaac and Placide, studying in Paris at the Ecole de Liancourt (renamed the Institute of settlements ") under the leadership of Father Coisnon.

With the weapons came with the commission in 1796, Toussaint has an army of 51,000 men (3000 white). He resumed the struggle against the British, and has some success, but not decisive. Tired of such resistance, the British decided to negotiate. Toussaint knows exclude from the negotiations last civil commissioner Julien Raimond , as the last commanding general Hedouville , arrived on 27 March 1798 and departed on October 23 of that year .

Hedouville mission was to quietly encourage Toussaint Louverture to engage his army in the attack on Jamaica and the United States , that it will decline to make, to avoid losing all credibility and part of his army. Three days after his arrival, the armistice of 30 March 1798 Toussaint Louverture allows to settle the details of the retreat of the British army of Saint-Domingue before the triumphal entry of black general and his army ex-slaves in Port-au-Prince on 6 May 1798 . The armistice was to negotiations in which it was decided that the British left their last stronghold in the north, the Mole St. Nicolas, 31 August 1798.

On 31 August 1798 , the British abandoned Santo Domingo.

To get rid of Hedouville, Toussaint had alerted the Black North. The general who ordered the disarming of blacks, they revolted on 16 October 1798 , forcing Hedouville hastily climbing back to the metropolis with many whites.

Edward Stevens was officially appointed in April 1799 Consul General of the United States in Santo Domingo , a position with which he strengthened economic relations with the regime of Toussaint Louverture , by engaging the island by U.S. vessels .

The flight to Cuba refugees from Santo Domingo after the armistice of 30 March 1798 sees many become privateers during the Quasi-War against the background of tripartite trade agreement of 1799 between Toussaint Louverture, the United States and England This will feed the piracy 1800s in the Caribbean and provides an initial boost to commercial traffic to Cuba as shown by the values produced by the Port of Cuba between 1797 and 1801, some taken from the French privateers attacking American ships trading with Santo Domingo :

Issued any check, Toussaint turns against its rival, the leader of mulatto Rigaud. Taking advantage of an incident, it provoked. Rigaud commits hostilities in June 1799. Toussaint, assisted by Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Henri Christophe 's troops defeated his opponent in a year.

Determined to get the economy back up, Toussaint publishes 12 October 1800 settlement, extending the forced labor of blacks on plantations as it was organized by Sonthonax, Lavaux and Hedouville. This causes many discontents. In late October 1801 , Northern blacks rebelled, slaughtered up to whites. Within days, Toussaint and dispersed the rebels have shot thirteen leaders, including his own nephew, General Moses. Whites to rally to his cause, he recalled the emigres and proclaims Catholicism the official religion.

On 3 July 1801 it proclaimed a constitutional autonomy that gives full powers for life.

The End of the Adventure

The Fort de Joux , where Toussaint Louverture died.

Despite the assurances of loyalty of Toussaint Louverture, Bonaparte , who was outraged by the proclamation of a constitution for autonomy by Toussaint and his allies, the great settlers, rallied to the views of traders and settlers from Martinique who want to reinstate slavery on all French colonies. He enjoys the peace of Amiens to form an expeditionary force of 20,000 men headed by his brother, General Leclerc and regain control of the island.

January 20, 1802, the expedition to St. Domingo appears in the ports of the colony, ostensibly to punish the only Louverture, said felon. The restoration of slavery is still a hidden agenda. Officers loyal to resist Toussaint first burning the port cities and retreating inland. Despite some successes, the battle quickly becomes uneven, the people, tired of authoritarianism Toussaint, do not follow some of the officers and decided to join the French camp. May 7, 1802, L'Ouverture sign in Cap-French Leclerc with an agreement that allows him to retire on his land of Ennery retaining his rank. The agreement stipulates that slavery will not be restored on the island.

Three weeks later, Leclerc stops Toussaint Louverture, accused of conspiracy and rebellion, and his family. The ship then leads the hero in France. August 25, 1802, Toussaint was imprisoned in the castle of Joux in Doubs , where it will remain isolated and subjected to repeated interrogations. He died of pneumonia on 7 April 1803. His family was exiled to Bayonne , then Agen.

Some of his supporters deemed dangerous or likely to create unrest were sent to France. Those who are not imprisoned under house arrest, including Corsica. They are the latest part of the officers and men of the Battalion Black Pioneers.

In announcing the restoration of slavery in Guadeloupe and despite the exile of Louverture, the revolt resumed under the command of Dessalines and the French (led by General Donatien Rochambeau ) must evacuate French Cape in November 1803 after the battle of Vertires. Dessalines proclaimed Haiti's independence on ¹ January 1804.

Commemorative plaque at the Chateau de Joux

The death of Toussaint Louverture keeps a mystery. While it is commonly said that Toussaint Louverture died of pneumonia at the Chateau de Joux in Doubs caused by the cold of this region, a second hypothesis suggests that Toussaint Louverture died of dental infections. Even today you can visit his cell at the Chateau de Joux. Every year many Haitians make this pilgrimage elsewhere in the Doubs to perpetuate the memory of this great founder of the first Black Republic in the world.

Tributes

• A school of Pontarlier near Fort de Joux in Franche-Comte bears his name.
• A Lyce Saint-Honoured in Haiti is named in his honor.
• Several streets in many towns in Haiti are known as Toussaint L'Ouverture in honor of General.
• A statue honors him in Quebec , was inaugurated on 8 September 2010 , in the park of Latin America located in Lower Town, between the Courthouse and the St. Charles River .

Image Gallery

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  Toussaint Louverture, Haitian politician (1743-1803), portrait of Nicolas Eustache Maurin , lithograph by Franois Sraphin Delpech

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  Toussaint Louverture, leader of the insurgents in Santo Domingo , 19 ^th century.

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  1802: Toussaint Louverture. From a group of engravings done in post-Revolutionary France.

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  Toussaint Louverture.

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  General Toussaint Louverture receiving an English general

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  Toussaint receives a letter from Napoleon

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  Toussaint Louverture in Saint-Domingue.

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  1802: Toussaint Louverture by Charles-Yves Cousin d'Avallon, (1769-1840) (Record BNF ^No. FRBNF30282183n ).

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  1938: Haiti. A drama of the Black Napoleon by William Du Bois. With the New York cast. "Poster for Federal Theatre Project presentation of" Haiti "At the Copley Theatre, 463 Stuart St., Boston , Mass.., exacts bust portrait of Toussaint Louverture.

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  Portrait of Toussaint Louverture on Haitian banknote.

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  Banknote, Haiti, with a portrait of Toussaint Louverture

Sources

Bibliography

• Memoirs of General Toussaint L'Ouverture, written by himself, by Toussaint Louverture, Joseph Saint-Rmy, 1853 ( text online ).
• CLR James , The Black Jacobins. Toussaint Louverture and the revolution in Santo Domingo, 1938 (French translation, Paris, Editions Caribbean, 1983).
• Aim Csaire , Toussaint Louverture (test), French Book Club, Paris, 1960 (reissued by Presence Africaine in 1962).
• Victor Schoelcher , Life of Toussaint Louverture, Karthala, Collection Reread, 1982.
• Pluchon Pierre, Toussaint Louverture, Fayard , Paris, 1989.
• Jean Metellus , Toussaint Louverture, play, Hatier, 2003.
• Jean Metellus , Toussaint Louverture, the precursor, Roman, Le Temps des Cerises, 2004.
• Jacques de Caunes , Toussaint Louverture and Haiti's independence, and SFHOM Karthala, 2004.
• Alain Foix , Toussaint Louverture, Gallimard, "Folio Biography", 2007.
• Cry of the colonists against a work of the Bishop and Senator Gregory, entitled "From Literature of Negroes." by Richard Francis Tussac (about the book of the Abb Grgoire ).

References

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