1803

1802 1804

1803 marks the year the Haitian troops finally prevail, and repel attempts by Napoléon Bonaparte to re-establish slavery in Saint-Domingue. In 1802 the French General Antoine Richepanse had re-instituted slavery in the Caribbean colony of Guadeloupe.These events were followed with terror in Saint-Domingue. 1803 is the year of death of Toussaint Louverture, the leader of the Haitian Revolution.

In 1803 the French war to hold on to slavery turned to genocide. Genaral Rochambeau's arrival at Jacmel was signalized by a horrible crime: by his orders, about 100 natives, who were only suspected of having little zeal for France, were thrown into the hold of a man-of-war , the hatchways of which were tightly closed; the men were then suffocated by the fumes of the ignited sulphur, their corpses being afterward thrown into the sea." (Léger p. 130)

February

 * February 2 The poem To Toussaint Louverture by Wordsworth is published in London.

April

 * April 7 Toussaint Louverture dies in French captivity at Fort de Joux.
 * April 8 Toussaint's post-mortem examination is carried out.
 * April 12 François Capois and and the Haitian revolutionaries under his command storm Port-de-Paix and soon after also gain La Tortue from the French. (Léger p. 140)


 * April 30 The Louisiana Purchase Treaty is signed. This treaty, giving up much of France's colonies in the Western Hemisphere, is directly related to the Haitian Revolution, as France put a tremendous amount of resources into fighting the troops of Jean-Jacques Dessalines in Saint-Domingue and therefore had to cut back in other regions.

May

 * May 14 The Congress of Arcahaie starts in the coastal town of Arcahaie.
 * May 18 The Haitian Flag is created by Catherine Flon.

June

 * On June 22 the Haitian revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines sends a letter to U. S. President Thomas Jefferson.

July

 * The Generals of the southern army form an alliance with Jean-Jacques Dessalines at Camp Gérard, near the town of Les Cayes

October

 * On October 20 the United States Congress ratifies the The Louisiana Purchase Treaty.

November

 * November 18 The Haitian Revolutionaries led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines win the Battle of Vertières against the French troops commanded by Rochambeau, who soon after concede defeat.
 * November 19 one day after the final battle of the Haitian Revolution, Rochambeau capitulates.
 * November 30 Jean-Jacques Dessalines becomes the Governor General of Saint-Domingue, he holds that post until the Declaration of Independence in 1804, when the French colony ceases to exist.

December

 * The last French troops leave Saint-Domingue.
 * The Haitian Declaration of Independence is drafted into it's final version.


 * January 1, 1804 is chosen as the date to declare independence.

A man-of-war refers to an armed naval vessel.