Events

The First Battle of Gonaïves

Since the start of the French-Spanish war in 1793, the General of the Black Forces, Toussaint L'Ouverture had given his support to the Spaniards, given they had, beforehand, abolished slavery.

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With General L'Ouverture allied with Spanish forces, the Spanish Empire had encroached into Gonaïves on the far Western bounds of Quisqueya.

Desparate to stop the march of Spain, the French Republic was forced to abolish slavery, to appease their black population and to hopefully get General Toussaint and the Black Forces on their side. On February 4, 1794, the abolition of slavery in France was made official.

Toussaint L'Ouverture, after the concessions of the French Republicans, who promised freedom and equality, allied the Black Forces with the French armies on the 6th of April, unknowingly to the Spanish.

The clever General L'Ouverture contacted the the Spanish fort in Saint-Raphaël requesting weapons and ammunition. Hours after receiving the munitions from the fort, L'Ouverture took their fort of the present day, Nord Department.

With Gonaïves, the most heavily fortified city of the Spanish Empire cut off from Eastern Quisqueya, Toussaint waged battle for its seizure. On May 6th, 1794, the Spanish surrendered Gonaïves putting it in the hands of an African-French rule.

The General showed mercy to his former allies. According to the testimony of Pope Pelagius-Marie Duboys, the Spanish surrendered and L'Ouverture afforded them the honors of war and allowed them to withdraw, peacefully.

There were some losses as 500 residents did fight against the black troops and 150 were killed, according to reports.

This would be the first of two historic battles in the area of Gonaïves. A decade later, the General, Jean-Jacques Dessalines would ultimately defeat the French Republic from the island and declare the new and free Empire of Haiti.

Source: Haiti-Reference