Toussaint L'ouverture

Toussaint L' overture was known as Toussaint Breda when he was a slave.

His father taught him herbal medicine and due to his education and outstanding intelligence Toussaint was made coachman to his master. Toussaint was later promoted to the position of steward of the entire plantation’s livestock. A month after the revolt led by Boukman, Toussaint joined the revolutionaries. He enlisted as a physician in Jean Baptiste's regiment. Toussaint proved that he was an able commander and excellent horseman and because of his riding skills he was given the title "Centaur of the Savannas".

The British and Spanish plans to invade St Domingue and restore slavery made Toussaint join the French forces. He changed his name from Toussaint Breda to Toussaint L’Overture (Opener of the Way). By 1795 Toussaint was in command of 20 000 black soldiers and his war against the British was a fight against slavery. By 1796, Toussaint’s word was law to the people of the north. Toussaint was able to get guns and ammunition for his army through the President of the United States of America, John Adams.

After the British evacuated St Domingue, Toussaint defeated the slave owning mulattoes and the French in the west and south. The defeat of the mulattoes left Toussaint in full control of St Domingue and by 1799 the French government accepted Toussaint as master of St Domingue and appointed him as Governor General. Toussaint’s intention was never to kill or drive the whites out of St Domingue, he wanted freedom and equality for all the people of St Domingue but he knew that it was only a matter of time before the new ruler of France, Napoleon Bonaparte would send French troops to try and recapture France.

In 1801, Toussaint instituted a Constitution which gave St Domingue independence. Napoleon Bonaparte was enraged with the Constitution and refused to sign it saying that it contained some things which were contrary to the dignity of France. In December 1801, Napoleon deployed an army and the forces of 20 000 soldiers were under the command of Napoleon’s brother-in-law, General Le Clerc. Le Clerc had orders of make friendly overtures to Toussaint but Napoleon had unofficially given him Clerc orders to remove Toussaint and restore slavery and the old plantation system.

Le Clerc used Toussaint’s two sons and attempted to get them to choose loyalty to France over loyalty to their father. Le Clerc denounced Toussaint as a traitor and the war began. In June 1802, Toussaint was surprised at his Estate and taken prisoner. They bound him, arrested his wife, son and niece. Toussaint exclaimed, “In overthrowing me, you have cutdown only the trunk of the tree of liberty. It will spring up again by the roots, for they are numerous and deep.” In January 1804 General Jean Jacques Dessalines renounced all connections with France and declared St Domingue an independent country, renaming it Haiti, the Taino word for Land of Mountains/Hills.

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Toussaint had changed the black armies from undisciplined bands to a well-disciplined, organized fighting force. His tolerance and diplomacy earned him respect from all quarters, even his enemies. It was because of these leadership skills that the revolution succeeded. Toussaint revived agriculture by forcing the blacks to work on the plantations paying them and quarter of the produce. They were not beaten and they worked shorter hours. Toussaint skillfully reorganized the administration of justice in St Domingue by dividing the island into six departments which still exist today. Toussaint established numerous schools and encouraged the practice of Roman Catholicism.



Toussaint L' overture was known as Toussaint Breda when he was a slave.

His father taught him herbal medicine and due to his education and outstanding intelligence Toussaint was made coachman to his master. Toussaint was later promoted to the position of steward of the entire plantation’s livestock. A month after the revolt led by Boukman, Toussaint joined the revolutionaries. He enlisted as a physician in Jean Baptiste's regiment. Toussaint proved that he was an able commander and excellent horseman and because of his riding skills he was given the title "Centaur of the Savannas".

The British and Spanish plans to invade St Domingue and restore slavery made Toussaint join the French forces. He changed his name from Toussaint Breda to Toussaint L’Overture (Opener of the Way). By 1795 Toussaint was in command of 20 000 black soldiers and his war against the British was a fight against slavery. By 1796, Toussaint’s word was law to the people of the north. Toussaint was able to get guns and ammunition for his army through the President of the United States of America, John Adams.

After the British evacuated St Domingue, Toussaint defeated the slave owning mulattoes and the French in the west and south. The defeat of the mulattoes left Toussaint in full control of St Domingue and by 1799 the French government accepted Toussaint as master of St Domingue and appointed him as Governor General. Toussaint’s intention was never to kill or drive the whites out of St Domingue, he wanted freedom and equality for all the people of St Domingue but he knew that it was only a matter of time before the new ruler of France, Napoleon Bonaparte would send French troops to try and recapture France.

In 1801, Toussaint instituted a Constitution which gave St Domingue independence. Napoleon Bonaparte was enraged with the Constitution and refused to sign it saying that it contained some things which were contrary to the dignity of France. In December 1801, Napoleon deployed an army and the forces of 20 000 soldiers were under the command of Napoleon’s brother-in-law, General Le Clerc. Le Clerc had orders of make friendly overtures to Toussaint but Napoleon had unofficially given him Clerc orders to remove Toussaint and restore slavery and the old plantation system.

Le Clerc used Toussaint’s two sons and attempted to get them to choose loyalty to France over loyalty to their father. Le Clerc denounced Toussaint as a traitor and the war began. In June 1802, Toussaint was surprised at his Estate and taken prisoner. They bound him, arrested his wife, son and niece. Toussaint exclaimed, “In overthrowing me, you have cutdown only the trunk of the tree of liberty. It will spring up again by the roots, for they are numerous and deep.” In January 1804 General Jean Jacques Dessalines renounced all connections with France and declared St Domingue an independent country, renaming it Haiti, the Taino word for Land of Mountains/Hills.

.

Toussaint had changed the black armies from undisciplined bands to a well-disciplined, organized fighting force. His tolerance and diplomacy earned him respect from all quarters, even his enemies. It was because of these leadership skills that the revolution succeeded. Toussaint revived agriculture by forcing the blacks to work on the plantations paying them and quarter of the produce. They were not beaten and they worked shorter hours. Toussaint skillfully reorganized the administration of justice in St Domingue by dividing the island into six departments which still exist today. Toussaint established numerous schools and encouraged the practice of Roman Catholicism.