JJ Dessalines: "Diary" Vetas No.74 / DOCUMENT / JJ Dessaline: Campaign Journal of Santo Domingo, 1805.
JJ Dessalines Dessalines I
SM campaign
Journal of Santo Domingo. Laville, April 12, 1805 * **
The ruler of Haiti, Jean Jacques Dessalines, who had been proclaimed Emperor by the name of Jacob First, decided to invade the English side of the island in February 1805. The territory of the Dominicans, who had been a colony of Spain, was now invaded by France, which maintained an army of thousands of soldiers. Dessalines was the aim of expelling the French and reign on the island, which could not achieve because he could not take the walled city of Santo Domingo, which was a vital military target. The Journal Campaign reproduced here below is a document of extraordinary historical importance Having been ordered by His Majesty the Emperor's preparations for the Campaign of Santo Domingo and faithfully executed in all places under their obedience, the order of transmitted officially launched and all the arrangements, the emperor at the head of general staff in the field entered the February 16, 1805, he went to the village of Petite Riviere and there he reviewed the troops of the division Gabart.
These fueza, composed of two battalions of the 4 th, 8 th and 14 th medium brigades, the second battalion of the 7th and half of the 20th brigade of two companies of the first squadron of cavalry, the 1st. Artillery Regiment and the 1st. 1st cavalry squadron. Regiment, commanded by General Gabart, who had his orders to the generals of brigade Canga Magny and paraded each according to his rank and order of battle prescribed by SM; crossed the Artibonite, barely fordable at this time and went to Manga overnight at the ranch, which was a sugar mill.
next day 17, the Emperor came out of this town, left behind it the division Gabart, who spent the night at the ranch Despainville and arrived at five of the Later the people of Mirebalais. There he found the 10th Weapons. demi-brigade and two battalions of the 3rd., after pass magazine, said to each their respective headquarters. The
18, at eight o'clock, General Gabart, the head of his division entered the town of Mirebalais. The Emperor reviewed the division assembled, inspected their weapons and place appointed for him quartered.
El 19, SM summoned the commanders of bloating, Lamatte (1), San Juan Neiba and to recognize its authority and to prepare a necessary amount of food and horses. That same day Petion division joined them in the village, conducted by Brigadier General Magloire Ambroise and composed of two battalions of the 11th brigade averages., 22a., and 23a. and two companies of the 1st. artillery regiment, and the 2nd squad. and 3. 1st Cavalry. regiment.
The next day 20, SM ordered the 3rd. demi-brigade and cavalry, to go camping on the ranch Desvarrieux neighborhood of the Saracens.
The 21, the General Petion arrived with the rest of his division, consisting of two battalions of the 11th brigade averages. and 24th. He warned that the rains hampered SM Major General Geffrard and retarded its progress. The Emperor immediately had formed in battle the two divisions, went revista general, arengó a los soldados y les hizo tomar el camino de Las Caobas, a las órdenes de los Generales Gabart y Petión, secundados por los Generales de brigada Magny, Daut, Cangé y Magloire Ambroise.
El 22, el jército partió de Las Caobas para Las Matas y fué a pernoctar a media jornada de distancia. El Emperador recibió en la mañana del 3 una diputación; hizo su entrada a medio día en ese pueblo y permitió a la tropa descansar un poco y tomar alguna refacción.En la noche del 24 al 25, se dió la orden de avanzar hacia San Juan. A cierta distancia de la ciudad, el Emperador realizó algunos movimientos militares, y el 25, a las tres de la tarde, el ejército, dividido in three columns, entered the square, which had been evacuada.Durante on 26 dealt with the inspection and cleaning of weapons.
On 27, at 6 am, was ordered out for Azua which was executed. Was left as commander in San Juan, the head of Isaac Borel squad, one of the assistants of SM, with a detachment of three hundred men. The army halted the Yaque River, where he spent the night and set off again on 28 to five in the mañana.Aún had not walked three leagues, when the squadron leader Barthelemy, preceding the forefront, he three English prisoners with SMI who led one of them, lieutenant of cavalry, had advanced so much, to spy on our arrival and monitoring our movements, and the other two declared that they had been sent to obtain supplies of water. We are also told not to far from there was an entrenched camp, commanded by a French officer named Wiet.
soon at nine in the morning, crossing the dry bed of a river, the commander Barthelemy spotted some enemy sentries positioned behind a trench of stones built on a mound. He warned that a SM who ordered him to recognize about this position. Barthelemy, without waiting for the cavalry, followed only a few dragons and SM assistants at each other's stubbornness, charged the enemy. In his view, the guards fled. When we arrived we recognized it was an imperfect work and could not be considered as more as an observation point. However
Squadron Leader pursued with zeal to the fugitives, unable to reach them.
Excited by these signs, which confirmed the proximity of the enemy, cavalry joined them with extreme precipitation and the army hastened his departure. An hour later we saw the camp and found his entrenchments Wiet. SM realized the proximity of the enemy, at once the Emperor proceeded to observe the ground followed by his general staff, and stopped half gunshot of the post, which was located on the highway, on a hill, flanked on both sides by two small hills that dominate, in view of this, the Emperor conceived his plan of attack and without giving the army or cavalry time to get, he did ejecutar.Ordenó a part of the forefront go to bet in ambush on the left flank of the enemy made the right circle by the 4 th. brigade and reserved half attacking the front with his general staff and the 3 rd Brigade in the lead half of whom were generals and Daut Gabart.
The enemy, who had hitherto kept a profound silence, determined not to fire on us but a blank, began his fire and dumped on us two guns with shrapnel. Then the battle began with ferocity by both sides. The 4 th Brigade gave half his impetuosity assault with ordinary at the same time Major General Gabart, having overthrown the trenches were heavily defended and surrounded by barbed, appeared on the front. For its part, the portion of the van, placed in ambush on the enemy's left, left to fret. Then the enemy, harassed and pushed by all parties, seeking their salvation in the leak.
concluded cavalry defeat chasing the fugitives through the brambles and thorns that this country is bristling, the completely destroyed in the course of more than two leagues, and SM led to a large number of prisoners, most notably the call Wiet, commander of the position, who declared that he was leading 300 men, and had promised to Ferrand, responding to his head, that would impede the Haitian army, because of the position he occupied. And indeed, to dislodge the enemy, it was necessary troops nothing less than usual to overcome the obstacles the country. This action so fatal to the enemy and who was so violent, no cost, no But life but four of our soldiers, Jerome, cavalry captain, was killed with a pistol, Guillaume, a colonel in the 4 th demi-brigade, was wounded in the left arm and the secretary general's aide Daut, Bravo Pierre Louis was with the belly pierced by a bullet.
After a short pause, the army was ordered to continue the march and went to rest in a herd where he spent the night. As nine in the evening we heard three gunshots fired in Azua alarm. At this signal, a guard that the enemy had placed in the path from Neiba Azua, led by Daut, and SM audante evacuated the place and retired to This last place.
If Daut was assistant SM, how could command the guard enemy evacuated the road and entered Azua? The next morning, March 1st, the army launched for Azua and halted near the city. The emperor, after having divided into two columns Gabart division, this gave a superior officer, assistant brigade Canga general and taking him to Brigadier General Daut, stood at the head of a column to attack the same time this square and cut off all retreat to the enemy, but these measures proved futile, as the garrison, commanded by an officer named Bruys, far from thinking they have any resistance, evacuated the place and did pull the alarma.Juan Jiménez, English, who came to give His Majesty was appointed commandant of the place.
We stopped there for three to five o'clock, the time at which we started to go to spend the night on the river Oco (2).
On 4, at two in the afternoon, it was half a league from Bani. The army, after taking some provisions that people rushed and entered it in the highest order, not finding anyone. SM was then fully convinced that the natives were completely sold to English French and therefore unworthy of receiving more time lucky purpose of clemency.
Day 5 Bani left the army, following the shore, we spotted two British ships anchored near the shore, which, after having been paraded, and prepared and made to sail. We went to rest at the residence of Blas de Luna. SM ordered several major generals place their troops in order to avoid disorder and confusion in case of attack.
On day 6, at dawn, the army was ordered to go on. We arrived at midnight to stay Gaillard (3) distant one league and a quarter of the city of Santo Domingo. SM set there his canton imperial guard formed his of 2,500 men drawn from the different companies of grenadiers and several medium brigades, and demanded a written Ferrand and the inhabitants of the city, being handed the square and to submit to his authority in the evening, the enemy burned the town of San Carlos.
Day 7 in the morning, and Petion Gabart generals were ordered to go to recognize the outskirts of the plaza and visit as soon as possible, the most advantageous positions. At eight o'clock, the enemy began to bombard and threw no rest as they prepared the approaches (4) of the North plaza.Las two divisions, commanded in chief by General H. Christophe met at that time imperial camp. These divisions were formed with two battalions of the 1st., 2a., 5a., 6a., 9a., 27th., 28a., And 29a. medium brigades, two artillery companies of the 2nd. regiment, a company of sappers and two squadrons of the 2nd Cavalry. regiment, as second in command of Major General Clerevaux. These troops were to rest in a room next door, designed to serve hospital.
in vain a few pieces of artillery, several strong run from the city launched a hail of bullets, grenades and shrapnel over our soldiers to stop their work.
A large lot of gabions (5) was fabricated and our lines were drawn around our trincheras.En the night of 7 to 8, the generals Petion Gabart and his troops were taking their respective positions, and outlined the contours of the city protected by a cordon of three lines of gabions placed weak within gunshot of the walls. These forces were arranged in the following order: The left wing Gabart Division, commanded by General Daut, extended from the right bank of Ozama to the heights of San Carlos, occupied the center columns, under the command of General Canga, and the right wing, entrusted to the general Magny brought to the church in that village, intercepted, to continue, the royal road drive from Santo Domingo to Santiago. Although from this point to the coast, had a very big space to cover, Petion division was able to cover the extension of that field and stay there until the arrival of General Geffrard. On 8
Emperor at the head of the General Staff, accompanied by generals and Clerveaux Christophe, he inspected the work and visit the various positions. By the time he stood at the general camp Gabart, the assistant general Damestois was wounded with a cannonball injury as a result of which expired two hours later. SM having found that their view had been fully met, returned to the imperial camp, spent his general staff and the grenadiers of his guard to form an entrenched camp there and ordered the generals to go Clerveaux Christophe and get on the left bank of the Ozama, so as not to be separated from the division Gabart but by the width of the river and occupy the space from there into the sea. Five boatloads of provisions were taken to death, two ships had left the river re-entered after being rejected by the British. The city fire and trenches continued over us all day. At midnight we heard gunshots from the sea, we knew the next day that the British had seized two vessels loaded with women and so on.
On day 9, at four in the afternoon, the 20th. demi-brigade was to seize the horses who had cast out of the city. The enemy, having been rained on us a lot of cannon balls, bombs and grenades, made a sortie against the troop general Magny.La this officer fired by his example, threw himself upon them, beat them and chased strongly to its walls.
Two of our brave soldiers lost their lives in this battle and three were wounded, the battalion chief Lerebours was slightly injured by shrapnel. The withdrawal of the enemy was so precipitous who left abandoned on the battlefield their dead and wounded. The next day it was noted but the entrance of an English Parliament Square.
on day 11, at about eight o'clock, the enemy marched in three columns: the first, directed against general Gabart, did not dare to attack him, and joined the second to go against the general Magny. Appreciating the advantage that they could draw from the church of San Carlos, took advantage of the shelter that offered this building and we went on a hot fire and persistent. Julien
Cupidon, Colonel of the 14th. demi-brigade, and eager to leave those shooters, seeing that a third column advancing to surrounding our position, jump over the trenches and shouts: "To me, men!" and jumps on the enemy. In turn, means the 14th brigade. and 20a. jump in the trenches and rush upon her footsteps. The victory was no doubt a long time, the enemy was soon broken and put to flight, a large number was on the pavement, several were taken prisoner and the rest did not escape persecution but entering our precipidada confusion in their walls. A reinforcement sent by General Petion, consisting of two battalions of the 22a.y of two of the 24th., Led by General Magloire Ambroise, was long enough to share the glory of this day and contributed to its successful outcome. We lost our party eight soldiers. APOT, riot police lieutenant was killed; Boulan, captain, was mortally wounded, and the intrepid squad leader Julien, died of a gunshot wound to the head. Of the city have continued to send bombs and cannon balls during the day and part of the night. Reports from prisoners assured us that the hospital was full of patients, that the city was lack of firewood and were obliged to use for cooking some wooden cabins were along the murallas.El day 12, Geffrard General arrives with his division, consisting of two battalions of the 13th., 15th., 16a., 17th., and 18a. medium brigades, and two companies of the 3rd. artillery regiment and two cavalry squadrons of the 3rd. regiment, commanded as deputy chief of General Moreau. Then SM ordered General Petion retreat and rely on the general Magny, that were executed immediately, and Geffrard division was to seize the land that had just been evacuated. The troops under the command of General Christophe, after having been forced to cross the river Isabela and tracing for more than eight miles during the Ozama to wade, they reached their destination. As soon as the enemy discovered them, launched against them amount of bombs and bullets. On June 13, early morning, Generals Clerveaux Christophe and gave the face of the enemy and made some downloads from ships at anchor in the river. " After suffering heavy damage these vessels passed the river mouth. The fire division Christophe particularly upset, Ferrand barracks and the nearby streets. The square also responded vigorously and rifle fire mixed with artillery fire.
14 and 15, the enemy continued shelling and bombing.
On 16, a post responsible for correspondence and foreign firms came to the imperial camp, SM after learning of them, ordered all divisions to approach a pistol the walls of the city.
SM Day 17 did visit the new work, the enemy shelled and bombed the post Magny.
from 18 to 22 the enemy did not cease to direct their fire on all points.
On day 23, the various divisions approached their lines to touch the walls of the plaza. The enemy artillery had a terrible fire on Petion and Geffrard divisions. At three in the afternoon, the Allies made an exit, scurried along the walls and moved to the shores of the sea.
Vencol Juste, head of the 17th. demi-brigade, the head of his troops, jump trenches, leaps upon the enemy, he makes a horrible carnage and forces him at gunpoint to enter the city. We lost in this fight adjutant Kiebro and some soldiers. A sergeant was disrupted with a leg of a cannon. Could be noted that while the fight lasted a group of enemies made haste to cut mangroves.
The next day 24 was not stated but by the arrival of Brigadier General Gérin and an American defector.
the 25 th were reviewed companies of artillery under the command of the battalion commanders and Montblanc Lys, and the company of sappers under the direction of engineer Barré. SM did give the order to the commanders several common conquered to bring together all people and reduce them to prison so that his first order them trampled by mules (6) and other animals, to reach the Haitian. On 26
Emperor conferred with the directors general of State, they expressed the need for an assault and gave the order to deal promptly with the necessary preparations for war brig ello.Un a felucca (7) were presented in the mouth of the Ozama made a sign to the city, they said.
Day 27, at three in the afternoon, General Geffrard Petion and caught the attention of SM on a French division of five large ships three frigates, two brigs and other warships. At four, the besieged, after a terrible fire from the walls, made a general overall output against Magny, Petion and Geffrard. After a battle that lasted two hours, the enemy, beset on all sides and in complete defeat, turned to flight and hastily fled to the city gate, leaving the ground strewn with dead bodies, leaving their wounded and several prisoners, recent reports confirmed the news we had received already, and a sergeant who did not survive his injuries assured us that, among other heads wounded in the final output Duberthier encueentra General.
Day 28 in the morning, troops began to disembark, we judge, according to several reports, that the reinforcement could be seen in four thousand.
Emperor, including, by the arrival of this division and the sincerity of the ads when they reach it, knowing that two teams were ready to leave the ports of France, to an unknown destination, noted for its foreign relations to prepare against new attempts that would lead to the conclusion of peace in Europe, considering that the object he had proposed the expedition was completed more than half since the sacking of the city of Santo Domingo was the only thing missing to complete their projects, and calculating that greater delay would expose his army, taking the next overflow of rivers, which would make impracticable its withdrawal, not held with respect to sacrifice to the ambition of conquest, security and conservation of the part that is seat of his empire.
Consequently, the principal chiefs gave the order to evacuate the country and two in the afternoon, the cavalry spread everywhere, destroying and burning everything in its path. At eleven o'clock he lifted the siege of the square, the military, as quietly left their positions and retired in such a large order, warned that the enemy had abandoned the site.
Under the latest instructions of His Majesty left several generals, they pushed before them the rest of the people, animals and beasts. Both the Haitian and the Dominican when we say animals means horses, mules and cattle that never were in the fields, burned down towns, villages, ranches and cities, carried all over the devastation, iron and fire, and not spared but by individuals for SM to be conducted as prisoners.
Thus ended a campaign in which all the advantages were constantly on our part, in which the enemy ceased to be completely defeated. Thus was raised the siege of a place that should not their salvation but a lucky and unexpected event such as an accumulation of circumstances that such a conquest worthy of the attention of warring people who held in check.
Made in the imperial camp Laville, on April 12, 1805, year II Haití.El Independence General, Chief of General Staff, signed: Bazelais.
--------- Notes:
1 - so called Haitians to the town of Las Matas de Farfán, according to Rodriguez Demorizi note.
2 - Ocoa.
3 - Gaillard, Galá today. Place situated a league Santo Domingo. Demorizi explains, Emperor Dessalines Galá abandoned on the night of March 28 and spent four days to reach Marchand, distant 120 leagues gala.
4 - Approaches: military term applied to works that are preparing to attack a place to get close to it, according to a Demorizi Rodriguez.
5 - Demorizi Rodríguez A note on the term "gabions" reads: "Bestiaux: in addition to the meaning of cattle is that of Brigade, a group of mules to transport war supplies." The Larousse Small Illustrated edition printed in 1992, defines the gull as a seston full of dirt. According to this definition the gabions are prepared to build trenches in the fields of war.
6 - Demorizi Rodriguez said in a brief note, sick irony: "This is a usual practice SM" (mule: mule load or male / note streaks).
7 - Falucho: Small craft, comfortable and aft carriage, intended for use by the heads of the navy or other Person distinction. Also called him and felucca felucca.
* Taken from the book "Haitian Invasion of 1801, 1805 and 1822." Emilio Rodríguez Demorizi compilation. Publisher of the Caribbean, C. by A., Ciudad Trujillo, RD, 1955, pages 109 to 119. Rodríguez
Demorizi add the following note:
** Translated from French by Mr. C. Armando Rodríguez. Taken from Reueil des lois ..., Vol I, pp. 41-47. The Journal is signed by Bezelais. Was originally published in Gazette commercial et politique d'Haiti, No. 25-28, May 30-June 20, 1805. Another Journal de campgne pendant l'expedition de Saint Domingue, Christopher, published in the Gazette. In the General Archive of the Nation maintains a site map of Santo Domingo impuéstole by Dessalines, windy 15 germinal of the year to August 13 (6 to 8 March 1805), in which positions are besieging armies and besieged , military outposts, etc.
# Streaks-Box posted by Reader @ 9/19/2005 10:40:00 AM
Vetas No. 74 / DOCUMENT / decree of Louis Ferrand Louis Ferrand , French general, commander of the military occupation Santo Domingo. Holy
Sunday, January 6, 1805 * **
In this unusual decree Mr. Ferrand, Brigadier General, French commander, Captain-General ai of the occupied colony of Santo Domingo, a member of the Legion of Honor the French Republic, authorizing the inhabitants and authorities of the English part of the island captured in the territory of the Republic of Haiti children 14 years of age, to be sold as slaves. According to some historians this is what led (or led) invasion of Dessalines and slaughter, slaughter and genocide committed by its army during its withdrawal from our territory. I've always busy to take the necessary measures to annihilate the black rebellion in the colony of Santo Domingo (Saint-Domingue, now Haiti: note streaks), and considering that one of the most effective in achieving this object is to diminish the population and depriving them, as much as possible, the means of being able to do recruitment.
Considering that such recruitment
journal should fall naturally over the black and colored people under fourteen, and politics while mankind, claiming that the legitimate authority to take measures to prevent the sexes of this age and this color involved in crime and revolt that would lead inevitably to the most terrible punishment;
Whereas it is beneficial to the colony that the different ages of the youth to be distinguished, and that the most dangerous are removed from their territory, while the other, carefully preserved in the good principles and distributed in the departments faithful, may one day compete with his work, restoration, whereas also, which borders neighboring residents revolted and the troops forming the cord, they deserve the government rewards them for the hardships and dangers that are continually expuestos.Ha decreed and decree as follows: Article 1
. The inhabitants of the borders of the departments and the Cibao Ozama and the troops employed in lace trimmed seats are and continue to be authorized to extend the territories occupied by the rebels, to pursue and take prisoners to those of one or the other sex who do not pass the age of fourteen.
Section 2. The prisoners from these expeditions are the property of the captors;
Article 3. Boys captured with less than ten years and the black, mulatto, etc., Under ten years must be explicitly in the colony, and may not be exported under any circumstances. "The captors may, depending on your taste, or leave them on their plantations or sell them to people who reside in the departments of Ozama and Cibao (now the Dominican Republic: ndv).
Section 4. Blacks and people of color from those referred to in the preceding article and shall not be exported, will not be considered as property of the captors and may not be sold by them, until they have been provided for each individual, in Ozama department, a certificate of notables de Azua, endorsed by the commander Ruiz, and the Department of Cibao, another certificate as the Municipality of Santiago, endorsed by the commander Serapio, to verify that these blacks, ETC. have been effectively captured in the territory occupied by the rebels and were part of ellos.Les notables Santiago de Azua and keep records which are recorded, without interrupting the certificates they issue and will be agreed who will pay two dollars captors, for each certificate.
Section 5. Boys of ten to fourteen years and the black, mulatto, etc., Twelve to cotorce years, are expressly sold for export.
Article 6. Those designated for export will not be engaged in any other port other than the Santo Domingo, where they will pay for right for the government, five percent of export on the price of the sale.
Article 7. Those who take these blacks and people of color to Santo Domingo, to be sold and exported, are required to obtain, for each individual in the department of Ozama, a certificate issued by the notables of Azua, endorsed by the commander Ruiz and Cibao in the department as a certificate of the Municipality of Santiago, endorsed by the commander Serapio, in which it is found that these black, etc., have been effectively captured in the territory occupied by the rebels and were part of ellos.Esos certificates must also be registered on the notable arrivals by Azua or James, and each was paid two pesos.
Article 8. No black, etc., May be shipped in Santo Domingo, but the commander in chief has given a special authorization to do so he issued in the presence of the required documents.
Article 9. Be considered as stolen and confiscated or wherever they claim are in the colony of Santo Domingo, and in the neighboring colonies, blacks and people of color for which have not been filled formalities indicated.
Article 10. Anyone who has retained or sold, as well as any person who has exported or attempted to export black, etc., Of the colony, without completing the above formalities, be required to pay a fine of fifty dollars per head, and any owner or master of the vessel and all civil or military official, who has given or has been caught helping a fraud of this kind, will be imprisoned or deprived of his employment, and pay one hundred dollars per head of black, etc ., removed or has attempted to escape.
Article 11. The remuneration given to the municipalities of Santiago Azua and certificates with that issue, will serve the community and only costs will be deducted from that amount, the amount they deem appropriate to the remarkable gentlemen, for the salary of the Secretary.
Article 12. Military commanders and the notables are responsible in their respective departments, the implementation of this decree, especially in regard to the vigilance necessary to prevent any kind of abuse in this regard.
Article 13. In the moment that the rebels, recognizing its error, make the act of submission to the Emperor of the French, in the hands of General Ferrand and has assured that they proceed in good faith, all hostilities will be suspended.
This decree, which will be translated and printed in both languages \u200b\u200b(French and English) in number of two hundred copies, published and posted in the cities and towns of the departments and the Cibao Ozama will be recorded in the inspection office colonial on provisional committee secretariat of justice and deposited in the secretary of the board of notables of the department.
Done at the Headquarters of Santo Domingo, 16 snowy, year XIII (January 6, 1805).
Brigadier General, Commander in Chief, Acting Captain General, a member of the Legion of Honor.
Signed FERRAND.
----------- * Taken from the book "Haitian Invasion of 1801, 1805 and 1822." Emilio Rodríguez Demorizi compilation. Publisher of the Caribbean, C. by A., Ciudad Trujillo, RD, 1955, pages 101 to 104. ** Rodriguez Demorizi
add the following note: Translated from French by Mr. C. Armando Rodríguez. Taken from Recuiel générale des lois et actes du Governement d'Haiti ..., Vol I p. 39-41, by Pradines LISTING. Previously published in Gazette commercial et politique d'Haiti, No. 25, 1805. -----
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