Grenadye Alaso!:A Haiti TL

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

Background:
Haiti in 1825 was a young isolated nation. It just fought a bloody war of freedom 20 years earlier. Now the new leader Jean-Pierre Boyer was living in fear of France coming back. So, Boyer started “negotiations” for France to agree to recognize Haiti unless it paid 150 million Francs. King Charles X of France also sent 14 warships off the coast of Haiti with 500 guns to send a message to Boyer that if the negotiations fail it would lead to a new war. However, Boyer died unexpectedly in late July 1825 in a horseback riding accident. The mulatto elite scrambled to find a new leader. They decided to elect a black man to temper black peasant rebel feelings. The country descent into chaos as a peasant uprising was rising in the south. They put Philippe Guerrier. A black man who was a Haitian revolution veteran. He hated the French and former supporter of Henri Christophe. He told the French diplomats that negotiations are off. And that Haiti will prepare for war. Many call Guerrier a great war leader. He called a levee en masse across the nation and a call to arms. Every able-bodied male 16-45 was to take arms and fight. And what begins is what historians call the second Haitian war of independence 1825-1828.



Disaster of Port Au Prince:

Philippe Guerrier

Philippe Guerrier was the unlikely leader chosen by the mulatto elite. He was selected to pander to black disgruntlement in the north and south. He was a plantation owner who cared more about his land then power. However, when Boyer died unexpectedly on July 6, 1825, by a horseback riding accident he was selected by the elite. The nation of Haiti needed a new ruler. There was a peasant insurrection in the south led by the insurgent Accau. And there was grumbling in East Haiti. So on July 11th Phillippe Guerrier was selected as the new president of Haiti. And the first order of business was the negotiations with France. Guerrier first encounter with the French envoy was an intense one. The French envoy told Guerrier that King Charles “demanded” that Haiti accepts the agreement that Boyer was close to agreeing to. The agreement was the payment of 150 million francs. Guerrier told the envoy that is impossible for the island to agree to. The envoy threatened him that there are 14 warships and 500 guns that will bombard Port Au Prince to ash and rubble if the government disagree with the agreement. Guerrier angrily said, “We defeated you once and we will do it again but this time there will be no French soldier left in Haiti!” Negotiations immediately ended for that day. The next day Guerrier declared that Haiti will not agree to this and that demanded the French fleet to leave the Port Au Prince bay. Guerrier was a career officer. He fought alongside Henri Christophe and was well learned in military history and tactics. He knew how to read and write since he was part of Henri Christophe royal family. He knew that war was near. He ordered an evacuation of Port Au Prince and moved the capital to Marchand in the interior of the island. However, it was too late. The bombardment began at the peak of the evacuation. In early July 15th, French guns bombarded Port Au Prince into rubble. It was estimated 8,000 people died that day. In Haitian history, it is known as the Massacre of port Au Prince. Large sections of the city laid in ruin. Guerrier survived along with his Cabinet and the mulatto elite. The entire Haitian government moved into Marchand to make war plans. Guerrier studied the French revolutionary wars and the Peninsular war. He knew that to defeat a second French invasion the entire nation must put everything on the line. So on July 17th, 1825 he called for a levee en masse. Every able bodies male was to take arms across the island to fight the French invasion. The bombardment of Port Au Prince shocked many at the brutality of the French. It enraged black Haitians. It horrified mulattoes at brutality the French were willing to go to retake the island. Also, the casualties consisted of many mulattos. And when word spread that the French were back to re-enslaving the black Haitians it caused a wave of hysteria in the nation.

Claude-Victor Perrin

Auguste Marmont

France landed troops in Port Au Prince on July 18. It was a force of 50,000 troops led by the Napoleonic war general Claude-Victor Perrin. Charles X of France told Perrin that if negotiations fail bombard Port Au Prince and launch an invasion into the island. Also, he said to send correspondence to the Spanish East that they would receive autonomy if they pledge allegiance to France. Perrin took Port Au Prince with little resistance. Then he sent forces to take Leogane. Perrin's plan was to take the capital and hopefully force the Spanish to start a second front in the war. Perrins plan to take the coastal towns of southern Haiti to break the resistance. However, things did not go according to plan. On July 25 10,000 french troops engaged some Haitian soldiers outside Petit Gouve and defeated them easily. Perrin was accompanied by Auguste Marmont who wanted to prove his loyalty to the king since he defected from Napoleon and many did not trust him. However, he wanted to prove himself reliable.


Perrin decided to divide up the force of 50,000 into two forces. He wanted to march up north to defeat the resistance up north. Marmont would stay and pacify the south. Throughout of July, the Haitian military position in the south was nearing disaster. Marmont took over Petite Gouave Leogane and Miragoane. Guerrier gave a command to the south Accau, Jean-Louis Pierrot, and Charles Riviere-Herard. Accau commanded Les Cayes and since he was very popular with the peasant he could rally troops behind him. Guerrier also commanded that Haitian soldiers should retreat from the cities and towns to the mountains after the defeats in Mirogane. He followed the same military tactic that Dessalines, inToussaint and Christophe followed the 20 years prior. Marmont was ruthless. He was on warpath to prove himself and was a virulent racist who saw blacks as inferior. He had his sights on the city of Cayes but the mountains of the south would become hell on earth for the French. Guerrier next plan was to bring the Spanish East and that meant major changes would have to be made. Major changes that would change the course of Hispanola.

To be continued.......

 

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

This is my first TL. Been working on this off and on for about a year now. Any critiques are welcomed. This TL has a lot of surprises. It will not only involve Haiti. Don't want to give too much away but I'll leave some hints. A successful Decemberist Russian Revolution with the Concert of Europe declaring war against it, Mexican Empire ruled by the House of Bourbon, united Gran Colombia, and a Great War not in Europe but in the Western Hemisphere. So stay tuned!

 

[Jon the Numbat]

Would you believe me if I told you I had a WI idea the other day, on Jean Pierre Boyer refusing to pay the indemnity to France and it's consequences? I find your idea much more intriguing. The amount of Haiti timelines on the board could probably be counted on one one hand. You picked an apt date to start and I'm looking forward to what you have in store!

 

[Jonathan Edelstein]

The mountains will be death for the invaders and General Yellow Fever will fight for Haiti as it did in the first revolution. Please continue this.

 

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

Would you believe me if I told you I had a WI idea the other day, on Jean Pierre Boyer refusing to pay the indemnity to France and it's consequences? I find your idea much more intriguing. The amount of Haiti timelines on the board could probably be counted on one one hand. You picked an apt date to start and I'm looking forward to what you have in store!

yeah there is very few haiti timelines. I originally was going to write a TL on Napoleon not screwing Toussaint and actually use him to expand his goals in the Americas. However I descided to this because it is a perfect date and that TL was a turning point for Haiti and the whole Island.

The mountains will be death for the invaders and General Yellow Fever will fight for Haiti as it did in the first revolution. Please continue this.

You already know it. This war is going to be a lot bloodier than the first one and i plan to have this war be the one that will burn into the haitian psyche for generations to come. It will be the war that will unite both French and Spanish sides of the Island into one nation. Let us just say the French are going suffer horribly in this war. Also the capital is not going to be in Port Au Prince anymore. Marchands Dessalines was supposed to be the capital but DSessalines was killed before that became a reality. The city is a fortress town surrounded by many forts so the French are about hit a brick wall. Also wait until they face the Citadelle Laferriere!

 

[alex costa]

Interesting timeline it seems Crassus. The ideia of a united Hispaniola seems interesting. Also the possibility of keeping Gran Colombia united and the Decembrist Revolution colour me interested.

Subscribed keep it up.

 

[cgomes]

Yes! Whoever wants to conquer Haiti's going to be in for a very fun time

Death to the slavers!

 

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

"One People, One Island, One Nation."

Jose Nunez de Caceres

Simon Bolivar
In the Spanish East, the war had yet affected the area in 1825. The Spanish were angry about living under the yoke of “negro” tyranny. When word spread, that France had landed troops in the West many Spanish Haitians saw it was the time of separation. However, the biggest problem that prevents a full secession was the Haitian troops in the east and that Black east Haitians heard that the French would come to bring back slavery. Guerrier made it clear that word would spread to blacks in east Haitians that France wanted to occupy the entire island to enslave the blacks again. However, Perrins dispatch reached many of the Spanish elites. It reached the hands of Jose Nunez de Caceres as well. He was the leader of the Spanish elite. He rejected it and told his fellow countrymen to help their fellow Haitians. The reason for the rejection was the tone of the letter. Charles X of France promised that the war will not affect them and that they would receive autonomy. However, the catch was that heavy taxes would lay on the island to pay for damages of the war and the previous war with Haiti! Also, those French forces have the authority to seize land property to pay for damages of the war. The biggest reason why the Spanish East did not join the French was the fact that the bombardment of Port Au Prince was horrifying. Many felt that France would do the same and who is to say the French would honor such conditions. Jose Nunez wrote a letter to Guerrier that the East Haitians will throw support for the regime against the French unless concession were made. Jose Nunez knew it wouldn’t be soon that France could land troops in East Haiti. Nunez knew even though Haiti was isolated from the outside world it needed help. And that help would come from a certain leader in South America. On August 18th, 1825 the congress of East Haiti agreed that they would fight alongside the Haitian government. Guerrier sent a young general by the name of Soulouque with 10,000 soldiers to strengthen the defense of the east. At the time there were about 15,000 Haitian soldiers with 4,000 local militias. Soulouqes job was to organize the mobilization of the levee en masse. Guerrier knew that Spanish support would not be a guarantee in the future.


Hinche Resolution-So it was on August 13th when he met Spanish elites in Hinche on a new contract. The Hinche resolution as it was called gave the Spanish east rights. It granted Spanish can be openly spoken. Spanish and French was the official language of the island. Laws the prohibited secret meeting and group travels were outlawed. It also allowed Spanish Haytians to have a voice in the government. One issue was the removal of the cattle tax which was lifted. They could run for public office. It also allowed Catholicism to be practiced openly. Opened the state university, and the end of night curfews. Another was that Spanish Haiti would be allowed to be officers in the military. Many of the mulatto elite were angry at Guerrier for what they saw was massive concessions to the East Haytians. Guerrier said of it “One people,One Island One Nation. Now is not the time to turn against each other. We need all the help we can get. The French will seek to divide us to weaken us. The Spanish Haitians are our brothers.” The Compact was signed in the presence of the Spanish elite. In the meeting, Juan Pablo Duarte and Jose Nunez de Caceres with Philipe Guerrier. The Compact was one the reasons the Spanish Haitians supported the Western half of the island. Guerrier knew that he needed the whole island to resist the French this time. Plus, he used this compact as a way to divide the separatist. The agreement satisfied the moderates who just wanted equal rights. Now the separatist would be a radical fringe group. However, this was not the end the radical separatist.



Enter El Libertador: 1825 in New Granada was a year of happiness but also a year of uncertainty, Simon Bolivar liberated Latin America and put forth an idea of new nation. However, he was to be faced with opposition. Bolivar wanted a centralist government but it was not popular. In 1825 it seemed the nation of Gran Colombia would cease to exist. There was an uprising in Venezuela and the fear was that Gran Colombia would collapse. Also, the biggest problem was that the federalist opposition was divided between those who wanted a strong executive branch and those who wanted a strong legislative branch. On April 15th, 1825 a constitutional convention was called upon in Caracas. There was an agreement that Gran Colombia would be a federation. The states of Venezuela, New Granda, Ecuador. To have governors and legislative branches. The confederation shared a common currency, central bank, nd army. The Central government had a president and a legislative branch. The Congress of Gran Colombia was unicameral. Each province sends four representatives to the Congress. The president was elected by by each province legislative branch. His power was limited. He was commander in chief in times of was and civil strife. He served two-year terms but had no limits to how many terms he can serve. He had the power to raise an army and navy. The legislative branch had the power to wage war, coin money, place taxes on foreign goods and apply taxes. They were not elected by the people but by provincial states assemblies. Simon Bolivar agreed to the constitution reluctantly. He famously said, “I will do what ever it takes to keep this nation united.” The constitution of 1825 was agreed on June 17th. The constitution divided the opposition to Simon Bolivar. Venezuelan secessionist was divided between two camps. One was was the liberal moderate faction who just wanted a confederation system and more autonomy. It wasn't that they wanted to leave Gran Colombia. It was just that they wanted more autonomy. The other camp was the radial secessionist who detested the idea of Gran Colombia and believed Venezuela should be a free independent nation. So when the constitution was agreed. The liberal faction went along with the new constitution. The radical secessionist, however, was enraged and started a failed short-lived regionalist insurrection in 1825-1826 led by Jose Antonio Paez. However, the insurrection did not garner the popular support it hoped it could have got. Bolivar himself went to face Paez and brutally crushed the insurrection. At the height of the Venezuela insurrection, he receives news that the French landed troops in Haiti to retake the island. This news disturbed him since he went to Haiti for aid and supplies to fight the Spanish. It also disturbed him because it could start a trend of European power attempting to retake their lost colonies especially Spain. Spain made it clear it will pursue its old colonies. Also, he hears of the Marchand Compact which the french Haitians gave the Spanish east more rights and representation in all facets of the government. Simon received the letter from Jose Nunez about aid and support. Simon had met with his advisers. Many were against aiding Haiti because they were black. Others said this would be an act of war against France and bring ruin to the new nation. One asked him “Do you think they can defeat the French. They will be crushed Charles X will not repeat the same mistakes of Napoleon.”

Bolivar looked and said “When people who were bondage made free again they will fight to the death for freedom. They will defeat the French as they are repeating the same mistakes. They underestimate them.”
Bolivar wrote letters to Jose Nunez Caceres on the issue of aid. Bolivar agreed to send weapons and supplies to Haiti. Bolivar thought this was the least he can do since it Alexandre Petion the former leader of Haiti who aided him in his own war against Spain. Bolivar was against European imperialism. And feared if Haiti fell then Latin America was next. The support from Gran Colombia was a major shot in the arm into the war effort. Bolivar wrote to Guerrier that he was going to declare war against France. Guerrier wrote back "No this is our fight. We have enough men to push the French back into the sea." Gran Colombia with aid from UK ships sent weapons and supplies to the Haitian resistance. The UK was not thrilled with France trying to reclaim lost colonies in the Americas. They saw it as a threat to their interest in the Caribbean. So UK ships in the America along with the few Gran Colombian ships send weapons to southern Haiti and the Spanish East far out the reach of French ships. This was to prevent clashes. Ports in Jacmel, Les Cayes, Santo Domingo were locations these ships landed to offload the weapons. This secret operation was never noticed by the French until the end of the war. This allowed Haitian defenders to get a steady supply of weapons even though the island was filled with forts already stocked with plenty of ammunition and artillery. Famed French military historian Piere Yves Le Drian said in his book on the war "Paradise of Hell-History of the Second French Expeditionary force 1825-1828," that "It was at this point France lost the war. The collusion of Gran Colombia and Great Britain to supply the Haitian fighters without the French military knowing proved that the war was poorly planned from the start."

 

[Cuāuhtemōc]

Good. The concessions the Haitians made to the Hispanophones should take the wind out of the secessionists' sails. One island, one nation indeed.

 

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

Good. The concessions the Haitians made to the Hispanophones should take the wind out of the secessionists' sails. One island, one nation indeed.

Pretty much. Thing is when Toussaint launched the incursion in the Spanish East he was welcomed as a liberator. I read a book that said Toussaint ordered his men not to rape or plunder the land. They simply marched in. Many of the reasons for separatist feeling was from these ridiculous laws they passed. For example banning Catholicism meanwhile the mulatto elites practiced it. Banning Spanish, night curfews,banning groups travels and secret meeting,closing the state university created resentment. So I figured if those laws were abolished it would take the wind out the secessionist sails as you said. However there will be a radical fringe that will try to destabilize the island. The radical separatist are not going down without a fight.

 

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

Also I am going for the Gran Colombia-Haiti alliance which will have major implications. And again I am open for critiques,ideas and just opinions. Also by me killing off Boyer it is a major move. Boyer rulef Haiti from 1818-1843. That is a very long reign so alot of things are gonna change for Haiti in general. A new system of government will arise to replace colorism dominated politics. The war will unite the island. I will explain this further along the TL goes.

 

[Jonathan Edelstein]

It will not only involve Haiti. Don't want to give too much away but I'll leave some hints. A successful Decemberist Russian Revolution with the Concert of Europe declaring war against it, Mexican Empire ruled by the House of Bourbon, united Gran Colombia, and a Great War not in Europe but in the Western Hemisphere.

I'd also guess that if France is bled white fighting in Haiti and against Russia, it will have no stomach to invade Algeria, and it might also have a more radical revolution in or around 1830 - the 1830s ITTL might look more like 1848.

Hinche Resolution-So it was on August 13th when he met Spanish elites in Hinche on a new contract. The Hinche resolution as it was called gave the Spanish east rights. It granted Spanish can be openly spoken. Spanish and French was the official language of the island. Laws the prohibited secret meeting and group travels were outlawed. It also allowed Spanish Haytians to have a voice in the government. One issue was the removal of the cattle tax which was lifted. They could run for public office. It also allowed Catholicism to be practiced openly. Opened the state university, and the end of night curfews. Another was that Spanish Haiti would be allowed to be officers in the military. Many of the mulatto elite were angry at Guerrier for what they saw was massive concessions to the East Haytians.

Was Catholicism banned IOTL? Many West Haitians were Catholic too, weren't they?

At any rate this is very important - it's still early enough to reconcile the Spanish-speakers to Haitian rule, and this will help make them feel like equal citizens. I'd still expect some disputes over land that was confiscated in 1822, but this might be something that can be put aside until after the war.

One consequence of this resolution might be that some Spanish Haitian elites move west and become part of the commercial class in Port-au-Prince or Cap-Haïtien, which will probably remain the economic capitals even if the political capital is moved to an inland fortress city.

Guerrier sent a young general by the name of Soulouque with 10,000 soldiers to strengthen the defense of the east.

I was going to ask what happened to Soulouque. What is Geffrard doing, and will the war last long enough for a young Lysius Salomon to be involved?

Also I am going for the Gran Colombia-Haiti alliance which will have major implications. And again I am open for critiques,ideas and just opinions. Also by me killing off Boyer it is a major move. Boyer filed Haiti from 1818-1843.

It's possible that ITTL, Guerrier could have a reign nearly as long, because if he doesn't get killed in the war, he will live to 1845. He could have 20 years to shape what the Haitian state will become. What do we know about his political thought IOTL, though in any event the Second Revolution will no doubt change it?

 

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

I'd also guess that if France is bled white fighting in Haiti and against Russia, it will have no stomach to invade Algeria, and it might also have a more radical revolution in or around 1830 - the 1830s ITTL might look more like 1848.


Was Catholicism banned IOTL? Many West Haitians were Catholic too, weren't they?

At any rate this is very important - it's still early enough to reconcile the Spanish-speakers to Haitian rule, and this will help make them feel like equal citizens. I'd still expect some disputes over land that was confiscated in 1822, but this might be something that can be put aside until after the war.

One consequence of this resolution might be that some Spanish Haitian elites move west and become part of the commercial class in Port-au-Prince or Cap-Haïtien, which will probably remain the economic capitals even if the political capital is moved to an inland fortress city.



I was going to ask what happened to Soulouque. What is Geffrard doing, and will the war last long enough for a young Lysius Salomon to be involved?



It's possible that ITTL, Guerrier could have a reign nearly as long, because if he doesn't get killed in the war, he will live to 1845. He could have 20 years to shape what the Haitian state will become. What do we know about his political thought IOTL, though in any event the Second Revolution will no doubt change it?

1. There will be a much bloodier and radical revolution which will have major repercussions. Let me just leave this hint. Imperial Mexico ruled by the House of Bourbon. The war with Russia is where we will see the Concert of Europe react. Let us just say two empire collapse way prematurely than IOTL.

2. Catholicism was banned for many reasons. The mulatto class used this so black anger wouldn't go back to them. Catholicism was seen as the religion of the white man and France practiced it. So there was anger and hatred for the Church. Matter of fact Haiti didn't get a Cardinal until the early 20th century. The mulatto elite and some black elite practiced the religion. The fear was that the Spanish East would use it as a way to get help from Catholic Europe to somehow invade the Western part of the island.

3.And yeah that is where I'm going with this. Port AU Prince will be the commercial capital of the south of Haiti. They will be rival to Cap Haitian. Some will move to those cities others will remain to turn Santo Domingo into a commercial capital later on. The interesting part will come after the war. Guerrier is going to make a lot of hard choices. Remember he was on Henri Christophe camp early in his career. So we may see the return of the corvee system that Toussaint, Dessalines, and Christophe attempted to implement. Of course, he agrarian peasants will not like it but we will see a major rival class to the commercial class. Haiti may well become what Egypt is today. Where the military dominants the economy. The commercial class will not like it. So expect land disputes and backlash. Marchand Dessalines will be the capital of Haiti. It is an inland fortress city. That will tell you the mentaility Haiti will have after the war. Fortress Haiti.

4.Solouque I have big plans. For now, he has been given command of the Spanish East. He is going to be a major figure in the post-war years. He is ambitious, hot-tempered, and will become a war hero. In some ways, he will become the Haitian Andrew Jackson. By me putting him in command of the Spanish east he will be a respected man in both the Spanish east and French West. So in some ways, he will be a unitary leader. By staying in the East he will learn Spanish, respect the culture and in battle will be seen as a man who able to bring the two groups to fight a common foe. He will be the obvious successor to Guerrier. Also after the war, there will be major changes pf the constitution and governance in Haiti altogether.
It is funny you ask about Geffrard because initially, I was gonna butterfly him off dying in the war. He was born in 1806. The war starts in 1825. So he would have been 19 years old. So he is probably just joined the army at 18. However, we have to remember Geffard was the first Haitian president to be not born during the revolution. A 19 year old in the army fighting in a bloody 3 year war of survival is gonna be mentally different from one who joined the army at 19 but sees no combat. So in his informative years he will see combat and fight tough battles. The Geffard in this TL is going to be WAY more different than the one IOTL. So he represented a new generation of leaders of Haiti. So this generation not born as slaves or not born during the war with France are going to wage war against the same old enemy. This will drastically change their worldview. IaGeffrard's generation grew up hearing stories of the war with France and will now see it is their turn to emulate their parents. The Hinche resolution will also change their worldview as well. Let us say Geffrard's generation will believe in the spirit of unity of both sides of the island much more so their parent's generation and the war will do that for them. Lysius Salomon would be 10 at the time of the war. His family though is a black elite in the south. So they will be major figures in the post-war years. However, the war will have an impact on a young Lysius Salomon.

5. IOTL Guerrier reign in Haiti was relatively short. He was ruler for a month. At the time he was more focused on his plantation and retired from political life. He reluctantly accepted the title of president when the mulatto elite chose him to temper black rage. He was very old and not fit to be president. So we really know little and this is why I picked him. From what we know he served under Henri Christophe and fought in the first war. And was born a slave. So it is safe to say a younger Guierrier was more politically closer to Henri Christophe. Let us look at Henri Christophe's policy. He built forts in fear of the return of French invading force. He built the Citadelle Laferriere which is a massive fort. Christophe was loyal to Toussaint for the longest and shared many of his beliefs. Christophe was more Toussaint like than Dessalines like. So Guerrier would fit the bill to be more of a combo of Henri Christophe and Toussaint. He will take a lot of what they did to rule Haiti and fight the French. So Guerrier will be given 20 years to implement policies from both Toussaint and Christophe. It wont be an easy 20 years but those 20 years will shape Haiti's destiny.

Hope this answeres your questions. And if you guys have any more let them come. I appreciate it.

 

[Jonathan Edelstein]

5. IOTL Guerrier reign in Haiti was relatively short. He was ruler for a month. At the time he was more focused on his plantation and retired from political life. He reluctantly accepted the title of president when the mulatto elite chose him to temper black rage. He was very old and not fit to be president. So we really know little and this is why I picked him. From what we know he served under Henri Christophe and fought in the first war. And was born a slave. So it is safe to say a younger Guierrier was more politically closer to Henri Christophe. Let us look at Henri Christophe's policy. He built forts in fear of the return of French invading force. He built the Citadelle Laferriere which is a massive fort. Christophe was loyal to Toussaint for the longest and shared many of his beliefs. Christophe was more Toussaint like than Dessalines like. So Guerrier would fit the bill to be more of a combo of Henri Christophe and Toussaint. He will take a lot of what they did to rule Haiti and fight the French. So Guerrier will be given 20 years to implement policies from both Toussaint and Christophe. It wont be an easy 20 years but those 20 years will shape Haiti's destiny.

Interesting. If he follows those patterns, his priorities will be a militarily strong Haiti and a prosperous Haiti in that order. I'd guess that his Haiti will be an Israel-style garrison state in which (as you say) the army will be even more important than OTL and in which the state will build a system of coastal fortifications and mountain strongpoints. Possibly there would be universal conscription, which could play a role in uniting the country after the war if east and west Haitians serve in the same units.

I agree that his economic policy might include an attempt at reintroducing fermage as Toussaint and Christophe practiced it, and he might be more successful at first because the peasants wouldn't be able to flee south as they did under Christophe, but it would also be hard to maintain such a system after the war with many peasants armed. Maybe Guerrier would be able to work out some compromise (e.g., some do their national service in the army, others on plantations, and the plantation workers like the soldiers are free after a few years) or maybe it would turn into a long struggle. If Guerrier wants to de-colorize politics, fermage would be a problem because many people (especially in the north?) might see it as a system imposed by mulattos on the blacks, even though Guerrier himself was black. But on the other hand, he'll need hard currency for defense and economic development. It will be interesting to see how Guerrier and his successors thread this needle.

Also, with Guerrier being of the first generation and a contemporary of Toussaint, he will probably be genuinely revolutionary, all the more so due to the second invasion. That will pull him toward alliances with revolutionary Latin America (which you already mentioned) but might also induce him to look for alternatives to fermage or forced labor and move toward something more like Pétion's smallholder system. He will want to build an Enlightenment republic, not simply a warlord state, and these goals will sometimes be in tension. As in Toussaint's case, he may often give in to expediency, but maybe he'll constantly look for progressive goals that can be accomplished, such as education, in order to make up for the areas where he had to act as an autocrat.

Will you be discussing the effect of the war and the postwar era on Haitian literature - maybe an earlier shift from French to Kreyol as a literary language, and movement away from European romanticism toward a more naturalistic and patriotic style (I'm again thinking of Israel as a model)?

 

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

Koupe tet boulay Kay!

Charles-Riviere Herard


Guerrilla Resistance: Phillipe Guerrier was a former captain under Christophe. His war plans was that similar to Christophe. He ordered massive withdrawing from the coastal cities to the forts, hill, and mountains that dot Hayti. After the bombardment of Port au Prince he moved the capital to Marchand Dessalines. It was strategic move because the town was surrounded by mountains and hills. Plus five forts surrounded the town. The area was a fortress of Haitian soldiers and militiamen. In the town and surrounding area, every able bodies man was to protect the areas of Marchand. Guerrier knew that Haitian forces would not be able to fight the french in open battle at the time being. The strategy was burn crops and supplies that could be useful for the french. Ambush and harass french forces to prevent them from moving then wait for attrition and yellow fever deplete french forces. Then move to fight them in battle in a crushing defeat. The trump card for Guerrier was the Citadelle Laferriere which as the largest fort in the Americas. It had 535 guns and could house up to 15,000 defenders. The french forces under Perrin mad their first mistake in landing in Port Au Prince. This gave time for defenses to further strengthen throughout the island. In August of 1825 Perrin sent a letter to Charles X of France for reinforcements. The french forces needed more men to fight on multiple fronts. The north, center, and east were unaffected. Mormount's campaign in the south was to pacify the entire region with 26,000 troops. Perrin was making a march to Dessalines to take the city in hopes destroying the government and make resistance futile. Also, Perrin heard of the Citadelle and knew if he could take it Haitian resistance in the north would collapse. The french second mistake was that they took the Haitian withdrawing from the cities as weakness and desertion. Accau a famous general who led a popular uprising rallied the fighters of Les Cayes and throughout southern Haiti to fight. In August of 1825, Marmont moved quickly to take the cities of the coast. In July 31st Marmont moved to Fort Jacques which housed 5,000 defenders. The Fort was of two forts that were on the outskirts of Port Au Prince. The battle of Fort Jacques was a bloody one. The battle lasted for 30 days. The First day was a disaster. Marmont ordered his infantry to march to take the fort. 25 french troops lost their lives from the assault. With 50 wounded. The man leading assault was former war and navy minister Andre Laidan. His heroics kept the fort out of french hands for 10 days. In those ten days over 300 French troops were lost with 800 wounded. Each day the french attackers were repelled. On the 6th day, some french troops made it to the courtyard but were encircled ambushed and wiped out. Marmont ordered cannons to bombard the fort. He was obsessed with taking the fort. He ordered his men to take the position to take Kenscoff a town outside of Port Au Prince. The battle ended in late August when the defender ran out of munitions and food. They withdrew into the mountains. Some to Fort Alexandre. The battle was a Pyrrhic victory because Marmont lost so many men. He knew he had little choice. In order to break the resistance, he needed to take the forts. The battle of Fort Alexandre and Jacques took the whole summer of 1825. Even though the Haitian army lost those forts it succeeded in its goals. The one thing was to bog down the french forces, force them to waste men and resources and give the other areas time to mobilize the levee en masse. Fort Alexandre was taken quickly since it ultimately unfinished however the french lost 500 men in the assault with 900 wounded. Marmont once said, “If we continue to have more battles like this we will lose more men then the blacks.” The resistance fighter that survived both assaults fled into the mountains to fight a guerrilla war.
Perrin himself didn’t fare as well. The march to Marchand was a terrible one. He faced ambushes and more forts.

Accau the black Fox: He knew the jungles and mountains of southern Haiti like the back of his hand. He had the support of thousands of peasant farmers. He was a former general in the Haitian military. He supported black rights and hated the mulatto elite. He fought an insurgency against the Boyer regime. However when Guerrier was selected as president and declared war against France he supported him. Accau was a fierce fighter. He fought the revolutionary war under Dessalines when he was a young man. He hated mulattoes but hated whites even more. Accau was described by a French officer “ tall ferocious wild man. Always have anger and rage in his eyes. His voice was curt and laconic and harsh. He was Dessalines resurrected.” Accau and Charles Rivière-Hérard were commanders of the southern front. Faustin Soluque, Auguste Brouard were in charge of the Spanish east front. Jean-Louis Pierrot, Jean Baptist Riche commanded the north. Accau was given complete control of the southern front but Guerrier to the chagrin to the mulattoes but his knowledge was needed. He ordered Haitian troops to leave the cities and head to the forts, mountains, and jungle and organize guerrilla forces to fight the french. He led his men personally into combat. Under his control of 10,000 men motivated to fight the french. Accau was a black nationalist and when word was that the Blanc francais has returned to enslave blacks he famously said “We will kill all of them with the spirit of Dessalines. We will cut off heads and burn houses(Koupe tet boulay kay!)” Accau strategy was to ambush French troops and supply lines. After taking Kenscoff Marmont then went on to Mirogoaune which has a small garrison of 300 fighters. Marmont wanted to pacify the west and south by the end of the year. But his campaign soon became a quagmire. Accau was a powerful orator and could rally the black masses in the south and west to wage a guerilla war against the French. Ambushes by Accau's men hurt Marmont. Marches into the jungles were met with daily attacks. This type of guerrilla war was slowing down French troops. Accau's forces moved quickly through the dense jungle mountainous terrain. Sniping of French forces in the rear or resting was a daily thing. The french soldiers knew no rest. Attacks on their stretched supply and communication lines made things miserable. General Riviere was told to prepare for a possible counterattack when the French were slowly degraded. Phillipe Guerrier felt a major defeat against the French in the South would be enough to encircle Perrins men and force a peace. Another thing that was hurting Marmont's men was the beginning of yellow fever spreading amongst French soldiers. The rainy season in April was coming.

 

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

Interesting. If he follows those patterns, his priorities will be a militarily strong Haiti and a prosperous Haiti in that order. I'd guess that his Haiti will be an Israel-style garrison state in which (as you say) the army will be even more important than OTL and in which the state will build a system of coastal fortifications and mountain strongpoints. Possibly there would be universal conscription, which could play a role in uniting the country after the war if east and west Haitians serve in the same units.

I agree that his economic policy might include an attempt at reintroducing fermage as Toussaint and Christophe practiced it, and he might be more successful at first because the peasants wouldn't be able to flee south as they did under Christophe, but it would also be hard to maintain such a system after the war with many peasants armed. Maybe Guerrier would be able to work out some compromise (e.g., some do their national service in the army, others on plantations, and the plantation workers like the soldiers are free after a few years) or maybe it would turn into a long struggle. If Guerrier wants to de-colorize politics, fermage would be a problem because many people (especially in the north?) might see it as a system imposed by mulattos on the blacks, even though Guerrier himself was black. But on the other hand, he'll need hard currency for defense and economic development. It will be interesting to see how Guerrier and his successors thread this needle.

Also, with Guerrier being of the first generation and a contemporary of Toussaint, he will probably be genuinely revolutionary, all the more so due to the second invasion. That will pull him toward alliances with revolutionary Latin America (which you already mentioned) but might also induce him to look for alternatives to fermage or forced labor and move toward something more like Pétion's smallholder system. He will want to build an Enlightenment republic, not simply a warlord state, and these goals will sometimes be in tension. As in Toussaint's case, he may often give in to expediency, but maybe he'll constantly look for progressive goals that can be accomplished, such as education, in order to make up for the areas where he had to act as an autocrat.

Will you be discussing the effect of the war and the postwar era of Haitian literature - maybe an earlier shift from French to Kreyol as a literary language, and movement away from European romanticism toward a more naturalistic and patriotic style (I'm again thinking of Israel as a model)?

Basically. After a war like this, Haiti will want to maintain a large military. And to have a large army you need money. The biggest issue, of course, is where the money will come from. Toussaint and Christophe both tried the fermage system. Toussaint's way was successful was because whenever there was disagreement or potential of revolt he would go there and try find a compromise. Christophe basically overworked the workers. Since Guerrier served Christophe he will learn from his mistake and see what worked. For Toussaint, the fermage system was starting to bring in money to the national treasury however it was aborted because of the war. I like your idea of a compromise. I was thinking that the workers would get more money paid from the plantation owners profits. He may relax some laws for the workers for example banning beatings, having the weekends off, given a small plot of land, and be reimbursed for a significant amount of the planters profits. The treasury will need be filled to maintain the army and fix the infrastructure of the island.

Being a veteran of both wars he will be more of an autocrat. However, he will not go too far like Christophe or Dessalines. He will be akin to Toussaint in ruling the island. He will have a military first society. Under him, he will decolorize the military with the creation of military academies were mulattos, blacks, Spanish, Kreyol and french will attend side by side. So the officer class will be decolorized.

And I will touch upon the effects of the war to postwar Haiti. There will be a push to have spanish and kreyol be the national language of the country. The postwar years will be a push for unity across the island. We will see a new style of Haitian nationalism which wont be based on color but on country.

 

[Jonathan Edelstein]

Since Guerrier served Christophe he will learn from his mistake and see what worked. For Toussaint, the fermage system was starting to bring in money to the national treasury however it was aborted because of the war. I like your idea of a compromise. I was thinking that the workers would get more money paid from the plantation owners profits. He may relax some laws for the workers for example banning beatings, having the weekends off, given a small plot of land, and be reimbursed for a significant amount of the planters profits.

That should help - anything that makes the system less like slavery and gives the plantation workers legal rights and property of their own will make it more tolerable. In the long run, I do think at least the peasants will need to be offered a way out (such as service for a term of years or the ability to use their share of the plantation's profits to buy free), because the mountains pose the same problem for Haitian governments as for French soldiers - plantation workers can flee to mountain areas and join bands of cacos, and would be hard to root out. But if Guerrier is smart, he might be able to make this happen gradually and to keep the system going long enough for it to become self-sustaining.

Anyway, based on the last update, it looks like the Haitians have learned the lessons of the first revolution and are putting Christophe's defenses to good use - I wonder how many French troops Charles X will pour into Haiti before he realizes he can't win.

 

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

That should help - anything that makes the system less like slavery and gives the plantation workers legal rights and property of their own will make it more tolerable. In the long run, I do think at least the peasants will need to be offered a way out (such as service for a term of years or the ability to use their share of the plantation's profits to buy free), because the mountains pose the same problem for Haitian governments as for French soldiers - plantation workers can flee to mountain areas and join bands of cacos, and would be hard to root out. But if Guerrier is smart, he might be able to make this happen gradually and to keep the system going long enough for it to become self-sustaining.

Anyway, based on the last update, it looks like the Haitians have learned the lessons of the first revolution and are putting Christophe's defenses to good use - I wonder how many French troops Charles X will pour into Haiti before he realizes he can't win.

That is what Toussaint did with his version of the fermage system. The workers were given a plot of land that they can grow their own food to sell. Meanwhile they work for the landowner. He paid them a percentage of his profits and was not allowed to beat his workers. That is why it was starting to work for Toussaint. Also Guerrier was one of the many generals who revolted against Christophe. So it is safe to say he will be more Toussaint like than Christophe/Dessalines. Also there was a contract. So the workers worked on the land for a set period of time. And they can renew it if they want to. The whole premise is to make the system less slavery like. Give them days off,no beatings,have them earn money,and be given a small plot of land. That should be enough to temper fears slavery is coming back.

Charles X is going to pour alot of resources into the early days of the war. His opinion is that the reason why Napoleon failed to conquer the island was that he was distracted with too many foreign entanglements abroad and that is why he failed. He figured if France but all its resources into taking the island that they could overcome. The problem with that thinking is that attrition is going to be a major problem for the french military in Haiti. Reinforcements from France takes 3 months to reach the Haiti. Also General yellow fever is going to decimate them. I read that in the war of independence France lost 50-60 soldiers a day to yellow fever. Add guerrilla warfare it is about 70-85 a day. He is determined but a certain major event in December of 1825 is going to change things.

 

[Knightmare]

Charles X is going to pour alot of resources into the early days of the war. His opinion is that the reason why Napoleon failed to conquer the island was that he was distracted with too many foreign entanglements abroad and that is why he failed. He figured if France but all its resources into taking the island that they could overcome. The problem with that thinking is that attrition is going to be a major problem for the french military in Haiti. Reinforcements from France takes 3 months to reach the Haiti. Also General yellow fever is going to decimate them. I read that in the war of independence France lost 50-60 soldiers a day to yellow fever. Add guerrilla warfare it is about 70-85 a day. He is determined but a certain major event in December of 1825 is going to change things.

Problem is, that's also coming to a high cost, low benefit solution.

Yes, if France was going full pell mell against Haiti, they'd win.

It's just going to be costly as shit.

 

[cgomes]

Problem is, that's also coming to a high cost, low benefit solution.

Yes, if France was going full pell mell against Haiti, they'd win.

It's just going to be costly as shit.

And I don't think Charles is stupid enough to drain his treasury to overkill a sugar producing island. Pragmatism's gotta kick in at some point.