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Reality Starting to Hit
Reality Starting to Hit.
Fort Drouet
Perrin's campaign: Perrin's force goal was to take Marchand Dessalines. He went on to take the towns of thomzeau, Croix des bouquets, Gantheir and Fond Parisien with little ease. With that, he marched up north. He asked Charles X for reinforcements because they were being slowed down by guerrilla attacks and the outbreak of yelloe fever. Perrin believed opening another front in the East was important because it would divide the Haitian forces. Perrins forces engaged Haitian troops in the battle of Gros Morne. Haitian fighters had the high ground and were bombarding French troops at the bottom. The battle started at 9 am and finished at 11 pm. It was an intense contest. In Perrin's memoirs, he recalled that at that point “No end in sight. The black fighters would not give up or surrender. They made up pay heavily in each engagement. I knew that this war would not end quickly as promised.”
In every engagement, French troops won. French forces took more land but were still harassed by guerrilla forces in jungles and mountains in the countryside. By the end of August French troops control all of the Ouest provinces of Haiti. Perrin then in September believed he needs to take the coastal areas. So he marched west to Archaie which would be a scene of intense fighting. Perrin strategy was simple. Take the coastal areas and starve the fighters of food and supplies. He, of course, thought that the fighters wouldn’t last by January especially with reinforcements inbound.
The battle of Archaie was didnt take place in the city proper but with fort Drouet. Haiti's system of forts slowed down french forces. Fort Drouet was invested for 10 days. September 15-25. 18,740 french forces were engaging 7700 Haitian fighters. Rain in the first three days made it impossible to storm the fort. French forces attempted to storm the fort 6 times each time repelled. Jean Baptise Riche was commanding the men to resist the french fighters. The battle nearly became a fiasco for french fighters because they couldn't take the fort. Finally on September 25th French naval forces bombarded the fort. And french forces storm the fort and a bloody melee ensued. And Haitian forces nearly repealed the assault. Jean Baptist Riche survived the attack and his remaining 3500 men fled to the jungle mountains to continue guerilla operations. The battle cost french forces 1500 deaths and 3400 wounded. French forces took the fort but abandoned because the destruction of the fort made it useless. Perrin after the battle begged Paris for reinforcements. The rate of attrition was not on their side. France loses daily were anywhere from 60-75 a day thanks to yellow fever and guerilla attacks. By November 1825 French casualties were already at 7500 with 9000 wounded. And the french offensive was already slowing down. Reports of Spanish Haitian guerilla fighters crossing the border and harassing French detachments in Mirebalias was reaching Perrin. Perrin was frustrated at the rate the war was going. French forces were taking territory but their supply lines were vulnerable. “This damn island heat is inhospitable. The day after we hear the report of soldiers being ambushed. Wounded or killed. The capital must be taken with all cost to end this damn war!” Perrin changed his strategy of taking coastal areas and focused on marching to Marchand Dessalines the new capital. He rested his forces in in Archaie But Guerrier was preparing for a massive battle when the french forces came.
Charles X of France
Rumblings of Paris: Charles x of France was an ultra conservative french monarch who wanted to bring things back to the ancien regime. The war in Haiti was something he needed. The Pearl of the Antilles was something he wanted back. The post-Bonaparte years put France in a deplorable economic state. Retaking Hispanola and reinstate slavery would enrich the coffers of the french state. His belief was that the reason Napoleon lost the first war was because he was involved in too many foreign entanglements. Charles X was going to focus sometimes obsess about the war effort. When he received word that Perrin needed reinforcement he gladly gave it to him. He ordered a new force of 55,000 to take the Spanish side. The massive force to retake an island disturbed Frenchmen and many were worried that France would vulnerable at home. Others saw the war being a waste of money and resources. The standing army at the time was 300,000. Another thing was the fact he was against liberal secular forces. He was an avid supporter of the concert of Europe. But rumbling started with the massive high casualties of french fighters. The sending of 55,000 French troops to a faraway island was going to be aa major liability on the budget of France. Charles was all in. But it would be his downfall. And events in Russia would change the shape of Europe late in 1825. Charles X needed a victory and wanted to end the war once and for all.
The Dream of Gran Colombia: After the ill-fated Venezuelan Insurrection Simon Bolivar was focusing on fixing the economy of Gran Colombia and also uniting the nation. After the wars of independence, Gran Colombia was economically in bad shape. Simon Bolivar had a lot on his plate but major events aided his popularity.The federalist constitution took the winds out Paez separatist Venezuelan movement. Also, the French invasion of Haiti was seen as a warning sign that European power could once again try to retake their lost colonies. France and Spain were both close allies. France sent an expeditionary force to retake Hispanola. And Spain made no qualms that they want to reconquer all their Spanish colonies. Simon Bolivar ordered the construction of fortifications across the land.With the wars of independence over money was slowly flowing into the treasury of Bogota. Simon Bolivar made war preparation of the eventual invasion from Spain. Little did he knew that the faraway threat of royalist would come closer than he thought. This land reform system brought revenue to the federal govt. With the fund's roads and reconstruction was the policy of the day. Bolivar was more interested in consolidating control of the nation and repairing the economy of the nation. Gran Colombia opened trade with Great Britain and the United States although the Southern States were not comfortable with Gran Colombia's close relationship with Haiti. Bolivar wanted roads to be built from Caracas to Bogota as a way to unite both provinces into one idea. The fear of Spanish Reconquista was real and it kept the nation together. Peru gave Bolivar power but he wanted to focus more on Gran Colombia so he handed power to Jose San Martin to be dictator of Peru. Santander and Bolivar put their differences aside and worked to prepare the nation for war and try to economically repair economy and infrastructure of a nation wracked by conflict. Simon Bolivar wrote to his mistress that "The dream of Gran Colombia is starting to be realized."
Fort Drouet
Perrin's campaign: Perrin's force goal was to take Marchand Dessalines. He went on to take the towns of thomzeau, Croix des bouquets, Gantheir and Fond Parisien with little ease. With that, he marched up north. He asked Charles X for reinforcements because they were being slowed down by guerrilla attacks and the outbreak of yelloe fever. Perrin believed opening another front in the East was important because it would divide the Haitian forces. Perrins forces engaged Haitian troops in the battle of Gros Morne. Haitian fighters had the high ground and were bombarding French troops at the bottom. The battle started at 9 am and finished at 11 pm. It was an intense contest. In Perrin's memoirs, he recalled that at that point “No end in sight. The black fighters would not give up or surrender. They made up pay heavily in each engagement. I knew that this war would not end quickly as promised.”
In every engagement, French troops won. French forces took more land but were still harassed by guerrilla forces in jungles and mountains in the countryside. By the end of August French troops control all of the Ouest provinces of Haiti. Perrin then in September believed he needs to take the coastal areas. So he marched west to Archaie which would be a scene of intense fighting. Perrin strategy was simple. Take the coastal areas and starve the fighters of food and supplies. He, of course, thought that the fighters wouldn’t last by January especially with reinforcements inbound.
The battle of Archaie was didnt take place in the city proper but with fort Drouet. Haiti's system of forts slowed down french forces. Fort Drouet was invested for 10 days. September 15-25. 18,740 french forces were engaging 7700 Haitian fighters. Rain in the first three days made it impossible to storm the fort. French forces attempted to storm the fort 6 times each time repelled. Jean Baptise Riche was commanding the men to resist the french fighters. The battle nearly became a fiasco for french fighters because they couldn't take the fort. Finally on September 25th French naval forces bombarded the fort. And french forces storm the fort and a bloody melee ensued. And Haitian forces nearly repealed the assault. Jean Baptist Riche survived the attack and his remaining 3500 men fled to the jungle mountains to continue guerilla operations. The battle cost french forces 1500 deaths and 3400 wounded. French forces took the fort but abandoned because the destruction of the fort made it useless. Perrin after the battle begged Paris for reinforcements. The rate of attrition was not on their side. France loses daily were anywhere from 60-75 a day thanks to yellow fever and guerilla attacks. By November 1825 French casualties were already at 7500 with 9000 wounded. And the french offensive was already slowing down. Reports of Spanish Haitian guerilla fighters crossing the border and harassing French detachments in Mirebalias was reaching Perrin. Perrin was frustrated at the rate the war was going. French forces were taking territory but their supply lines were vulnerable. “This damn island heat is inhospitable. The day after we hear the report of soldiers being ambushed. Wounded or killed. The capital must be taken with all cost to end this damn war!” Perrin changed his strategy of taking coastal areas and focused on marching to Marchand Dessalines the new capital. He rested his forces in in Archaie But Guerrier was preparing for a massive battle when the french forces came.
Charles X of France
Rumblings of Paris: Charles x of France was an ultra conservative french monarch who wanted to bring things back to the ancien regime. The war in Haiti was something he needed. The Pearl of the Antilles was something he wanted back. The post-Bonaparte years put France in a deplorable economic state. Retaking Hispanola and reinstate slavery would enrich the coffers of the french state. His belief was that the reason Napoleon lost the first war was because he was involved in too many foreign entanglements. Charles X was going to focus sometimes obsess about the war effort. When he received word that Perrin needed reinforcement he gladly gave it to him. He ordered a new force of 55,000 to take the Spanish side. The massive force to retake an island disturbed Frenchmen and many were worried that France would vulnerable at home. Others saw the war being a waste of money and resources. The standing army at the time was 300,000. Another thing was the fact he was against liberal secular forces. He was an avid supporter of the concert of Europe. But rumbling started with the massive high casualties of french fighters. The sending of 55,000 French troops to a faraway island was going to be aa major liability on the budget of France. Charles was all in. But it would be his downfall. And events in Russia would change the shape of Europe late in 1825. Charles X needed a victory and wanted to end the war once and for all.
The Dream of Gran Colombia: After the ill-fated Venezuelan Insurrection Simon Bolivar was focusing on fixing the economy of Gran Colombia and also uniting the nation. After the wars of independence, Gran Colombia was economically in bad shape. Simon Bolivar had a lot on his plate but major events aided his popularity.The federalist constitution took the winds out Paez separatist Venezuelan movement. Also, the French invasion of Haiti was seen as a warning sign that European power could once again try to retake their lost colonies. France and Spain were both close allies. France sent an expeditionary force to retake Hispanola. And Spain made no qualms that they want to reconquer all their Spanish colonies. Simon Bolivar ordered the construction of fortifications across the land.With the wars of independence over money was slowly flowing into the treasury of Bogota. Simon Bolivar made war preparation of the eventual invasion from Spain. Little did he knew that the faraway threat of royalist would come closer than he thought. This land reform system brought revenue to the federal govt. With the fund's roads and reconstruction was the policy of the day. Bolivar was more interested in consolidating control of the nation and repairing the economy of the nation. Gran Colombia opened trade with Great Britain and the United States although the Southern States were not comfortable with Gran Colombia's close relationship with Haiti. Bolivar wanted roads to be built from Caracas to Bogota as a way to unite both provinces into one idea. The fear of Spanish Reconquista was real and it kept the nation together. Peru gave Bolivar power but he wanted to focus more on Gran Colombia so he handed power to Jose San Martin to be dictator of Peru. Santander and Bolivar put their differences aside and worked to prepare the nation for war and try to economically repair economy and infrastructure of a nation wracked by conflict. Simon Bolivar wrote to his mistress that "The dream of Gran Colombia is starting to be realized."
- Marcus Licinius Crassus
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