Dessalines Invasion

Invasion of Dessalines
February 16, 1805, Haitian armies under the command of the country's president John Jacob Dessalines, then invaded the French part of the island in order to carry out the mandate to make it one and indivisible. Reasons for foreign policy and national security of the Haitian state, newly founded in 1804, it led invasion was not possible for the new republic think its viability when the French, who had become independent, they could use the territory of the French as a basis for future actions against Haitian sovereignty.
Operations began on the 16th, but it was not until 22 Haitians marched the armies of The Mahogany to Las Matas. The first hostilities between Haitian and French troops took place on the 28th, between San Juan de la Maguana and Azua.
On March 6 the Haitian army reached Galá, distant about 4 miles from the city where he established the imperial Canton. The next day, the defenders of the Plaza de Santo Domingo began to bombard the Haitian advanced and began the siege of the city that would last until the 29th that Haitians, considering that fresh troops had landed by the fleet French takes five large vessels in sight of the city, decided to leave the area and go to defend their positions in Haiti.
The Haitians were trying to avoid being caught by the French troops, landing in different parts of the country could cut off his retreat to Dessalines black troops. At the site of Santo Domingo were scenes of true heroism by elements of both armies that will be remembered as a true warrior exploits.
In the process of this retreat is when events occur that encourage feelings of Dominicans to the neighboring state.
Given that during the process of Haitian independence was used by nationals of that country's policy of "scorched earth" through which burned and desolated all property that could be useful to the enemy, including food , cattle and people, the Haitian invaders applied the same policy with the Dominicans, who favored the French domination posed to his, and made acquaintances beheadings of Moca and Santiago, next to the fire of other cities and herds.
As explained in the report of the Chief and General Staff Bazelais, "under SM final instructions left several generals, they pushed before them the rest of the people, animals and beasts. Both the Haiti and in the Dominican ... burned down towns, villages, herds and cities led to the devastation everywhere, iron and fire, and not spare it for individuals intended to be driven SM as prisoners ".
The memory of these episodes marked beheadings and collective consciousness of Dominicans twenty-two years of Haitian rule have only reaffirm.
Journal Dessalines Campaign
(Excerpt)
The Emperor, at the head of his staff took the field on February 16.
The 19, S. M. intimated Fan commanders of Lamatte, Neiba and San Juan to recognize his authority and prepare a necessary amount of food and horses.
On the night of 24 to 25, gave the order to advance to San Juan ... and 25, at three in the afternoon, the army, divided into three columns entered the square, which had been evacuated.
On the 27th, at 6 am, was ordered out to Azua. We had not walked three leagues, when the squadron leader Barthelemy, preceding the forefront, made three Spanish prisoners, who drove to SMI They told us not far from there was an entrenched camp, commanded by a French officer named Wiet. An hour later we saw the camp Wiet.
The enemy, who had hitherto kept a profound silence, determined not to fire on us but at close range, began his fire and dumped on us both guns with shrapnel. Then the battle began.
On the 4th, at two in the afternoon, it was half a league of Bani. The army. entered him in the highest order, not finding anyone there. That was when S. M. was fully convinced that the Spanish were completely natural defeated the French and therefore were unworthy of the lucky longer effects of his mercy.
On day 6, at dawn, the army was ordered to continue the march. We arrived at midnight to stay Gaillard (Galá) distant a league and a quarter of the city of Santo Domingo. S. M. set there his imperial Canton. and demanded written Ferrand and the inhabitants of the city, being handed the square and to submit to his authority, at dusk, the enemy burned the town of San Carlos.
The 25th. S. M. made the order to the commanders of the various conquered common to gather all the people and reduce them to prison, so that your first order them trampled by mules and other animals, to reach the Haitian. On the 27th, at three in the afternoon, General Geffrard Pétion and caught the attention of SM on a French division of five large ships, three frigates, two brigs and other warships ... On the 28th, in the morning the troops began to disembark.
The Emperor, realizing, for the arrival of this division. knowing that two teams were ready to get out of the ports of France, to an unknown destination, warned (to) prepare against new attempts he would do produce the conclusion of peace in Europe. Calculating that a greater delay would expose his army taking the next overflow of rivers, which would make impracticable removal. Accordingly, the commanders gave the order to evacuate the country, and at two in the afternoon, the cavalry was spread everywhere, destroying and burning everything in its path.
The War of Reconquer
Under the last instructions of S. M. left several generals, they pushed before them the rest of the people, animals and beasts. Both the Haitian and Dominican when the beasts says understands horses and mules and cattle never was in the fields, burned down towns, villages, herds and cities led to the devastation everywhere, iron and fire, and not spare it for individuals by SM to be taken as prisoners.
To comply with what was agreed in the Treaty of Basel, the French armies reached the east side of the island, some people rebelled and fought, others agreed and supported the French. On all the inhabitants of the ruling classes of the former Spanish colony, gave him their support primarily for the restoration of these imposed slavery.
But later, some of the measures implemented by Ferrand were not to his liking, because they went against the interests of cattlemen. This resulted in the initiation of a liberation movement anti-French, which was called the Reconquista.
It was started by Ciriaco Ramirez, who began to mobilize the people of Azua to attack French troops. They were joined by Juan Sanchez Ramirez in the Cibao.
Ferrand to learn of the insurrection, attacked in battle of Palo Hincado call for having fought in the savannah of the name. Ferrand was defeated and to be lost, ended his life in the same place.
They were then both sides: that of Ciriaco Ramirez representing the emerging middle class and representing Ramirez Sanchez hatero sector. None could agree the fate of the colony.
To determine this, we convened an assembly in Bondillo, which is historically known as Bondillo Board in approving: the King Ferdinand VII recognized as sovereign of the colony conquered, unaware the Treaty of Basel and appoint as acting governor Sanchez Ramirez.French troops vacated the territory and thus was intended to be a colony again Spanish, this is the period known as Spain Boba.
The Bondillo´s Board
The Dominican-Spanish besieged the city of Santo Domingo, which was under the command of French General Du Barquier. Delegates from several Spanish cities of Santo Domingo met in Bondillo, Bayonne, Manoguayabo place near the December 13, 1808, to decide the political future of the eastern part of the island.
Two propositions were discussed. A hatero supported by the sector and its leader Juan Sanchez Ramirez, which was advocated by the reinstatement of the rule Spanish Santo Domingo as Spanish colony, and the other, by Ciriaco Ramirez and Cibao tobacco and traders in the which advocated the declaration of independence. It was decided that the Santo Domingo Spanish would be a colony of Spain, was recognized as king Fernando VII, and was appointed Governor Juan Sanchez Ramirez.
The hateros imposed their will, by having a greater number of delegates, and as the sector with the greatest economic, social and political at the time. Being England at war with France, in March 1809 one British naval squadron permanently began a blockade of the port of Santo Domingo, to prevent French ships llevasen weapons, ammunition, reinforcements, medicine and food to the soldiers under the command Du Barquier were being besieged since November 1808 on land by the Dominican-Spanish.
This site along the French troops forced to eat horses, parrots, dogs, donkeys, cats, mice and a flour extracted from a tuber that Dominicans call guáyiga, whose scientific name is Zamia debilis. The site made them irresistible so the July 11, 1809 surrendered to Major General Hugh Lyle Carmichael English. Thus ended Dominicans period that historians call the Age of France in Santo Domingo. He had begun with the arrival of the Napoleonic military expedition to the Bay of Samana, on January 29, 1802.
Agreements Bondillo Board
After Bondillo Board held, which was directed by Creole Ramirez Sanchez, who was supported by the elite of the colony and military bureaucracy who got time to approve the following actions: repeal the Treaty of Basel, appointed Captain General and internal governor Sanchez Ramirez, recognize Ferdinand VII as king and Back to depend on Spain, and demands that the British did after giving support to pull Ferrand Creoles of power begins in Santo Domingo, the period of Spain Boba in Dominican history.
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Reference Book: "Historia Dominicana"
Or: "La otra historia dominicana" de Frank Moya Pons