Eyewitness Accounts of the Haitian Revolution

elumni (63)in #history • 6 years ago

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One of the key contributors to the expansion of the French Empire is the Haitian colony in the Caribbean. After the invasion of Haiti by the French in the mid-16th century, permanent settlements were developed including enclave trading colonization when the French Indies Corporation was founded in the 1660s.

With international trade underway, slave labor was needed to cultivate the plantations within the colonies. The black slaves bore the burden and the labor of the plantations additionally suffered torment and torture from their dehumanizing white masters.

In 1789 in 1790 in an effort to extend the liberty and freedom of the French Revolution abroad, the French national assembly granted political rights to free black men of the colonies which helped ignite a successfully organized overthrow of white supremacy in the French colony and of Haiti. The Haitian revolution signified the first independent black Republic. This uprising is displayed in the piece entitled “Facing Racial Revolution” by Jeremy D. Popkin, as the author Chronicles eyewitness accounts of individuals struggling to reconcile the fact that the Haitian revolution shattered irrational misconceptions that the blacks would challenge the white imperialistic hierarchy.

This book is broken down by the author in different chapters, with each chapter detailing eyewitness accounts recorded from various individuals. The authors of these various eyewitness accounts come from a white racial background some with elitist attitudes who feel they come from a social hierarchy.

A minority of white slave owners much rather have left their writings anonymous or failed to mention that they owned slaves for fear that they would receive backlash from those in France were critical of slavery. Another perspective that was given in the eyewitness accounts was from Louis-Francois-René- Verneuil was a white plantation owner himself.

Verneuil was captured by Vincent Oge as he led a band of men into a plantation where they looted and killed whites, but treats Verneuil with respect and dignity although he was a white plantation owner that was now a prisoner. Verneuil details the carnage left by Oge and his troops, but then speaks of the commander with an air of respect by stating “ as fair as my treatment when he arrested me was concerned, I had no grounds of complaint against him,” As my treatment when he arrested me was Oge treated my companions in misfortune more harshly than me.” (Popkin, 46, 48)

Each of the authors of the eyewitness accounts who were slave owners had a lot to lose economically from the Haitian revolution taking place. Opposed to the fact that economic losses were mounting if a revolution succeeded, but the extreme violence that ensued from a revolt threatened the very safety of these white slave owners as well. One slave-owner describes his eyewitness account of nearly losing his life to inexperience and underequipped group of black slaves as he says “if they had been more experience than they were, we would have been lost and not one of us would have escaped.” (Popkin, 170) It seems that individuals such as this one wrote about his eyewitness accounts for the reason to show others that they were able to survive such a violent and barbaric revolt that was unimaginable. Another reason to record these eyewitness accounts was for bringing awareness to other whites that they must maintain vigorous control over blacks in slave colonies. They must be consistent in their oppressive system of slavery and able to flesh out any insurrection or spread of rumors of past slave revolutions as they too can fall a victim as the French colonists did. The intended audience for this form of literature and information of the white slave owner’s perspective of the Haitian revolution is solely intended for whites in the purpose of upholding and continuing white supremacy and social-political hierarchy over blacks. The eyewitness accounts from white slave owners may also have been recorded for the purpose of relay the message to the French national assembly that they have failed their countrymen in the Haitian French colony by granting political rights and social freedoms of black slaves.

In the French colony of Haiti there were various classes of social hierarchy led by French white man, with mulattos behind them, followed by free people of color, and slaves rounding out the bottom of the social classes. In one portion of the readings the author draws their perspective on how important slavery was to the colonies to white slave owners. Although white colonists were not on board with the French national assembly’s decision to allow free people of color civil and political liberties, they felt they needed to enlist the help of free blacks to maintain slavery in the colonies. White colonists felt they could appeal to free people of color who some of them were slave owners also to revolt against the abolishment of slavery to preserve their own economic gains as well as white slave owners. Free men of color along with mulattos denounced this alliance with white colonists and align themselves with slaves complying with the French national assembly to the principles of liberty and equality. Despite poor planning and insufficient training leading into the invasion of Tiburon, with staggering numbers in the favor of the black revolutionaries of Haiti they were able to extract one of the most horrific and staggering acts of mass murder scene during the revolution. The eyewitness account of the carnage draws a perspective of the situation by saying “they wanted to reach the seashore to escape up the main road, to hide themselves in the woods, but the blacks, who had followed their movements, surrounded them on all sides, and they were all pitilessly massacred at the edge of the sea.” (Popkin, 172)

The growing escalation of Violence in the name of revolution against whites was counter attacked with more violence from whites against free men of color no matter their economic status or social influence within the town of Jeremie. These uniquely crafted methods of extracting vengeance against the blacks broke up families and send many men to cruel and agonizing deaths. One of the savage acts of barbarism committed by whites was leading men of color onto ships and drowning them that sea while they remained on the ship. Other examples of the cruelty were many being forced inoculating men of color with smallpox to induce agonizing deaths. The morally corrupt white slave owner’s reign of torturous murder of the most horrific extent was met with opposition from French Council representative M. De la Roche, who was part of the “more reasonable class among the whites” (Popkin, 173) which had pity on the misfortunate people of color.

The key common element within the revolution of Haiti was the fact men of color from different distinctions of class and background, but the common thread that binds them together is their desire for their natural rights to be recognized as well as civil liberties. The second common element that brought free men of color with mulattos and slaves was the in fact, they were granted this Liberty and freedom guaranteed by the future emancipation of slavery. However there were men of color who did not join the rebellion and were contradictions to the notion that all men of color were in favor of revolting and joining the Haitian revolution. One of the eyewitness accounts of the revolution draws a picture of an example where some men of color were in the favor of white slave owners during the revolution even going so far as leaving with their owners as they were being exiled out of the colony. One such slave who was renowned for his loyalty and service to his master was Pierre Toussaint.

Toussaint at one point was considered for sainthood by the Catholic Church for being celebrated as one of the most faithful of servants. One of the first-person accounts of a slave owner as he describes the lives of his slaves and not the typical horrors that are usually associated with a slave’s lifestyle. This very different perspective is shared in a happier tone by describing slavery in this sense “I no longer had went to command them; my rights over them had almost no further basis. With a word they could have refused to work and left me. Why is it that neither my work team, though many others in the area even took this decision?” (Popkin, 177)

In terms of encapsulating the events that transpired during the Haitian revolution into a more historical context in relation to the validity up eyewitness accounts, let’s examine the account of Louis-Francois-René-Verneuil and legitimacy of his testimony. During Verneuil’s eyewitness account he divulged about his encounter with Vincent Oge and the fair treatment he received from him. Verneuil’ encounter with Oge was one of the battles in what was a short-lived rebellion in the name of Civil liberties and freedoms to free black men, and not the abolishment of slavery. Verneuil also reflects on several conversations with Oge on trying to persuade him into reconsidering his plans to merge his ranks with slaves because Oge is to a slave owner and is seen in the same manner as the white slave. The author of this eyewitness account is also vital from a political standpoint as he was one of many white refugees deported back to France by the French Commissioner Leger-Felicite Sonthonax. Verneuil later gave a testimony to the French national assembly of the incidents being counted during the Haitian revolution.
The Haitian revolution had complex dynamics in terms of the different social distinctions and classes of black men within the region. These complications made things difficult for those who led the rebellion to form allegiances with men they felt were beneath them. These eyewitness accounts of this pivotal point in the history of Western civilization draws an in-depth perspective on the obstacles presented in the quest for civil liberties and freedom.