| Battle of Saint-Raphaël | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Haitian Revolution and the War of the First Coalition | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 France |
 Spain | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Toussaint Louverture | Jean-François Papillon | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 4,800 men | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown |
200 deaths 50 wounded | ||||||
The Battle of Saint-Raphaël took place during the Haitian Revolution.
Battle
Toussaint, pushed back to Saint-Marc, turned to Saint-Raphaël and Saint-Michel occupied by the forces of Jean-François. After two days of fighting, the two towns were taken over by the crushed Republicans and Spaniards.
From Saint-Michel, on October 21, Toussaint writes to Lavaux:
I hasten to tell you about the success of my expedition on Saint-Raphaël and Saint-Michel. The successes would have been more complete, if I could have taken all the Spaniards from these two places; but the night has favored them in their retreat. Nevertheless, I took two officers and about fifty soldiers, both wounded and well. I had in my people, many wounded and killed.
The Spaniards were forced to abandon many weapons, their artillery and ammunition. I have not yet taken a note of what I took from them, having not had the time: I will take care of it and I will send you a detail not the next mail. I'm going back to Saint-Raphaël to have the war paraphernalia charmed and put in a safe place.
As we would need a lot of ammunition and troops to guard these two boroughs, and that these troops are more necessary to us elsewhere, I am going to pass in the French part the horses and the cattle with horns. This operation done, I will shave the two boroughs, as well as the huts outside, so that the enemy can not make any attempt and to keep it away from us.
I wish you good health.
Hello in the homeland and its successes.
P.S.: Having stormed the trench or advanced of Saint-Raphaël, I slaughtered nearly ninety Spaniards with my cavalry, finally all those who did not want to surrender.
Notes
- Bell 2007, p. 143.
- Madiou 1847, p. 199.
- Schœlcher 1982, p. 108.
Bibliography
- Bell, Madison Smartt (2007). Toussaint Louverture. Actes Sud.
- Madiou, Thomas (1847). Histoire d'Haïti, Tome I (in French).
- Schœlcher, Victor (1982) . Vie de Toussaint Louverture (in French). Éditions Karthala.