ABSTRACT
Toussaint-Louverture led an army of Haitians against the French colonial government during the French Revolution. Although he was ultimately captured, his military victories sparked the movement that brought independence to the island nation. When the French Revolution of 1789 inspired many of Haiti's black slaves and mulattoes to revolt, Toussaint was in an excellent position to offer leadership. Promising an end to slavery, in 1791 he gathered together a large army and for the remainder of the decade fought with great effectiveness against the French forces that were dispatched to the island to suppress the revolt. Toussaint continued to win battles and, in 1801, finally captured Santo Domingo, now capital of the Dominican Republic and the island's main city. When a fresh army arrived from France under General Leclerc in 1802, Toussaint was unable to organize a defense. He was captured the same year and taken to France, dying there in a prison on April 7, 1803.
