2019-11-18 Mon

Battle of Vertieres Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Haiti and it is celebrated on 18th November each year. This holiday commemorates a decisive victory over the French in the Battle of Vertieres 1803.

France had established a colony on the island of Hispaniola in 1625 and created sugar and coffee plantations. The French used a vast number of African slaves on the field. The slaves lived under terrible conditions and hence planned rebel in the late 18th century which lead to the Haitian Revolution.

The Battle of Vertieres was the last major battle of the Haitian Revolution, making Haiti the first-ever nation to successfully gain independence through a slave revolt. The battle was fought on November 18th, 1803 between forces made up mainly of former slaves led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and Napoleon's French expeditionary forces under the command of General Rochambeau.

Napoléon Bonaparte had come to power in 1799 and this was his first major defeat. France then withdrew its remaining 7,000 troops from the island and Napoleon abandoned any ambitions to a North American empire.

In the year 1954, Poste Haiti issued a commemorative stamp worth 25 Haitian centimes to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Independence. The stamp depicts the battle scene in the center flanked by the years 1804-1954.

Image Courtesy: https://colnect.com/

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