French occupation of Santo Domingo
Encyclopedia
The French occupation of Santo Domingo started in 1795 when France
came to own the whole island when by the Treaty of Basel
Spain
ceded Santo Domingo as a consequence of the French Revolutionary Wars
. At the time, slaves led by Toussaint Louverture in Saint-Domingue
were in revolt against France. In 1801 Toussaint Louverture captured Santo Domingo from the French and took control of the entire island.
In 1802 an army sent by Napoleon
under the command of Charles Leclerc
, captured Toussaint Louverture and sent him to France
as prisoner. His successors and yellow fever succeeded in expelling the French again from Saint-Domingue. The nation declared independence as Haiti
in 1804. France
went on to recover Spanish Santo Domingo. In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain
, the criollos
of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule, an event known as the Reconquista
.
The first battle took place in Palo Hincado
on November 7, 1808, when Gen. Juan Sánchez Ramírez, leading an army of local and Puerto Rican
soldiers, attacked by surprise and a garrison of the French Army
under the command of Governor Gen. Louis Ferrand, who committed suicide later after. The news were heard by Gen. Dubarquier and garrisoned 2000 soldiers in Santo Domingo. The Spanish laid siege to the city on November 27, 1808, with the aid of 6 frigates from the Royal Navy
under the command of Hugh Lyle Carmichael. Santo Domingo was returned to Spanish control by July 9, 1809.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
came to own the whole island when by the Treaty of Basel
Peace of Basel
The Peace of Basel of 1795 consists of three peace treaties involving France .* The first of the three treaties of 1795, France made peace with Prussia on 5 April; , * The Second was with Spain on 22 July, ending the War of the Pyrenees; and*...
Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
ceded Santo Domingo as a consequence of the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
. At the time, slaves led by Toussaint Louverture in Saint-Domingue
Saint-Domingue
The labour for these plantations was provided by an estimated 790,000 African slaves . Between 1764 and 1771, the average annual importation of slaves varied between 10,000-15,000; by 1786 it was about 28,000, and from 1787 onward, the colony received more than 40,000 slaves a year...
were in revolt against France. In 1801 Toussaint Louverture captured Santo Domingo from the French and took control of the entire island.
In 1802 an army sent by Napoleon
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
under the command of Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc
Charles Victoire Emmanuel Leclerc was a French Army general and husband to Pauline Bonaparte, sister to Napoleon Bonaparte.-To 1801:...
, captured Toussaint Louverture and sent him to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as prisoner. His successors and yellow fever succeeded in expelling the French again from Saint-Domingue. The nation declared independence as Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
in 1804. France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
went on to recover Spanish Santo Domingo. In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, the criollos
Criollo (people)
The Criollo class ranked below that of the Iberian Peninsulares, the high-born permanent residence colonists born in Spain. But Criollos were higher status/rank than all other castes—people of mixed descent, Amerindians, and enslaved Africans...
of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule, an event known as the Reconquista
Reconquista (Santo Domingo)
The war for Spanish reestablishment in Santo Domingo, better known as Reconquista was fought between November 7, 1808 and July 9, 1809. In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain, the criollos of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule....
.
The first battle took place in Palo Hincado
Battle of Palo Hincado
The Battle of Palo Hincado was the first major battle of the Spanish Reconquista of the colony of Santo Domingo, now the Dominican Republic. It was fought in the colony, on November 7, 1808, at Palo Hincado savanna, near El Seibo...
on November 7, 1808, when Gen. Juan Sánchez Ramírez, leading an army of local and Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
soldiers, attacked by surprise and a garrison of the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
under the command of Governor Gen. Louis Ferrand, who committed suicide later after. The news were heard by Gen. Dubarquier and garrisoned 2000 soldiers in Santo Domingo. The Spanish laid siege to the city on November 27, 1808, with the aid of 6 frigates from the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
under the command of Hugh Lyle Carmichael. Santo Domingo was returned to Spanish control by July 9, 1809.