1779: French Admiral D’Estaing sailed from Saint-Domingue to Savannah with a force of several hundred black and mulatto troops to assist the American Revolut…

1779: French Admiral D’Estaing sailed from Saint-Domingue to Savannah with a force of several hundred black and mulatto troops to assist the American Revolution. These battalions included future revolutionary leaders such as Henry Christophe and André Rigaud, who gained vital military experience during the engagement. Though the attack failed to dislodge the British, the Saint-Domingue detachment was credited with covering the retreat and averting a major defeat. This legion served as a critical connecting link between the American fight for independence and the later development of republican liberty in Haiti. The soldiers took back to the Caribbean their firsthand experiences in fighting for universal notions of freedom and equality.