1792
1792: General A.
HT-TCWI-2018-000106
1792: General A. N. de la Salle attempted to temper the revolutionary ardor of recruits sailing to Saint-Domingue in 1792. Fearing the explosive potential of republican rituals, he instructed the soldiers to alter their banners and caps from “Live Free or Die” to a more conservative motto. The general also rejected the troops’ plan to plant liberty trees upon their arrival, suggesting they plant “a tree of peace” instead. This approach reflected a broader strategy by French officials to disentangle republican meaning from popular symbols in the colonies. Despite such vigilance, the force of the Revolution proved impossible to check once its rituals had reached the expectant Caribbean shores.
Source · HT-TCWI-2018-000106
Scott, The Common Wind / Bates: HT-TCWI-2018-000106