1793: By 1793, American merchant vessels had replaced French and Spanish rivals as the primary suppliers of both labor and information to Cuba.

1793: By 1793, American merchant vessels had replaced French and Spanish rivals as the primary suppliers of both labor and information to Cuba. Ships traveling to and from Charleston were especially active, keeping the North American public abreast of the escalating racial struggles in the French Caribbean. While French officials welcomed the trade, they complained that the “Yankee” vessels traded indiscriminately with all competing factions, including the black rebels. Organizations of sailors in U.S. ports, such as the Marine Anti-Britannic Society, openly toasted the success of the French Republic. This flow of commerce fortified the burgeoning revolution even as major European powers moved to invade and annex the colony.