1798, April: (Hédouville’s Mission and Maitland’s Secret Strategy): Commissioner Gabriel-Théodore-Joseph Hédouville arrived in April 1798 with instructions t…

1798, April: (Hédouville’s Mission and Maitland’s Secret Strategy): Commissioner Gabriel-Théodore-Joseph Hédouville arrived in April 1798 with instructions to pacify the colony and dampen Toussaint’s suspected ambitions for independence. Just weeks prior, British General Thomas Maitland arrived with secret orders to drastically cut the costs of the Saint-Domingue campaign to £25,000 a month. Maitland recognized the overwhelming strength of Toussaint’s 20,000 troops and Rigaud’s 12,000 men compared to his own 2,500 European soldiers. This disparity in force led Maitland to prioritize a peaceful withdrawal over continued military engagement.