1798: Brigadier-General Thomas Maitland signed a “secret convention” with Toussaint Louverture following the evacuation of British troops.

1798: Brigadier-General Thomas Maitland signed a “secret convention” with Toussaint Louverture following the evacuation of British troops. The agreement was negotiated directly with the general, bypassing the official French agent, to protect British international standing. Significance: Consolidated Black military authority and paved the way for de facto autonomy. Nuance: Geggus notes that independence was not yet the declared objective. Autonomy within the French imperial framework remained fluid.