1799-March-04: Dr.
1799-March-04: Dr. Edward Stevens was officially appointed as the United States Consul General to Saint-Domingue with instructions to coordinate closely with Toussaint Louverture. His mission was unique because he was given diplomatic powers usually reserved for higher-ranking ministers, including the authority to negotiate trade regulations. Stevens was tasked with ensuring that Toussaint suppressed French privateering in exchange for the resumption of American food shipments. He also served as a secret intermediary between the U.S. government, the British authorities, and Toussaint to manage the island’s transition toward autonomy. His appointment signaled the start of a sophisticated three-way diplomatic “game” intended to keep the island out of French hands.