1802 (The Outbreak of Hostilities): General Christophe detailed the aggressive maneuvers of the French fleet, noting that General Rochambeau conducted a land…

1802 (The Outbreak of Hostilities): General Christophe detailed the aggressive maneuvers of the French fleet, noting that General Rochambeau conducted a landing at Fort Liberty without prior notice to the local commander. During this assault, French forces seized the forts and put the defending soldiers to the sword while naval vessels simultaneously bombarded the town. Christophe argued that these “thundering threats” and unprovoked blows were the true catalysts for the “evils” that began to afflict the colony. He maintained that such conduct made it impossible to preserve his former confidence in the French government’s intentions. This narrative was presented by Sanders to demonstrate that the Haytian resistance was a reactive defense against immediate military slaughter.