1804, January – March: (The Provisional Government and the Outbreak of Slaughter): After the independence ceremony, the generals swore an oath of personal fe…
1804, January – March: (The Provisional Government and the Outbreak of Slaughter): After the independence ceremony, the generals swore an oath of personal fealty to Dessalines, who assumed the title of gouverneur-général-à-vie (governor-general for life). This provisional government consisted of a military junta that initially debated whether to deport or execute the remaining French population. While leaders like Christophe and Pétion remained silent during these debates, Dessalines moved to annul all French property titles issued during the recent occupation. Systematic killings began in Port-au-Prince in early January and escalated into a mass slaughter by mid-March. Witnesses described horrific scenes where sappers hacked off limbs and women and children were targeted by execution squads or “mad” individuals like the young mulâtresse Fifi Pariset.