1806-February-12: The filibustering expedition of Francisco de Miranda arrived at the Haitian port of Jacmel as its first port of call before proceeding to a…

1806-February-12: The filibustering expedition of Francisco de Miranda arrived at the Haitian port of Jacmel as its first port of call before proceeding to attempt the liberation of Venezuela. Although President Jefferson and Secretary Madison officially “winked” at the expedition to pressure Spain over spoliation claims, its stop in Haiti underscored the island’s role as a revolutionary hub. Miranda sought to use the newly independent black republic as a base for spreading republicanism to the South American mainland. This connection further alarmed European colonial powers who feared Haiti would become a “nursery of revolutions” throughout the Caribbean basin. For the United States, the incident highlighted the difficulty of isolating Haiti while simultaneously utilizing its strategic position for other foreign policy goals.