Fort-Dauphin. Toussaint Brave’s second assault fails before its ramparts; the European troops are too weak to do more than defend it.

Meanwhile Toussaint Brave, in the North, was closely investing Fort-Liberté. He kept up secret contacts with the Indigenous who made up the militia of that town under the orders of the French. Most of the Black men and men of color of the town formed a conspiracy in favor of the independents, who were to assail the French on the day it broke out. On 2 April 1803 the Indigenous of the town fell without warning on all the posts held by the 110th demi-brigade of the line. General Quentin, by his energy, foiled all the conspirators’ plans. But at the same moment Toussaint Brave, at the head of 1,400 independents, vigorously attacked the town and forced his way in. He entrenched himself in the streets, which were barricaded. The white townsmen, seized with terror, withdrew toward the shore and embarked on the corvette Sagesse. The 110th of the line took refuge in the fort. Half the crew of the corvette, commanded by Ship Lieutenant Barnesche, came to the aid of the garrison. General Quentin made a vigorous sortie against the independents; he was driven back into the fort. Adjutant-General Dumont made a fresh sortie and gave battle to Toussaint Brave in the center of the town. Both sides fought with fury. An artillery battalion commander, Orange, decided the victory in favor of the French by having a battery of three cannon set up against the Indigenous. Toussaint abandoned the field of battle and left the town with most of the Indigenous families who lived in it. Quentin had all his prisoners drowned. Fort-Liberté remained blockaded by the independents.

On 8 April Toussaint Brave assailed the town again at five in the morning; but he could not scale its ramparts. General Quentin, who since the affair of the 2nd had expected a fresh attack every day, met him with a most murderous fire. Adjutant-General Dumont pursued him to half a league from the town. The European troops were so weak that they could do no more than stay on the defensive.