Chatenoy. Christophe fords the Grande Rivière at its mouth

On 18 February, at ten in the evening, the 1st, 2nd, 27th, 28th and 29th and two squadrons of dragoons had left Le Cap in a violent storm and had reached the Grande Rivière at one in the morning. The division, unable to cross the torrent, which was in flood, was obliged to spend that day and the following night on the neighboring estates. The next day, the 19th, Christophe, followed by his troops, went along the left bank of the river, reached its mouth on the Chatenoy plantation, went into the water up to his waist and gained the opposite bank. The troops, after resting a few hours at the former town of Limonade, took the high road to Fort-Liberté, which was covered with muddy water: it had been raining without a break for several days. The division crossed the Caracol and Merée plantations and entered Fort-Liberté on the 20th at six in the morning. The same day it was joined by the 9th from Port-de-Paix, which had fallen behind. General Capoix had done all he could to keep this corps, which was deeply devoted to him, from joining the campaign; he feared that Christophe, his personal enemy, would find occasion to throw the 9th into destruction so as to deprive him of his most powerful support.