The Independents entered Haut-du-Cap and Pétion reached the Limbe barrier of Cap in a first attack on the town.

On both sides they prepared for combat. In the night of 24 vendémiaire (16 October) the Independents entered the town of Haut-du-Cap, which the French abandoned to them without striking a blow. Pétion, with the 13th, carries after a light combat the position of Jean-Pierre-Michel, while Clervaux attacks on the left that of Jeantôt, and Sans-Souci and Macaya, with their bands armed with pikes, machetes, sabers and a few muskets, make by way of the hills for the faubourg of La Providence. Already Pétion has reached the gate of the Cap, called the Limbe barrier, and commonly the Bottles barrier, because of the shards of bottles that covered its coping. Captain Verret even seizes a piece of cannon that protected this gate (2). It would have been all over with the Cap if Clervaux had succeeded in carrying the position of Jeantôt, if even he had left it behind him and marched, like Pétion, directly upon the town; but, on the contrary, he fixed upon that position, against which he vainly delivered seven assaults (3). Attacked by 300 men whom brigade commander Anhouil directed, Clervaux was obliged to beat a retreat. The Taccos, instead of forcing the faubourg of La Providence, gave themselves up to the pillage of the neighboring houses.