12336: Re: 12333: Statues to honor Haitian soldiers (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Maxmanigat@aol.com

No Haitians at Savannah.

I agree with the idea of erecting a statue for the French Volunteers of
Saint-Domingue, under the command of Comte d'Estaing, for their participation
in the siege of Savannah but, as a professor of Haitian history, I object to
the use of the word Haitians to refer to those soldiers. They were free,
indeed, but they did NOT represent Haiti or the future Haitians. They wanted
to prove that they were French citizens and as such ready to shed their blood
in a war fought by an ally of France.
Furthermore, the United States was a country where slavery was still legal.
Would any "Haitian" take the side of a power where Africans were in bondage?

I do not want to rain on anybody's parade. The two mayors are obviously men
who want to pay tribute to those volunteers. A good way to do it would be to
honor "The Volunteers of Saint-Domingue (future Haiti)".

Henry Christophe's presence at the siege of Savannah is NOT a  fact
historically proven.