17421: Dailey: Battle of Vertieres (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Peter Dailey <phdailey@msn.com>

There may be some listers who are unfamiliar with Heinl's account of the
Tricinquantenaire in 1954. On January 3 "came the long-awaited re-enactment
of Vertieres, on the very battleground. As thousands watched breathless,
cadets of the Academie Militaire and soldiers of the army, costumed for
their roles, fought the famous assault to the last blank cartridge and
saluting charge. At one point, when the Haitians were momentarily thrown
back by "French" defenders, the peasant spectators rose with a fierce outcry
and surged into the Haitian ranks, to make sure that Dessalines would win."

"That night, as evening cooled, the president and Mme. Magloire held a state
dinner for 700 guests on the floodlit esplanade of Sans Souci Palace with La
Ferriere brooding overhead against the moonlight. Backed by a superb Haitian
choir, Marian Anderson brushed the stars with her incomparable voice."

Sounds like an unforgettable occasion!

Peter Dailey