20532: McCollester: Re: 20472: Esser: Toussaint's legacy (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Charles J McCollester <charles@iup.edu>

While on many points, I agree with Edmund Lewis' article in the
Louisiana Weely - especially his points about the determination of the
slave resistance against Napoleon and its importance as a military
achievement, in his catalogue of European nations that aided France
against Haiti he incorrectly mentioned Poland. In fact Poland in 1795
suffered the third brutal partition of the country that put an end to
its national existence for 123 years. While many Poles, refugies and
resistance fighters joined the armies of Napoleon on the promise that
he would restore the Polish state, the Poles who were sent to Haiti
were rebellious when they understood that they were not being used to
gain freedom for Poland, but were instead being used to reinstate
slavery. The Poles deserted and went over to the slave forces and
their ancestors still can be found in the area of Cazales.

I am very interested in this story and had planned to publish
something in Poland on the subject in celebration of the bicentennial.
Present sad events in Haiti make it difficult to be in a celebratory
mood, but if anyone can help lead me to sources on the Polish
regiment, i would be grateful.
Long live a free and independent Haiti!
Charles McCollester
Pennsylvania Center for the Study of Labor Relations