Battle of Vertières

The Battle of Vertières (French: Bataille de Vertières; Haitian Creole: Batay Vètyè) was the last major battle of the Saint-Domingue expedition and the final phase of the Haitian Revolution. It was fought on 18 November 1803 between the rebel Indigenous Army under Jean Jacques Dessalines and François Capois and French forces under Donatien de Rochambeau, who were committed to regaining control of the island.

The battle took place at Vertières, situated just south of Cap-Français in the Nord department. By the end of October 1803, the rebels fighting the French expeditionary troops had already taken over most of Saint-Domingue. The only places controlled by the French forces were Môle St. Nicolas, held by Noailles, and Cap-Français, where, with 5,000 troops, French General Rochambeau was at bay.