Battle of Gonaïves

Part of the Haitian Revolution and the
War of the First Coalition

Date	29 April–5 May 1794
Location	Gonaïves, Haiti
Result	French victory

Belligerents

France

Spain

Commanders and leaders

Toussaint Louverture

Villanova

Strength

4,000 men^[1]

Unknown

Casualties and losses

Unknown

Haitian Revolution

Bois Caïman
Croix-des-Bouquets
Morne Pelé
1st Tannerie
1st Port-au-Prince
Cap-Français
Marmelade
Fort-Dauphin
1st Tiburon
Acul
La Bombarde
2nd Tiburon
Les Gonaïves
Port-Républicain
1st Dondon
2nd Tannerie
Saint-Marc
Léogane
Saint-Raphaël
Trutier
3rd Tiburon
1st Verrettes
Grande-Rivière
Las Cahobas
Mirebalais
2nd Verrettes
Petite-Rivière
2nd Dondon
1st Irois
Jean-Rabel
2nd Irois
Jacmel
War of Knives

Saint-Domingue expedition

Ravine-à-Couleuvres
Kellola
Plaisance
Crête-à-Pierrot
2nd Port-au-Prince
Saint-Domingue
- Môle-Saint-Nicolas
Vertières

The Battle of Gonaïves took place during the Haitian Revolution.

Battle

Following the abolition of slavery by the French Republic on February 4, 1794, Toussaint Louverture was persuaded to abandon the Spanish army to join the French Republicans. According to General Lavaux, Toussaint stopped fighting the Republicans on April 6 and rallied the Republic on May 6.^[2]

Toussaint asked the Spanish garrison of Saint-Raphaël to be supplied with weapons and ammunition, the thing done a few hours later he turned against his former allies, marched on Saint Raphaël and seized.^[3]

He then attacked the city of Gonaïves more strongly defended.

According to the testimony of a certain Pélage-Marie Duboys, the Spaniards capitulated but they were granted the honors of the war and they were able to retire.^[4]

The losses are not known, but 500 inhabitants of the city fled in front of the black troops and 150 inhabitants were killed.^[4]

The reversal of Toussaint made the Spaniards lose almost all their conquests in Saint-Domingue.^[5]