The Poles had little interest or desire to support the French cause in the distant colonies, once again fighting against people who only desired their own independence. In Haiti there still is a popular myth that many Polish soldiers became sympathetic to the former slaves' cause and deserted the French, supporting Jean-Jacques Dessalines in significant numbers, with entire units changing sides. In fact, the actual desertion rate was much lower; nonetheless about 150 Polish soldiers joined the Haitian rebels. The loss of that many patriotic military personnel in the Caribbean was a serious blow to the Polish aspirations for regaining independence. The Haitian experience cast further doubts among Poles about France's and Napoleon's good intentions toward Poland.