Battle of Vertières The Battle of Vertières ( in Haitian Creole " Batay Vètyè " ) , the last major battle of the Second War of Haitian Independence , the final part of the Haitian Revolution under François Capois . It was fought between Haitian rebels and French expeditionary forces on 18 November 1803 at Vertières . Vertières is situated in Nord , Haiti . By the end of October 1803 , Haitian rebels had already taken over all the territory from France . The only places left to France were Mole St . Nicolas , held by Noailles , and Cap - Français , where , with 5000 troops , Rochambeau was at bay . With 16 , 000 men in four columns . Defeat of the French Army by the Haitian Rebels . After the deportation of Toussaint Louverture in 1802 , one of Toussaint ' s principal lieutenants , Jean Jacques Dessalines , continued the fight for liberty because he remembered the declaration of Toussaint Louverture : " “ In overthrowing me , you have done no more than cut down the trunk of the tree of black liberty in St . Domingue . It will spring back from the roots , for they are numerous and deep . ” " Dessalines defeated the French army numerous times before Vertières . During the night of 17 – 18 November 1803 , the Haitians positioned their few guns to blast Fort Bréda , located on the " habitation " where Toussaint Louverture had worked as a coachman under François Capois . As the French trumpets sounded the alarm , Clervaux , a Haitian rebel , fired the first shot . Capoix , mounted on a great horse , led his demibrigade forward despite storms of bullets from the forts on his left . The approach to Charrier ran up a long ravine under the guns of Vertières . French fire killed a number of soldiers in the Haitian column , but the soldiers closed ranks and clambered past their dead , singing . Capoix ’ s horse was shot , faltered and fell , tossing Capoix off his saddle . Capoix picked himself up , drew his sword ; brandished it over his head and ran onward shouting : " Forward ! Forward ! " Rochambeau was watching from the rampart of Vertières . As Capoix charged forth , the French drums rolled a sudden cease - fire . Suddenly , the battle stood still . A French staff officer mounted his horse and rode toward the intrepid Capoix - la - Mort ( " Capoix - the Death " ) . With a great voice he shouted : " General Rochambeau sends compliments to the general who has just covered himself with such glory ! " Then he saluted the Haitian warriors , returned to his position , and the fight resumed . General Dessalines sent his reserves under Gabart , the youngest of the general and Jean - Philippe Daut , Rochambeau ’ s guard of grenadiers formed for a final charge . But Gabart , Capoix , and Clervaux , the last fighting with a French musket in hand and one epaulette shot away , repulsed the desperate counterattack . A sudden downpour with thunder and lightning submerged the battlefield . Under cover of the storm , Rochambeau pulled back from Vertières , knowing he was defeated and that Saint - Domingue was lost to France . Results of the Battle . By the next morning , the general Rochambeau sent Duveyrier , to negotiate with Dessalines . At the end of the day , the terms of submission were settled . Rochambeau got ten days to embark the remainder of his army and leave Saint - Domingue . The wounded French soldiers were left behind under key until well enough for return to France , but they were drowned a few days later . This battle occurred less than two months before Dessalines ' proclamation of the independent Republic of Haiti on 1 January 1804 and delivered the final blow to the French attempt to stop the Haitian Revolution and re - institute slavery , as had been the case in its other Caribbean possessions . The Battle of Vertières marked the first time in the history of mankind that a slave army led a successful revolution for their freedom . November 18 has been widely celebrated since then as a Day of Army and Victory in Haiti .