At 4 a.m. on Nov. 18, 1803, part of the forces began an attack on Breda, one of the outlying forts. Rochambeau surprised, left Cap and took a position with his honor guard on the entrenchments at the fort of Vertieres, between Breda and Cap. To take the objective specifically assigned to him, François Capois and his troops had to cross a bridge that was dominated by the fort at Vertieres. Capois, on horseback, and his men met a hail of fire as they advanced. Despite a bullet passing through his cap, Capois urged his men forward. Even a bullet which leveled his horse and another which again passed through his cap did not stop Capois from flourishing his saber and leading his men onward with his continuing cry of Forward! Observing this, Rochambeau's guards applauded. Rochambeau caused the firing to be stopped and sent a hussar forward with compliments for Capois! Then the battle recommenced. Despite repeated and furious charges by Capois, who dealt death to many of the enemy, the battle was indecisive and Capois survived, earning the sobriquet Capois-la-Mort (Capois the Death).
The attacks on the fortresses continued and ultimately Rochambeau had to withdraw and evacuate the fort at Vertieres. The success of Dessaline's forces in taking the heights of Charrier, which dominated all of Cap's outer defenses, forced Rochambeau to withdraw all his forces into Cap, and on November 19 he signed a convention that delivered Cap to Dessalines. Ten hours later on November 20, Rochambeau was already a prisoner of the British. Dessalines, at the head of the triumphant indigenous army, entered Cap on Nov. 30, 1803. On December 4, the French also surrendered the northwestern peninsula and Mole St. Nicolas to the victors and the French occupation and control of Haiti ended forever. On an earlier occasion Dessalines had been introduced to a Boisrond-Tonnerre. Though very different in both physique and education the two formed an instant bond. They shared the same violent characteristics and both were driven by the same implacable hatred of all whites. In anticipation of proclaiming the independence of Haiti on Jan. 1, 1804, Dessalines had one of his secretaries prepare the necessary proclamation.
When the leaders were reunited at the home of Dessalines on Dec. 31, 1803, to review it, Tonnerre felt that it was much too mild and declared it should be written on parchment made from the skin of a white! When the same group met at 7 a.m. the next day at the Place d'Armes in Gonaives for the independence ceremony Tonnerre was missing. Soon found, it was learned that he had spent the entire previous night rewriting the proclamation, which was the one actually read. It was not on human parchment, but was vindictive and considered sublime by Haitians and classified Tonnerre as the father of the Act of Independence. Boisrond-Tonnerre was accorded heroes recognition on. On Jan. 1, 1804, Haiti indeed became the first independent Black Country. Dessalines was named Governor General for life with the power to name his successor. Dessalines is now considered Haiti's true national hero. On Oct. 6, 1804, Dessalines had himself crowned as Jacques I, Emperor of Haiti, in imitation of Napoleon. As emperor, he ruled even more autocratically, dissension grew and open revolt began to appear. On Oct. 17, 1806, he was shot and killed by an unknown partisan from one of the revolting factions.
