Posted on 10/17/2009 6:03:50 AM PDT by BGHater
It took 9 years to complete the Haitian monument in Franklin Square, but it took 230 years for the people of Haiti to receive the proper recognition for their role in the Revolutionary War.
"The best moment in my life!" shouted Daniel Fils-Aime, who has seen this project through for those 9 years.
"This recognition is a reward for all Haitians whether they are in the U.S. or Haiti," said Ralph Latortue, the Haiti consulate general in Miami.
The monument was originally unveiled unfinished with only four statues in 2007, but thanks to a single-donor, the sculpture was recently completed, and presented on Saturday, with all six bronze statues.
"You're not going to find a monument dedicated to the Haitians anywhere else in the U.S. Now they're talking about doing some others, but this is it, this is #1, and that's a credit to our city," said city alderman Clifton Jones.
The monument represents the role that more than 500 Haitian volunteers played in the 1779 Battle of Savannah. A significant moment in the Revolutionary War, that according to Fils-Aime, has gone unnoticed.
"Was it not for the Haitians that came to Savannah, there would be no America today," said Fils-Aime.
"They were so important in the revolution of this country. I mean, we could be speaking with an English accent if it wasn't for the Haitians, quite frankly," said sculptor James Mastin.
And according to Alderman Jones, we should all be proud of the sacrifices represented by this monument.
"They volunteered and came here and shed their blood and died for the freedom of the United States," said Jones.
"I think it's a moment of pride. It's a moment of pride for all of us and every Haitian I know, are proud to be a part of U.S. History," said Latortue.
And now that history stands tall, for all to see.
I didn’t know, ping.
What the monument, and the article, fail to say is that the French-American siege of Savannah was a spectacular failure, with the British repulsing the main attack. The Haitian contribution meant little to the cause of Independence.
The early parts of the War, is not noted for wide success. I only posted as a recognition of fighting tyranny; not all causes or incidents result in success.
It’s not very “touchy feely” for you to say that.
The statement on the monument is fairly accurate. The crap in the article is just that, crap.
The Siege of Savannah was more significant for Haiti than it was for America.
Its not enough that they fought at all. They have to have won the revolution single handed.
Fils-Aime must be a product of US public schools..
second oldest after America, and it's still uncivilized
Haiti played a far more significant role in US history 25 years later.
During the Peace of Amiens Napoleon planned to take firm military control of Louisiana (Mississippi basin west of the river), with possible eventual invasion of the weak new Unites States east of the river.
To do so he needed a strong base of operations in Haiti, which had been engulfed in a multi-sided revolution/civil war for well over a decade. He moved in a massive army to conquer and re-enslave the Haitians.
Due to the effective resistance of the Haitian people and mosquitoes (yellow fever and malaria) the French army was nearly wiped out.
Without a Haitian base, control of Louisiana was impractical, plus war with UK was looming again and he’d be cut off from the Western Hemisphere by the Royal Navy anyway. So Boney sold the whole shebang to the USA to cut his losses.
Given the realities of trans-oceanic invasion, when that ocean was controlled by the RN, French invasion of the USA was never a serious threat. But had Haiti collapsed quickly and Boney moved into LA, there is a good chance the USA would have been forced into an alliance with UK and entanglement in the rest of the Napoleonic Wars.
Entertaining and informative.
We should remember that these men were free men at the time. They came to help in the cause just like all the other French Citizens that were with D'Estaing, just like the European French.
While they should not get any more honor than, say, Count Pulaski (who is WELL remember in Savannah), they should not get any less than him.
Just being here, even if they didn't fight (which they did), those people should get our undying gratitude for their sacrifice. The British certainly respected the fact that they were outside the works. They were a part of the whole that finally gave America its freedom.
Ok, the text was a little over the top. I don't think that it will hurt anything to give them this after what they gave America.
Henry Christophe, who later led the Haitian
Revolution, was a drummer boy in the
Battle of Savannah
The RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list
They need to get one up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Springfield Gardens, Queens, and North Miami, FL, three large centers of the Haitian diaspora.
Careful, you’re revealing yourself.
That part I agree is a bit overblown.
Talk about spectacular failures, if it weren’t for the incredible bravery and sacrifice of the Maryland 400, the Battle of Brooklyn might have ended the Revolution with the capture of Gen. Washington.
I had not realized Haitians were living near Empire Blvd. in Brooklyn...I always thought that was Jamaican. Thanks for the info.
Very sad indeed. They need those 500 men back so they can do a clean sweep of the filth they have as leaders and start over.
The only places I can think of where Haitians truly are the dominant ethnic group are all in South Florida (North Miami, Lauderhill, North Lauderdale, etc.), but I believe that NYC still has more Haitians in terms of total numbers than SoFla.
yup... their best and brightest are gone
Its alot overblown. The Savannah campaign was a huge failure for the colonies, as another poster pointed out.
Check out #11, too. :o)
I was going to say so. Until Washington focused south and sent Greene, nothing much good happened in the South.
Indeed.
And I still say it’s more like 300. Just like the Spartans. ;-)
Well, the 400 included some fighters from Delaware, but it is said that 267 are buried in a mass grave under 4th Avenue in Brooklyn, so your 300 number may not be far off if we’re counting martyrs to the cause; and the analogy with the Spartans is excellent (although the Marylanders were largely Irish Catholics!).
“I didn’t know, ping.”
Me either. Totally clueless, and I thought I knew some history.
“The Haitian contribution meant little to the cause of Independence.”
It’s the thought that counts.
I do agree.
I have always been interested in various ethnic groups and their contributions to the RevWar on the Patriot side, especially AAs. I have posted previously on the AAs in Glover's Marblehead Regiment and the all-black Rhode Island Regiment. It is important to note that the Brits granted freedom to all AAs who signed up with them.
The Delawares? They were gone over the Gowanus Creek, no? The Delawares were great but they were not included with the 2/3/400. They were companies of MDers purely, from all my understanding. (Stragglers don’t count.) 9 MDers returned.
I’ve always thought of the Spartans when I learned of this little chapter in history.
“I would imagine not since this only deals with African Americans”
Ah, there’s that little glitch.
They don’t want the more general name “black”, but use something that is actually very specific and excludes other blacks.
I think the intention was simply to come up with another PC name for “black”, not “black American”. Not thinking very well about being all-inclusive.
I mean, when you run into a black guy in Italy, do you tell your buddies you met this “African-American” in Italy? I don’t think Italian guy will like that much.
I thought they were mixed up a bit with the MDers...perhaps you are correct. I will go back and check my sources and get back to you.
They both were part of the general effort to protect the point. But then both were called to retreat. After DE and MD crossed Gowanus, several units were recalled from MD to protect the retreat effort to Brooklyn Hts. Perhaps you were thinking of the general action earlier in the day.
Fascinating!
According to French records 99 percent of the real Chasseurs-Voluntaires were mulattoes meaning Bi-racial Haitians. They were called Affranchis and they were never slaves. Most of the Haitians depicted on those sculptures have negroid features not bi-racial features. None of the mulattoes were represented for their efforts. Since black Haitians are in the majority, they are intentionally trying to steal the glory of the mulattoes,which they hate and are trying re-write history. Black Haitians have tried to massacre the bi-racial Haitians throughout history and as recently as the early 1960’s(Duvalier) Most Haitian blacks were slaves in 1779; they could not have fought for American Independence when they were not free themselves. Those impostors sculptures are a double fraud since most of soldiers were in their early twenties not middle age men.
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