Battle of Vertières Day (Haiti)

Battle of Vertières Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Haiti, and it is observed on November 18 each year. The holiday celebrates the anniversary of the Battle of Vertières in 1803.

Haiti is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea and it occupies the western three-eighths of the island of Hispaniola. The Battle of Vertières was fought between the Haitian indigenous army and the French forces on November 18, 1803, and it was considered the last decisive battle during the Haitian Revolution.

General Rochambeau was the commander of the French forces, while the resistance forces were led by General Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and commanded by Francois Capois. The battle lasted for the whole day. The Haitian forces launched several assaults and both sides suffered heavy losses. By the end of the day, about 1,200 out of the 2,000 French defenders were dead or wounded, while about 3,200 out of the 27,000 Haitian people were dead or wounded.

The Haitian forces and the French defenders started to negotiate the next day, and the French got ten days to embark on the remainder of his army and leave Saint-Domingue. Two months after, on January 1, 1804, Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared independence and he became the first ruler of Haiti.

The following is the list of Battle of Vertières Day in Haiti from 2022 to 2026.

Please check more public holidays in the Republic of Haiti: