“Die for your country. Long live Independence! Long live the Union! Long live the just war! Down with the Americans!” - Charlemagne Peralte
(Charlemagne Peralte)
Charlemagne Peralte was born on October 10th, 1885 in Hinche, Haiti. In 1915 Peralte was the military chief of the city of Leogane, Haiti. The US invaded Haiti the same year. Peralte resigned from his position and returned to his native town of Hinche to take care of his family's land.
(Peralte in 1915)
In 1917 he was arrested for a botched raid on the Hinche gendarmerie payroll, and was sentenced to five years of forced labor. He escaped from forced labor and he formed a group of nationalist rebels and started guerilla warfare against the invading US troops. His troops were called “Cacos”. The Cacos were strong adversaries to the US occupying force. In 1919 his forces attacked US held Port Au Prince but were driven off. Also in 1919 Peralte declared a provisional government in the north of Haiti.
(A statue of Peralte)
Peralte was betrayed by one of his own. On November 1st, 1919 Charlemagne Peralte was shot and killed by US spies in Grand-Riviere Du Nord, Haiti. He was 34 years old.
(Peralte’s dead body which was put on display so no others would revolt against the US occupying forces)
Today is the 97th anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great revolutionary today.
(P.S. sorry for the late post)
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