Chapter 18 Summary

Chapter 18 of Hochschild's Bury the Chains begins by discussing that a time of revolt was occuring throughout Europe in the 1790s. The chapter then moves into discussing a major slave revolt that took place on the island of St. Dominique. This revolt shocked the world, not only because of the scope and violence, but because St. Dominque was seen as the "crown jewel" of European colonies at the time. The successes and horrors of the revolt in St. Domique brought fear to the forefront throughout the rest of Europe. Not only was the vast scale of the revolt something new, but it was also the first revolt where mulattos rose up alongside the slaves as they too were mistreated. In addition to that, some whites were in support of the anti-slavery cause. The chapter then moves into the war between Britain and France in 1793. The British headed to Dominque and achieved many early victories and assumed victory but they were fought tooth and nail by Touissant L'Ouverture and his army of illiterate rebel slaves. Eventually the British realized that even if they attained victory it would be a hollow one. Their bravado got the better of them and they continued to send fresh troops and continued to be turned back. Eventually St. Dominque attained victory and it marked the first time that "the soldiers of the world's greatest slave-trading nation had given way before an army of ex-slaves."