François Capois
François Capois was nicknamed Capois -La-Mort, meaning "Capois to the Death". He was an officer in the Haitian Revolution for independence from France.
He was born in 1766 at Port-de-Paix, in the Northwest of the colony of Saint-Domingue, the precursor of Haiti on the island of Hispaniola. He was born and grew up a slave on the plantation of Laveaux/Lapointe. His name was a transformation of the name cappouet, owner of the plantation.
His military career began in 1793 after a visit with independence leader Toussaint Louverture. He was assigned to the 9th brigade under Colonel Jacques Maurepas. His rank in the army changed quickly, first to Lieutenant, then to Captain of the 3rd Battalion.
Capois fought with Maurepas against all expeditions and invasions in the north-eastern region of the island. Capois is mostly known for his extraordinary courage and especially his herculean bravery at the Battle of Vertières in which the French general Viscount of Rochambeau, commander of Napoleon's army called a brief cease-fire to congratulate him on his bravery after his horse was killed in battle and he wounded, but never stopped fighting.
The Battle of Vertières was the final major battle of the Haitian Revolution, fought on November 18, 1803. It was the decisive battle between Haitian revolutionaries and Napoleon's French troops. The battle resulted in Haiti becoming the first independent Black republic in the New World.
The war ended with the revolutionary's victory, wielding a critical blow to Napoleon, who was forced to sell the Louisiana territories to the United States and focus on building his empire in Europe. The Haitian Revolution inspired other liberation movements around the world.
However, Capois would not survive long in peacetime. He had become a national hero and was despised by Henry Christophe, who feared he would supersede him in power. On October 8, 1806, Capois was on his way to Cap-Haïtien when, near Limonade, he rode into a trap set for him and was killed by assassins on the orders of Henry Christophe.