Louverture’s extensive correspondence allows us to explore his actions and ideals. These letters were not written by his hand. Indeed, Lacroix recalled that he “spoke French poorly” and often turned to creole in communicating his ideas. “Nevertheless a divine instinct enlightened him about the value of words” in French. He kept his secretaries working constantly, with several of them writing different versions of a letter until they had found “the turn of phrase that was the appropriate expression of his thought.”

Dubois, Laurent, Avengers of the New World_ …, loc. 247