HR 9093

1	House Resolution
2	A resolution honoring the Haitian soldiers of the
3	Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue for their bravery
4	and sacrifices in support of the United States of America
5	during its War of Independence.
6
7	WHEREAS, in the fall of 1779, over 500 Haitian soldiers
8	formed the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue and joined
9	other international forces supporting the United States in its
10	fight for independence from British sovereignty, and
11	WHEREAS, the soldiers of the Chasseurs-Volontaires de
12	Saint-Domingue served as the largest unit of soldiers of African
13	descent to fight in the American War of Independence, and
14	WHEREAS, the soldiers of the Chasseurs-Volontaires de
15	Saint-Domingue participated in the siege of Savannah, Georgia,
16	which took six weeks and was one of the most culturally diverse
17	battles of the War of Independence, fighting bravely in both the
18	battle of September 24th and in the unsuccessful final siege of
19	October 9th of 1779, and
20	WHEREAS, eight months later, over sixty members of the
21	Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue were captured at the
22	fall of Charleston, South Carolina, and
23	WHEREAS, many of the soldiers of the Chasseurs-Volontaires
24	de Saint-Domingue lost their lives or their freedom attempting
25	to help drive the British from the United States, and
26	WHEREAS, it is worthy of special commemoration that the
27	Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue consisted entirely of
28	free men who volunteered to fight against British sovereignty in
29	support of the ideas of individual liberty and self-governance
30	as embodied in the War of Independence, NOW, THEREFORE,
31
32	Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
33	Florida:
34
35	That the Haitian soldiers of the Chasseurs-Volontaires de
36	Saint-Domingue are honored for their bravery and sacrifices in
37	support of the United States of America during its War of
38	Independence.
39	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be
40	presented to the Haitian American Historical Society and the
41	Haitian Consulate in Florida as a tangible token of the
42	sentiments expressed herein.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.