Rochambeau reintroduced man-eating dogs to terrorize insurgents, reviving a Columbus-era tactic.

Evidence

Late in 1802, crowds in Le Cap lined the streets and covered them with flowers to greet a series of new arrivals in the colony. They were carried into the town in cages: dogs purchased in Cuba, accompanied by trainers who nourished them with blood and had them attack wicker figures—apparently made to resemble “a negro”—stuffed with “animal entrails and blood.” Leclerc’s replacement, Rochambeau, had ordered this new weapon to help in the floundering campaign against the insurgents. He was following in a venerable tradition: three centuries before, dogs had been introduced on the island by Columbus in order to terrorize the indigenous population. — Dubois, Laurent, Avengers of the New World_ The Story of…, 1031

Categorization

• SHARE: A vivid, grisly anecdote for anyone interested in colonial warfare or animal-as-weapon tactics; stands out for its theatrical cruelty.
• XREF: Echoes earlier chapters’ colonial violence; parallel structures with French tactics described in prior phases of the revolt.