Action of 1 January 1800

Significance

The Action of 1 January 1800 was a naval engagement of the Quasi-War fought off the coast of present-day Haiti near the island of Gonâve in the Bight of Léogâne. The engagement pitted USS Experiment, an American naval schooner escorting four merchant vessels, against a squadron of armed barges manned by Haitian picaroons operating under André Rigaud. The confrontation reflected the broader instability in Haitian waters during the Quasi-War period, where American commercial shipping required naval escort against irregular maritime threats aligned with French-backed factions.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)