Action of 1 January 1800

Overview

The action of 1 January 1800 was a naval battle of the Quasi-War that took place off the coast of present-day Haiti, near the island of Gonâve in the Bight of Léogâne. The battle was fought between an American convoy of four merchant vessels escorted by the United States naval schooner USS Experiment, and a squadron of armed barges manned by Haitians known as picaroons.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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)