<P> On 1 January 1804 Dessalines then declared independence, reclaiming the indigenous Taíno name of Haiti ("Land of Mountains") for the new nation . Most of the remaining French colonists fled ahead of the defeated French army, many migrating to Louisiana or Cuba . Unlike Toussaint, Dessalines showed little equanimity with regard to the whites . In a final act of retribution, the remaining French were slaughtered by Haitian military forces . Some 2,000 Frenchmen were massacred at Cap - Français, 900 in Port - au - Prince, and 400 at Jérémie . He issued a proclamation declaring, "we have repaid these cannibals, war for war, crime for crime, outrage for outrage ." </P> <P> One exception was a military force of Poles from the Polish Legions that had fought in Napoleon's army . A majority of Polish soldiers refused to fight against the Black inhabitants . At the time, there was a familiar situation going on back in their homeland, as these Polish soldiers were fighting for their liberty from the invading Russia, Prussia and Austria that began in 1772 . As hopeful as the Haitians, many Poles were seeking union amongst themselves to win back their homeland . As a result, many Polish soldiers admired their enemy and decided to turn on the French army and join the Haitian slaves, and participated in the Haitian revolution of 1804, supporting the principles of liberty for all the people . Władysław Franciszek Jabłonowski who was half - Black was one of the Polish generals at the time . Polish soldiers had a remarkable input in helping the Haitians in the retaliation fights against the French oppressor . They were spared the fate of other Europeans . For their loyalty and support for overthrowing the French, the Poles acquired Haitian citizenship after Haiti gained its Independence, and many of them settled there to never return to Poland . It is estimated that around 500 of the 5280 Poles chose this option . Of the remainder, 700 returned to France to eventually return to Poland, and some--after capitulation--were forced to serve in British units . 160 Poles were later given permission to leave Haiti and some particular ones were sent to France at Haitian expense . To this day, many Polish Haitians still live in Haiti and are of mixed racial origin, however some have blonde hair, light eyes, and other European features . Today, descendants of those Poles who stayed are living in Cazale, Fond - des - Blancs, La Vallée - de-Jacmel, La Baleine, Port - Salut and Saint - Jean - du - Sud . </P> <P> Despite the Haitian victory, France refused to recognize the newly independent country's sovereignty until 1825, in exchange for 150 million gold francs . This fee, demanded as retribution for the "lost property,"--slaves, land, equipment etc.--of the former colonialists, was later reduced to 90 million . Haiti agreed to pay the price to lift a crippling embargo imposed by France, Britain, and the United States--but to do so, the Haitian government had to take out high interest loans . The debt was not repaid in full until 1947 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section does not cite any sources . Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (April 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who lived in haiti before the spaniards arrived