Antonio Duvergé Duval (1807 – April 11, 1855), was a Dominican military figure who is considered one of the most prominent military leaders during the Dominican War of Independence. He is primarily remembered both for the battles he commanded in this feat and for the enmity he aroused against general and President Pedro Santana, who was in charge of promoting the military junta that later sentenced him to death along with his son Alcides in 1855.
His most famous participation took place in the Battle of Azua, where he ironically fought alongside Santana for the first time. In this conflict, they comprised a group of approximately 2,500 Dominican soldiers, mostly composed of peasants armed with machetes and swords, who were recruited to confront the Haitian army. A part of the southern army was led by General Pedro Santana, where they defeated 10,000 Haitian soldiers led by General Souffront. After victory was proclaimed by the Dominican side, Duvergé would become known nationally as one of the best prepared soldiers in the country at that time, earning nicknames such as "The sentinel of the border" or the "Sun Tzu of the machete." Duvergé is not only recognized as a fundamental part of his adoptive nation, the Dominican Republic, obtaining its freedom, but also as a representative in the flesh of the desire for universal justice without ties related to the ethnic and social origin of an individual.
Family origins "Vergier de La Rochejacquelein" is the name of an ancient French noble family originally from the Vendée, famous for their devotion to the House of Bourbon during and after the French Revolution. Its original name was du Vergier, derived from a fief near Bressuire in Poitou, and its pedigree dates back to the 13th century. In 1505, Gui Duverger married Renée, heiress of Jacques Lemartin, lord of La Rochejacquelein, whose name he assumed. His grandson, Louis Duverger, lord of La Rochejacquelein, was a devout supporter of Henry II of France and was seriously wounded at the Battle of Arques; Other members of the family were also distinguished soldiers, and the manor was elevated to an earldom and a marquisate in reward for their services.
Most notable members Henri, comte de La Rochejacquelein, was the youngest general of the Royalist Vendéan insurrection during the French Revolution. He served as commander-in-chief of the Catholic and Royal Army. Louis, marquis de La Rochejacquelein, the younger brother of Henri, fled France with his father after the Storming of the Bastille, served in the Army of Condé, and entered the service of England in America. He returned to France during the Consulate, and in 1801 married the marquise de Lescure, the widow of his brother's friend, the marquis de Lescure, who had been mortally wounded at Cholet. Marie Louise Victoire de Donnissan, marquise de La Rochejacquelein, the wife of Louis, was born at Versailles on 25 October 1772, belonged to a court family and was the god-daughter of Madame Victoire, the daughter of Louis XV. At the age of seventeen she married the marquis de Lescure, whom she accompanied during the Revolt in the Vendée. After his death, she went through various adventures recorded in her memoirs, first published at Bordeaux in 1815. They are of extreme interest, and give a remarkable picture of the war and the fortunes of the Royalists. She saved much of her own property and her first husband's, when a conciliatory policy was adopted. After her second marriage to the cousin of her first husband, she lived with her new husband on her estates, both refusing all offers to serve in any capacity under Napoleon. In 1814, they took an active part in the Royalist movement in and about Bordeaux. In 1815 the marquis endeavoured to bring about another Vendan rising for Louis XVIII, and was shot in a skirmish with the forces of Napoleon at the Pont des Marthes on 4 June 1815. The marquise died at Orléans in 1857. Henri Auguste Georges, marquis de La Rochejacquelein, the eldest son of Louis and Marie Louise Victoire, was born at Château Citran in the Gironde on 28 September 1805, was educated as a soldier, served in Spain in 1822, and as a volunteer in the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829. During the reign of Louis Philippe I he adhered to the legitimist policy of his family, but he became reconciled to the government of Napoleon III and was mainly known as a clerical orator and philanthropist. He died on 7 January 1867. Julien Marie Gaston, marquis de La Rochejacquelein, the son and successor of Henri Auguste Georges, was born at Chartres on 27 March 1833, was an active Legitimist deputy in the Assembly chosen at the close of the German War of 1870-1871. He was a strong opponent of Adolphe Thiers, and continued to contest constituencies as a Legitimist with varying fortunes till his death in 1897.
Migration to the Caribbean One of its members, Alexandre (Alejandro) du Vergier, was born in the city of Nantes and was the son of Louis Duverger, lord of La Rochejacquelein, who with his cousin Henri Louis Auguste fled abroad at the beginning of the French Revolution due to the Drownings at Nantes. The final destination of both cousins was the Spanish island, which at that time was divided between two colonies, with the western part being under French control and the eastern part under Spanish control. Saint Domingue, representing the western part of the island, was not only the most prosperous and richest colony in France but is also among the best in the world. For these reasons, it was more than evident which was going to be the indicated refuge and subsequently their next home. Alexander built a prosperous life in Saint Domingue, where he owned some land and a couple of black slaves. It is known that at some point he was married to a black woman, who had several children with him, but it has not yet been established what her name was or what she did for a living. It is also known that Alexander fought on the French side during the Haitian revolution against Toussaint Louverture, but he died in battle. Thanks to the children he had and the migrations in which they were involved over time, it could be said that he was the founder of this family, at least on this side of the world, where you can still find people who carry his last name in various parts of the Caribbean and South America.
Early life
His parents, José (Joseph) Duvergé, who was the son of Alejandro (Alexander) Duverger, and María (Marie) Duval, were mulatto Creoles from the French colony of Saint Domingue, probably of a comfortable economic position, living in Mirebalais, a town in the central zone. not far from the border. Like so many other owners, they were forced to emigrate from Saint Domingue to Dominican territory (at that time the Spanish Santo Domingo), for having expressed solidarity with the positions of the mulatto sector of "free old men" who confronted the rise of the freed slaves. Because of this, Duverge's parents considered themselves French citizens instead of Haitians; Therefore, refractory to the establishment of an independent state governed by blacks. It is likely that, like other emigrated mulattoes, they planned to settle permanently in Santo Domingo from very early on. However, they were forced to move to Puerto Rico shortly after, like many Dominicans and refugees from the French colony, in order to protect themselves from Haitian insurgents. In 1807, the year of Antonio's birth, his parents had been residing for some time in Tortuguero, a town near Mayagüez. José Duvergé made his living in a sugar mill located near a forested area. His work forced him to remain in the mountains, and he was there when his wife gave birth. From there came the nickname Bois-Buá (forest in French), with which Duvergé came to be designated by his acquaintances. The position of his parents in Puerto Rico could not be relieved, so, like thousands of Dominican emigrants, they decided to return to Santo Domingo as soon as the threat of war disappeared, following the division of Haiti into two States.
Little is known about the subsequent development of the family. During the first decade of life in Dominican territory, the Duvergé settled in El Seibo, where they endured an existence full of deprivation. Around 1818 they moved to San Cristóbal, perhaps taking advantage of the fact that they had relatives living there. The formation of the hero was linked to the space of San Cristóbal and surrounding areas. During those years José Duvergé continued dedicated to agricultural work, but he was able to save a small sum of money that allowed him to dedicate himself to the business of cutting precious woods, thereby improving his situation. Arriving in the country at less than two years old, Duvergé integrated into the environment as another Dominican, without being hindered by the origin of his parents. A symptom of this association was the change from the original surname, Duverger to the Duverge that is currently known in Dominican territory.
Duvergé decided to remain in the land after the implementation of Haitian rule in 1822. Family traumas did not overcome his determination to continue residing in the country, to which must be added the peaceful way in which Jean Pierre Boyer's rule was established. In any case, it is likely that his family origin in some way contributed to his irreducible connection with the Dominican. It is said that José Duvergé inoculated his son with aversion to Haitian rule, as an expression of the traumatic experiences that he had gone through as a result of belonging to the mulatto sector. But, this does not mean that Antonio Duvergé viewed the order in Haiti from the perspective of the former French owners. Rather, he developed concepts consistent with his location as a Dominican.
This is demonstrated in the proclamation that he addressed to the Haitians on December 18, 1848, in the response to the one that President Faustin Soulouque had sent to the Dominicans days before. It is a document that contrasts the political-social systems of the two countries. On the Dominican side, Duvergé highlights effective and fruitful national solidarity:
Marriage to Rosa Montas An interesting chapter in Duverge's existence was his marriage, in 1831, to the also mulatto, María Rosa Montás, born in Mirebalais and whose father, the Haitian Juan Claudio (Duson) Clebride, was a justice of the peace of the community of San Cristobal for 1828. Despite sharing a certainly common origin with that of Duvergé, with the difference that Rosa's family was loyal to the Haitian regime, it did not present any type of tie for Rosa to support her husband at all times, even in his contribution to the independence process. With her, he also had seven children, these being: Isabel, Maria Loreto, Policarpio, Alcides, José Daniel, Nicanor and Tomás. Wood cutting It is known that Duvergé, independent of his father from a young age, dedicated himself to cutting mahogany and other precious woods, the main economic activity at the time. Wood cutting was generally undertaken by the former owners of cattle herds and by a category of what is today designated as the middle class, located between the large merchants of the port and the peasantry. Much of the political and military leadership of independence and the political action of the subsequent decades obtained its material support from logging activity. This required expertise linked to the rural environment. The lumber-cutting entrepreneur had to deal with rough workers in rugged wilderness and was subject to considerable economic risks. In fact, the activity left low profit margins, those necessary for the family's subsistence.