There were several attempts at various times to forcefully unite the two colonies of Hispaniola. The imperial powers of the period, from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, strived to possess or repossess Hispaniola as one nest egg for the crown heads in Europe. At that period in time, Hispaniola was very rich in agricultural products desperately needed in Europe. These included sugarcane, coffee and peppers. Apart from these agricultural products, the gold mines on both sides of Hispaniola were still productive. Added to these sources of wealth was cheap slave labor to work the mines and plantations, at minimal cost to their owners.

Toussaint Louverture’s Invasion of Santo Domingo The first attempt of takeover of Hispaniola as one single colony was made by Sir Francis Drake in 1586 on behalf of the English monarchy when he captured Santo Domingo. However, this merely provided comical relief, as he and his adventurers were driven off by the Spaniards, after occupying Hispaniola for only one month. Imperial France had always wanted to annex the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo to its own Saint Domingue to form one single prosperous colony. By the Treaty of Bale which was signed by France and Spain on July 22, 1795, Spain ceded its colony in Hispaniola to France. However, France could not take physical possession because it had virtually lost its own colony, Saint Domingue, to the forces of Haitian Revolution under the leadership of Toussaint. France was then faced with a dilemma because it did not want a united Hispaniola under a black Governor General. Nevertheless, an astute diplomat that he was, Louverture went on to invade Santo Domingo, ostensibly to implement the Treaty of Bale on behalf of the French Government. He now set out to claim France's authority over the entire island of Hispaniola. The invasion was swift and decisive. Though he encountered some military resistance on the way to the capital of Santo Domingo, Toussaint Louverture triumphantly entered Santo Domingo City on January 26, 1801. Toussaint Louverture thus became the Governor General of a united Hispaniola.

However, his reign or rule was short-lived. Napoleon Bonaparte, who was soon to become Louverture’s nemesis, seized power in France. Toussaint then became Napoleon’s most feared General. Having decided to reintroduce slavery in the French colonies, including Saint Domingue, Napoleon dispatched a large expeditionary army under the command of his brother-in-law General Charles Leclerc to re-establish slavery in Hispaniola. Although the military confrontation was indecisive, Louverture was tricked into relinquishing power to Leclerc and allowed to retire to his farm estate. Leclerc soon broke the accord, seized Louverture and had him deported to France where he died soon after.

Dessalines attempted Invasion In March 1805, Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines set out with his Haitian army in an attempt to take the city of Santo Domingo by force and thus reunite the two separate entities of Hispaniola, independent Haiti, and colonial Santo Domingo. He had to abandon his dream of reuniting the Island when he was informed that a French naval squadron was approaching Haiti. He hurried back home in order to defend his capital against the impending French invasion. Thus the plan for reintegration of Santo Domingo into Haiti was shelved and put off till a more auspicious time.

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