Twelve thousand reinforcements arrived from France early the following year, but they suffered the same fate. According to John McNeill, a total of 65,000 French troops were sent to reconquer Saint-Domingue. Over 50,000 died, the vast majority from yellow fever. The rebels were, of course, barely affected by the disease. It was as if Makandal really did live on as a mosquito and had returned to finally fulfill his plan to poison the French.
