After the French had been expelled Removing from Haiti in 1804 , the newly independent nation was first ruled Control by Jean-Jacques Dessalines , who was murdered Killing in 1806 and replaced Change_of_leadership by two of his advisors , Henri Christophe and Alexandre Pétion .

Stationed Placing off Haiti was the British frigate HMS `` Southampton '' under Captain Sir James Lucas Yeo , tasked Confronting_problem with observing Know the political situation but with orders not to interfere Hindering in the intermittent conflict Hostile_encounter between Christophe and Pétion .