During the revolution, when local figures often gained power in control of small armed forces, Desrances became a local military leader in the mountains surrounding Port-au-Prince and Saint-Marc.
[1] At the time of the War of Knives, Desrances was loyal to André Rigaud in his battle with Toussaint Louverture, and was one of the few black officers in the predominantly mulatto northern Rigaud-loyal army.
Céligny Ardouin argues that Louverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines saw Desrances as a growing rival due to his power in the region, and determined to defeat him.
[3] Louverture marched on Desrances' forces in November 1801, and they scattered into the local forest.
[5] An enemy of L'Ouverture in both instances, L'Ouverture wrote of him: "L’Amour Desrances, who had caused all the inhabitants of the Plain of Cul-de-Sac to be assassinated; who urged the laborers to revolt; who pillaged all this part of the island.