ab lish ▁France ▁in ▁North ▁America , ▁the ▁November ▁ 1 8 0 1 ▁Saint - Dom ing ue ▁expedition ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁step . ▁The ▁March ▁ 1 8 0 2 ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Am iens ▁ended ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Co al ition ▁and ▁in ▁October , ▁Spain ▁transferred ▁Louisiana ▁to ▁France . ▁ ▁However , ▁by ▁now ▁it ▁was ▁clear ▁the ▁Saint - Dom ing ue ▁expedition ▁was ▁a ▁cat ast roph ic ▁failure ; ▁between ▁May ▁ 1 8 0 2 ▁and ▁January ▁ 1 8 0 3 , ▁a ▁yellow ▁fe ver ▁ep ide mic ▁killed ▁over ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁including ▁Napoleon ' s ▁brother - in - law , ▁General ▁Charles ▁L ec ler c . ▁This ▁made ▁Louisiana ▁irrelevant ▁and ▁with ▁France ▁and ▁Britain ▁once ▁more ▁on ▁the ▁ver ge ▁of ▁host ilities , ▁France ▁sold ▁Louisiana ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁for ▁$ 1 5 ▁million ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 0 3 , ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁purchase ▁price ▁being ▁borrow ed ▁from ▁British ▁bank ers . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁First ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁San ▁Il def onso ▁ ▁Second ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁San ▁Il def onso ▁ ▁West ▁Florida ▁ ▁Adams – O ní s ▁Tre aty ▁ ▁Convention ▁of ▁ 1 8 0 0 ▁ ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁L un é ville ▁ ▁Foot notes ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁C anga - Arg ü elles , ▁José : ▁Dic cion ario ▁de ▁Ha ci enda ;