An officer by career, Charlemagne Péralte was a  military officer and chief of the city of Léogane when the US Marines invaded Haiti in July 1915. (See United States occupation of Haiti (1915–1934)) He did not surrender to US troops without fighting, He quit his job and went home to Hinche to take care of his family's land. In 1917, he was arrested. He tried and failed to rob a police payroll. He was sent  to labor camp for five years. He escaped. He then got other fighters and began battles against US troops. Péralte's fighters were called "Cacos", a historic name of previous heroes. The Cacos were strong fighters. The US had to send more soldiers. The US had to use airplanes. The "Cacos" attacked Port-au-Prince in 1919, but did not win.