Capture of the Dutch. it would have made no difference. The garrison of Fort James numbered scarcely eighty men. There was a brief exchange of volleys between the feeble fort and the majestic fleet, and New York by a few lives were sacrificed, but resistance was hopeless. Before sunset of August 9 the ensign of the Dutch Republic floated over the fort, and the city on Manhattan passed once more under the sway of its founders. of its founders. Once more there was a general change of nomenclature. The province resumed its old name of New Netherland, its eastern limit was pronounced to be that of the Hartford treaty of 1650,1 and the whole of Long Island was declared to belong to it, but no claims were made upon Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, or Pemaquid. Westward the claim took in whatever had been ruled by Stuyvesant, including New Sweden. Fort James was rechristened Fort Willem Hendrick, after the new stadholder, and the city was called New Orange. Esopus, which had exchanged its Indian name for Kingston, was now called Swanenburg. Albany received the name of Willemstadt, and its blockhouse that of Fort Nassau. As for Carteret's domain of New Jersey, it was baptized Achter Koll, or "Back Bay," from the broad sheet of water across which Elizabethtown was approached. A council of war was Anthony held by the officers of the fleet, and they Colve, gove appointed Anthony Colve, a captain of Netherland. infantry, to be governor of New Netherland. All the places mentioned as within his jurisdiction submitted gracefully, and some of them very cheer1 See above, vol. i. p. 257. ernor of New fully, except on Long Island. There the Dutch towns, such as Brooklyn and Flatbush, rejoiced in the change of rulers; even some of those towns where the English were a majority, such as Flushing and Jamaica, made no resistance. But the purely English towns in the East Riding - Southampton, Easthampton, Brookhaven, Southold, and Huntington - were extremely unwilling to yield; and although they succumbed for a moment to the inexorable situation, yet Southampton published a protest and sent it all over New England, "in order to take off any aspersion cast upon us, as though we should freely submit to this foreign government." It became necessary for Governor Colve to "admonish" these froward eastern towns, but they did not cease to be thorns in the flesh. The appeal of Southampton was heard by sympathetic ears. Connecticut joined in the protest, angry letters passed between Colve and Winthrop, and presently Connecticut troops crossed the Sound. Scrimmages and reprisals on the high seas went on until Massachusetts also was aroused. 1 The "oath of fidellitj," which the inhabitants of these towns were required to take, is interesting as a quaint specimen of English written by a Dutch secretary: "Wee do sware in the presents of the Almightij God, that wee shall be true & faithfull to ye high & mighty Lords yo States Gennerall of yo united Belgick Provinces, & his Serene hignesse the Prince of Orange, & to their Governs here for the time being, and to ye utmost of our power to prevent all what shall be attempted against the same, but uppon all occasions to behave ourselves as true & faitful subiects in conscience are bound to do, provided that wee shal not be forced in armes against our owne Nation if theij are sent bij a Lawful commission from his Majesty of England. Soo help us God." New York Colonial Documents, ii. 602. Danger of an the New Confederacy. Having seen some of her own ships captured and confiscated, Massachusetts decided that "God doth call them to do something attack by in a hostile way for their own defence." England Plymouth acquiesced in this policy, declaring that "just ground of a war" existed. Rhode Island, which was not a member of the Confederacy, took measures to defend her harbours against Dutch attacks; while the three confederated colonies were planning an expedition which might have threatened not only Long Island, but Manhattan itself, for Evertsen's great fleet had sailed for Europe, leaving one frigate and one sloop-of-war to sustain Colve's government. It was indeed a precarious situation which depended upon the continued presence of a Dutch fleet in the midst of a European war that was straining Holland's resources. Fort Willem Hendrick, if good for anything, ought to be able to make it dangerous for hostile ships to enter either the East River or the North; but as an instrument of war that fortress was now but little better than on the day when Dominie Megapolensis warned Stuyvesant of the folly of using it. Houses had been built and gardens planted so close to it How Govas to interfere with firing. Colve felt ernor Colve bound to make an effective weapon of it, houses. and he decided that the offending houses must either be moved away or be pulled down. It was done as considerately as possible; and here perhaps a few extracts from the contemporary records will help to bring the situation vividly before us. pulled down It was announced that all persons injured in their The property by the proposed work should be indemnified, either in money or by a gift of real estate in some other locality. At a meeting held in the City Hall of New Orange, October 10, 1673, at which were present Governor Anthony petitions. Colve, Councillor Cornelius Steenwyck, and three burgomasters, Johannes van Brugh, Johannes de Peyster, and Ægidius Luyck, a number of petitions were heard, of which the following are samples: "Peter de Riemer is willing to remove his house, but requests Muyen's lot or one at the Water side instead. "Lodewyck Pos requests the house next the City Hall; otherwise 't will be impossible for him to move. "Jacobus van de Water request's Pattison's house in Pearl Street, or a lot as near his former residence as possible, with satisfaction. 66 George Cobbett says he is unable to move unless assisted. "Jan Dircksen Meyer says he knows not whither to turn, but finally requests a lot behind The Five Houses, in Bridge Street. "Andrew Meyer in like manner requests a lot there. "Gerritt Hendricks, butcher, says he has been ruined by the English and is unable to move; requests help and assistance. "Peter Jansen Slott, by his father, requests a lot behind the City Hall. "Simon Blanck requests accommodation for the winter, as his house cannot be moved; asks a lot behind the Five Houses. "Peter Stoutenburgh, absent.. "Martin Jansen Meyer says he is not able to move; is offered the lot next to Kip in the valley, or recommended to look up another. 66 Lysbeth Tyssen is told that her small houses will be examined, to see whether they cannot be spared. "Peter Harmensen's little house is in like manner to be examined. "Peter Jansen Mesier requests a place on the Water side; otherwise cannot remove. 66 Ephraim Herman requests satisfaction with others. "Dr. Taylor's wife says that her husband is willing to risk his house, and to abide the result.” Steenwyck and the three burgomasters were then authorized to make an appraisal of the houses and lots which were to be destroyed or surrendered, and likewise of the houses and lots which they should think proper to bestow as indemnity. By permission, two carpenters were added to this committee of appraisal. After their work had been done a proclamation was issued, October 16: "Whereas Fort Willem Hendrick and the city of New Orange situate on Manhatans Island is seriously encumbered and weakened by the houses, gardens, and orchards which lie so close under its walls and bulwarks that it is impossible to defend it properly when occasion requires against The proclaits enemies, unless at least some of those mation. houses, lots, and orchards be demolished and removed. It is therefore considered necessary by the Governor-General, by and with the previous |