History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 14

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards
Number of Pages: 776

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It will be observed that all through these con- troversies, while there were many high words and some kicks and cuffs, the Dutch and Swedes never came to actual hostilities, and always maintained a modus vivendi with one another. This was not because they hated each other less, but because they dreaded a third rival more. Both Dutch and Swedes were terribly apprehensive of English designs upon the Delaware. As was laid down in the instructions to Governor Risingh, who sue- ceeded Printz in New Sweden, speaking of the new Fort Casimir, if Risingh could not induce the Dutch to abandon the post by argument and remonstrance and without resorting to ho-tilities, "it is better that our subjects avoid resorting to hostilities, confining themselves solely to prote-ta- tions, and suffer the Dutch to occupy the said fortress, than that it should fall into the hands of the English, who are the most powerful and of course

HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

the most dangerous in that country." In the same way, after Stuyvesant had met the English at Hartford, Conn., treated with them, and settled a mutual boundary line, so that all was appar- ently peace and friendship between the Dutch and the New Englanders, the New Haven Company thought they would be permitted without dispute to resume the occupancy of their purchased Indian lands on the New Jersey side of the Delaware Bay at Salem, whence they had been twice expelled. Accordingly, Jasper Graine, William Tuthill, and other inhabitants of New Haven and Sotocket. to the number of about fifty, hired a vessel and sailed for that destination. On the way they con- siderately put into Manhattan to notify Stuyvesant of their errand, and consult with him as to the best way of accomplishing it. Stuyvesant took their commission away from them, clapped the master of the vessel and four other- into prison, and refused to release them until "they pledged themselves under their hands " not to go to Dela- ware, informing them likewise that if any of them should afterwards be found there he would con- fiseate their goods and send them prisoners to Holland. At the same time he wrote to the gover- nor of New Haven that the Dutch rights on the Delaware were absolute, and that he meant to prevent any English settlement there "with force of arms and martial opposition, even unto blood- shed." The Swedes were so much impressed with this firm attitude and with their own unprotected condition (this was probably during the inter- regnum between Printz's departure and the arrival of Risingh, when Papegoja, Printz's son-in-law, was acting governor, and there was no news from the mother-country ) that they asked Stuyvesant to take them under his protection. The director- general declined to do so without instruction from home, and the directors of the company when he consulted them left the matter to his own disere- tion, simply suggesting that while population and settlement should be encouraged by all means as the bulwark of the State, it would be advisable that all settlers should yield allegiance to the parent State, and be willing to obey its laws and statutes in order to obtain protection.

The difficulties between Printz and Stuyvesant came before the Royal Council of Sweden in March, 1652. and pending its negotiations Gover- nor Printz fell into still greater strait-, On August 30, 1652. he wrote to the Chancellor of the Kingdom: "The Puritans threaten us with violence, and the Dutch are pressing upon us on all sides; they have ruined the fur trade; the savages are troubling us, having brought cargoes of strangers; the people are beginning to desert the colony in despair ; forty Dutch families have settled east of the river, who have absolutely no provisions, and do not sow or plough, desiring to

live by the traffic with the natives, which the. themselves have destroyed." During the followin. vear the situation was not improved. Stuyvesant . had now assembled his force at Fort Casimir. where already in the beginning of 1653 no le -. than twenty-ix Dutch families had settled, and more still were expected. Nevertheless, he did unt venture yet to make any attempt against th. Swedes, chiefly for fear of the English, but felt obliged to conform to the admonition of lu- Directors, to endeavor as far as possible to avoid dissensions with them ; " not to increase the num- ber of the Company's enemies during that critical period." Not a word was heard from Sweden to relieve the anxiety of Printz, although he urgently applied for aid in his letters to his superior -. II. insisted on his dismissal, and many other inhabi- tants of the colony, particularly persons in the service of the company, desired to return to their native country, while some removed to Maryland. and others besought Stuyvesant to allow them to settle among the Dutch, a privilege he dared not grant. In consequence of a war between two neighboring Indian tribes no fur trade could be carried on, and the non-arrival of any suecor gradually caused the colonists (hitherto in the enjoyment of the great consideration accorded to the Swedish nation ) to be regarded " as abandoned wanderers, without a sovereign."! To give further weight to his complaints, in July, 1653, the Gover- nor sent home his son, Gustavus Printz, who had been a lieutenant in the colony of New Sweden since 1648. Governor Printz himself now fearel that the colony had been abandoned to its fate. :: he had not received any letters or orders from the mother country for six years. His commands were no longer obeyed and he resolved to go home, after having promised the settlers, for their fidelity to the Crown of Sweden, to come back in ten or twelve months from September, 1653, or. at least, to procure the sending of a ship if only to inform them as to the condition of their enter- prise. Hle appointed Johan Papegoja Provincial Viee-Governor, and in company with his wife and children, Henrik Huyghen and a portion of the colonists, he sailed early in November, and, cros -- ing the ocean in a Dutch vessel, December Ist. reached Rochelle, from whence he wrote to the Chancellor. Early in 1654 he went to Holland. and in April arrived once more in Sweden. After his return he was appointed colonel in the Swedish army, and in 1658 governor of the province of Jönköping. He died in 1663.

In the meantime Printz's representations at home, put fresh life into measures for the relief of the colony. Her Majesty renewed her mandate to

I history of the Colony of New Sweden, by Carl K. Sprinchorn, frans lated and ably annotated by Professor Gregory B. Keen .- Fansghe a. Magazine of History and Bugraphy, Vol. VIII., page 39.

NEW SWEDEN ON THE DELAWARE.

the Admiralty concerning the equipment of a ship for New Swe- den, "that the enterprise might mut altogether come to naught." The general management of Swe- lish affairs on the Delaware had now passed to the charge of the "General College of Commerce," of Stockholm, of which Erik Ox- enstjerna was president. Ile is- -god the necessary instructions and the ship "Ornen " (the " Ea- złe")John Boekhom, command- er, was assigned to take out emi- grants and supplies. Sven Schute was commanded to enlist fifty sol- diers for the reinforcement of the colony, and to proceed to Varm- land and Dal, and collect fami- les and single persons living in the forests, to the number of two hundred and fifty souls, "the majority to be good men, with some women." In accordance with Printz's request to quit the colony, Johan Klaesson Rising, the secretary of the college, was commissioned as his assistant on December 12, 1653, at an annu- al salary of one thousand two hundred daler silfver. The ninth 1 Swedish expedition left Stock- holm, on the 8th of October, on the ship " Ornen," but was de- layed at Gottenburg, taking on cargo, ete., until the 2d of Feb- ruary, 1654, when she sailed. The settlers were accompanied by Peter Lindstrom, a military engineer of some distinction, who had been appointed to serve in a professional capacity in the colony. Hle afterwards, in 1654 -56, made a very interesting map of " Nya Swerige," to accompa- ny Campanins' history. A fue- simile of it appears in the text, with the Indian or Swedish names for all the sites on South river. Associated with him were two preachers, Petrus Hjort and Matthias Nertunins, who had made an attempt to reach the colony in 1649, with the unfor- tunate expedition which sailed in the " Kattan." After great suf- fring and danger the emigrants

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

arrived in the Delaware Bay on the 18th of May, and two days afterwards arrived at Fort Elfsborg, which was now deserted and in ruins. On the 21st of May, being Trinity Sunday, the " Ornen" cast anchor off Fort Casimir, and dis- charged a Swedish salute.

Rising's instructions under date of December 15, 1653, and signed by Erik Oxenstjerna and Korster Bonde, show that the Swedes intended to re-establish power in the colony. He and the Governor were to administer justice, and promote trade and the profession,-fishing, husbandry, at- traeting members of neighboring nations, who might be able to give them aid. Especially were they required to seek "to rid the place of the Dutch, who had erected a fort there, exercising, however, all possible prudence," and above all, taking care that the English did not obtain a foot- hold. They were also to endeavor to enlarge the limits of the settlement, and try to get all trade on the river out of the hands of foreigners by build- ing, if need be, another fort at the mouth of the Delaware.

Immediately upon Rising's arrival off Fort Casimir, he sent Sven Schute, with twenty soldiers. to the shore, to demand the surrender of the garri- son, and not receiving an answer to his signal, fired at the fort from two of the heaviest guns on his ship. Taken by surprise Gerrit Bikker, the Dutch commander dispatched four men with a request for three days' respite, which was refused, and when the latter inquired the terms of the Swedes, they were told that they should be in- formed of these the following day at Fort Christina. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Gyllengren, under orders of Schute, pressing in with some men through a gate, overpowered the sentinels, disarmed the gar- rison, and triumphantly displayed the Swedish flag above the fort. The force which held it consisted of barely a dozen soldiers, although not less than twenty-two houses, inhabited by Dutch settlers, lay round about. After a body of Swedes. under the command of Schute, had entered Fort Trinity (named after Trinity Sunday, because it was eap- tured on that day), the Dutch soldiers received permission to stay or go, as they pleased. 1

I Lindstrom's Journal aml letter-, and Rising's Jornal. The Dutch gave a different narrative of the capture of Fort Casimir.

Gerrit Bikker, commandant of Fort t'asimh. in a letter to Governor Stuyvesant, of 5th June, 1654, communicates as follows: "On the last day of May, we perceived a suit: not knowing who she was, or where from, Adriarh Van Tirtho ven, accompanied by some free per-ons, Were spot towards her to investigate, who, of the next day, contrary to hoping and trusting, returned here in the roads atint two hours before the arrival of the ship, with the following news ; that it was a Swedish słup, full of people, with a new governor, and that they wanted to have possession of this place and the fort, as they said it was lying on the Swedish government's land. Alent an hour after reading this news, the Swoich government's captur, swencke, with ala ut 20 soldiers, came on shore with the ship's boat. We bade them wehome as frampt. julging, that in case they intended to attempt any thing, they wond at least give us notier ; Int contrary to this, he miete hi- people like- wise rome in, and then demanded, at the front of the sword, the sur- render of the river, as well as the fort. This t insertion was se hurted as hardly to afford delay enough for two commissioners to proceed oll

On the day following the capture of Fort (. mir the "Ornen " sailed up to Christina, where ; three hundred emigrants were landed-the large. body that had ever reached New Sweden at ot .. time.

. On the following day all the people at Christin

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FORT CASIMIR OR TRINITY FORT. [From Campanius' " New Sweden."]

assembled to take the oath of allegiance to Sweden and the West India Company, and Papegoja re- signed his office as Governor into the hands of Rising, notwithstanding the latter had not yet been duly appointed to that charge. Paperejs. and Schute continued to be the Governor's prin- eipal assistants in the direction of the colony. O1. the 3d of June a similar meeting was held at Printzhof on Tennakong, and the Dutch com- mandant at Fort Casimir and the majority of hi- garrison swore fealty to Sweden. Afterwards the Governor, in company with engineer Lindstrom. made a journey around the rest of the Swedi-l. settlement to become acquainted with the region : and finally he called the neighboring Indians to - gether with a view to make them his allies. The joint council was held at Tinnecum, (then calloi Printzhof) on June 17th, at which ten Indian.

board, to demand of the governor his commission and some little fie for consultation ; but before the commissioners had got on board, Il . were two cune fired over the fort charged with ball, as a signed, all which our people were immediately deprived of their str atis it hk-wise mite taken on them, ready to fire, beranse they dul nit il up their muskets, which were immediately snatched tom them. likewise then wete immediately stationed at the giers of welten the points Those who had been sent off returned, and bought information that there was no desire to give one hour delay, that commission was on board the vessel, and that we would unedie perceive the derqueners of it The soldiers were immediately a ont of the lost, and their souls taken in possession, as his w. property. and I cant E hondy, by entreatos, bring it so far to beat P' with my wife and children, were not likewise shut out almost naked 1 the attteles which were in the fort were confiscated by thein. vn corn, having bandly left us as much as to have well, bolig it -paritesi The governor pretende that her Majesty has license from the ste General of the Netherlands, that she may press the river it tionally."-HI bre., Vol VIIl, pages 8, 87, Hasard's Inn " pages 14-9.

NEW SWEDEN ON THE DELAWARE.

chief's were present. and Rising offered many presents, distributed wine and spirits, and spread a great feast of suppaun ; the old treaties were read, mutual vows of friendship exchanged, and the Indians became allies of the Swedes, whom they strongly counseled to settle at onee at Passavunk.

On July 3d Rising sent an open letter to all the Swedes who had gone off to Maryland and Vir- ginia, inviting them to return, when, if they would not remain at the settlement, they should receive permission and be provided with a pass to betake themselves wherever they wished. Fort Trinity was rebuilt from its foundations and armed with four fourteen-pounder cannon taken from the "Örnen." The land nearest to Christina was di- vided into building lots for a future town of Chris- tinahamn (Christinaport ), from whenee traffic was to be carried on with the Provinces of Virginia and Maryland, with which intent, also, Rising planned the widening of the Swedish territory to the west by means of a new settlement, no limit ever having been set to it in that direction. Finally a map of the river and Swedish posses- sions was prepared by Lindstrom, with an accurate description of the region. In an "ordinance con- cerning the people and the land," etc., dated July, 1654, he decreed the first anti-slavery act adopted in America: " Whoever bespeaks of the company any slave over fourteen years in service shall give, besides the passage money received, twenty four riksdaler, and the slave shall serve him six con- secutive years, obtaining his food, shoes, and so forth every year ; after six years a slave shall be former situation, but to drive the Swedes from absolutely free."

Rising selected for himself a piece of land south of Trinity Fort, a quarter of a mile in length, and in a letter to Chancellor E. Oxenstjerna dated June 11, 1654, he solicits " His Excelleney to find him a good wife and send her over." He assigned Petrus Hjort, one of the ministers who came out on the "Ornen," to a home in Fort Trinity, while his companion, Matthias Nertunius, dwelt at Upland.

The Dutch and Swedish population on the Delaware at this time, according to a census taken by Rising, was three hundred and sixty-eight persons. This is probably exclusive of many Swedes who had gone into the interior and crossed the ridge towards Maryland. But little agricul- ture was attended to besides tobacco planting, and the chief industry was the trade in peltries, which was very profitable. In this trade the Indians had acquired as great skill as in trapping the beaver and drying his pelt. The price of a beaver- skin was two fathoms of "seawant," and each fathom was taken to be three ells long. An ell was measured (as the yard still is in country places), from one corner of the month to the thumb of the opposite arm extended. The Indians, tall and long-limbed, always sent their longest

armed people to dispose of beaver-skins, and the Dutch complained at Fort Nassau that the savages outmeasured them continually.

The " Ornen " returned to Sweden in July, 1654, with a cargo of Virginia and Maryland tobacco, and carrying as passengers some of the okler colonists including Johan Papegoja. Arriving at home the government was engaged in fitting out at Gottenburg the " Gyllene Hajen " (the " Golden Shark "), for another expedition to the Delaware. On the 12th of September the " Gyllene Hajen " ar- rived off the American coast, and "through rash- ness, or perhaps malice, of the mate." entered a bay believed to be the Delaware, but in fact the North River, or Hudson, the blunder not being discovered until she had reached Manhattan.

It was not to be expected that a man of Stuyve- sant's heady temperament would permit an out- rage, such as the capture of Fort Casimir, to go unrevenged, even if the directors of the West India Company had passed it by. But they were quite as eager as Stuyvesant himself, for prompt and decisive action on the Delaware. The time was auspicious for them. Axel Oxenstierna, the great Swedish chancellor, was just dead, Queen Christina had abdicated the throne in favor of her cousin Charles Gustavus, and England and Hol- land had just signed a treaty of peace. The directors insisted upon the Swedes being effectually punished, and ordered Stuyvesant, not only to exert every nerve to revenge the injury, not only to recover the fort and restore atlairs to their every side of the river, and allow no settlers ex- cept under the Dutch flag. He was promised liberal aid from home, and was ordered to press any vessel into his service that might be in the New Netherlands. Stuyvesant meanwhile was not idle on his own side. He seized and made prize of the " Gyllene Hajen " at Manhattan, and placed her captain under arrest, as soon as he heard the news from Fort Casimir. Ile received five armed vessels from Amsterdam, and ordered a general fasting and praver, and then hastened to set his armaments in order. On the 30th of August, Stuyvesant's forces, consisting of seven ships and six hundred men, entered Delaware Bay and cast anchor before the former Elfsborg. On the following day the Dutch fleet was off the late Fort Casimir, now Fort Trinity. The fort was summoned to surrender. The garrison, under Captain Sven Schute, which numbered only forty- seven mien, and their commander, surrendered them on honorable terms before a gun was fired. Stuyves-ant marched on the following day to Fort Christina, where Risingh was in command, and in- vested it on every side. Risingh pretended great surprise, resorted to every little diplomatie con- trivance he could think of, and then on the 14th

HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

of September, surrendered also, before the Dutch batteries opened. In truth his fort wa- a weak and defenseless one, and he had scarcely two rounds of ammunition.

In accordance with the terms1 agreed to, the little Swedish garrison marched out, " colors flying." The Dutch went up the river to Tinnecam, where they laid waste all the houses and plantations, killed the cattle and plundered the inhabitants.

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PLAN OF THE TOWN AND FORT CHRISTINA, BESIEGED BY THE DUTCH IN 105.

[Front Campanius' " New Sweden."]

A, Fort Christina. B. Christina Creek. C. Town of Christina II.mini. D, Tennekong Land. K, Frh Kill. F. Slangenborg. G. Myggenborg. II, Hottuborg. I, Flingeborg K, Timleer Island. L, kitchen. M, Position of the besiegers. N. Harbor. O, Mine. P, Swamp.

A great many Swedes came in and took the oath? of allegiance to the Dutch.

All such were suffered to remain undisturbed in their possessions. A few who refused to take the oath were transported to Manhattan, while others

I See Hazard's Annals, pages 183, 185, 187, 189, * Al-o, Pennsylvania Magazine, Vol. VILL., pige 12.

""Oath .- I, undersigned, promise and swear, in presence of the onne scient and almighty God, that I will be true and faithful to their huch and mighty louds and patrons of this New Netherland province, with the director-general ; and comme il already appointed, or who may be appointed in future, and will remain faithful, withunit any at & thostility, seditinti, or intention, either by wund or dent, against their high enereighty, but that I will conduct myself as an ole thent and faithful sulgect, as long as I continne to resile on this South Hiver in New Netherland. So belp me God Almighty.

Signed,

"JAN HOFEt.1. "CLAES PETFRSHN. HARMEN JAN .. JOHAN ANTES. HA UNSTANTINUS GRUMBERGH. OLOFF TRAN-EN. "ABRAHAM JANSEN. " BARENE JANSFN. SIMON HADDES. JAN E. HOST. MARTIN MARTENS. " SAMUEL PETERSE. THOMAS BRIIN. WILLIAM MORRIS. "CIAFS TOMASSEN. " MOYENS ANDRIESSEN.

I MMEFET MEINELMIN.

INPRESS JANSEN.

JAN JANSEN MATHEYS EIKISSE.

3 Acrelins says, " The Swedes safe tod great hardships from the Dutch. The flower of their groups were packed ont and sent to New Amsterdam ; thengh under pretext of their lee chone, the wirh wrte forcibly carried alward the ships. The women were ill treated in their houses, the gods pillaged, and the cattle willed. Those who refused allegiance were

crossed into Maryland, and permanently sett! in Cell and Koat Counties, where their fans names are still preserved; but the Dutch yoke 1 doubtedly sat very lightly upon Swedish shouble.

This was the end of the Swedish rule on t' Delaware. Stuyvesant obeying instructions ti the West India Company, made a formal tender redelivery of Fort Christina to Risingh, but th ... hero was in the sulks, refused to receive it, at. went home in November, by way of New Amster. dam, swearing at the Dutch " in frantic mood."

While these events were transpiring the auther ties in Sweden succeeded in fitting out the tenti. and last expedition to New Sweden. The M ... curius sailed on the 16th of October, 1655, bearin: the last hope of safety for the enterprise on the Delaware, which had already come to an ignomin ous end. She arrived in the Delaware, Marel. 24, 1656. the emigrants first learning the change. that had occurred when they were prevented from landing, by the Dutch Vice-Governor Paul Jacquet, until the receipt of further orders from Manhattan. Stuyvesant sent instructions forbidl. ding them to land, and directed that they should be sent to Manhattan, to lay in provisions, etc., for their voyage home. The emigrants refusing to return to Sweden, they took the vessel past Fort Casimir, and up the river to Mantaes Huek, where they landed. The Mercurius returned to Gutten- berg, arriving there in September of the same year.

Upon the conquest of New Sweden, Stuyvesant appointed Captain Derrick Schmidt as commis-ary. who was quickly succeeded as we have seen, by John Paul Jacquet, in the capacity of " Vice- Director of the South River," with a Couneil con- sisting of Andreas Hudde, vice-director, Elmer- huysen Klein, and two sergeants. Fort Christin.t became Altona, Fort Casimir resumed its old name, and a new settlement grew up around it which was named New Amstel, the first actual town upon the river.

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History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 14

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards Number of Pages: 776

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards
Number of Pages: 776