USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware > Part 21
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" PETER STUYVESANT, " JOHN RYSINGH."1
In a postscript of the 24th, Stuyvesant says he sends the Capitulation directors the "capitulations concluded with Fortress Christina, of Fort Christina to be signed to-morrow," referring to the messenger for par- noticed. ticulars ; hopes soon to be with them ; recommends his affec- tionate wife, children and subjects to God, and anticipates a " splendid" meeting, &c.2
We have the Swedish account of the whole affair at both Swedish ac- forts, in the following report of Governor Rysingh himself, in which he censures the valiant Swen Schute for so readily delivering up Fort Trinity. The Dutch account of the latter affair we do not find. There is a difference of dates between the two accounts respecting Fort Casimir, otherwise, as far 1 Albany Records, vol. xiii. pp. 355-359. 2 Ibid. p. 351.
agreement to land J. Ry- singh and Elswyck in England or France, and advance him money, Ry- singh pro- mising to pay in Am- sterdam, leaving his
count of the capture of Forts Chris- tina and Casimir.
0
190
JOHN RYSINGH, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1655.
as they relate to the same matters, they agree tolerably well.
" Report concerning the hostile and treacherous invasion of the Swedish colony in New Sweden, by the Dutch, under the command of P. Stuyvesant, governor of the New Nether- lands, wherefore the faithful subjects of his royal majesty of Sweden, who have endured such violence, do most humbly betake themselves to his royal majesty's most gracious shelter and protection, to the intent that they may be sustained and indemnified for the wrongs and injuries which they have suffered.
" In the year 1655, on the 30th day of August, the Dutch from the North River, where Manhattan or New Amsterdam is situated, with seven ships or vessels, under command of the said P. Stuyvesant, having on board 600 or 700 men, arrived in the South River, where New Sweden lieth, and anchored before the fortress of Elsingborg, which was then dismantled and ruinous ; the next day they passed Fort Casimir, and bringing to a little above, they landed, and immediately sum- moned Swen Schute, who was in command, to surrender the fort, enforcing their summons both with menaces and per- suasion, and proceeded to throw up some works. Some time before this, having learned from the savages that the Dutch were about to assail us, we had caused Fort Casimir to be supplied with men and munitions to the best of our ability, , and had drawn up a resolution in writing to defend the fort in case the Dutch should attack it, ordering Captain Schute, the commandant, to send on board their ships, when they approached, and demand of them whether they came as friends, and in any case to warn them not to run by the fort, upon pain of being fired upon, (which in such case they could ! not reckon an act of hostility.) But if they were minded to treat with us as friends, concerning our territory and boun- daries, he should compliment them with a Swedish national salute, and assure them that we were well disposed to a fast friendship. Nevertheless, Captain Swen Schute not only suffered the Dutch ships to pass the fort without remonstrance or firing a gun, whereby they gained the command both of the fort and of the whole river, and cut off the communica- tion between the forts, by posting troops between them, as high up as Christina Creek, but surrendered the fort to Stuy- vesant by a dishonourable capitulation, in which he forgot to
Governor Rysingh's official re- port.
191
Rysingh's official re- port, con- tinued.
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
stipulate a place to which he, with his people and effects, 1655. might retire ; he also subscribed the capitulation, not in the - fort or in any indifferent place, but on board a Dutch ship. So Stuyvesant detained the garrison, and transported most Governor of them to Manhattans, whereby we were greatly reduced in strength and endangered, and not even knowing as yet that Fort Casimir had so suddenly fallen into the enemy's hands, we had sent thither, in the mean time, nine or ten of our best men to strengthen the garrison. This detachment, when they had crossed Christina Creek, betimes in the morning, found the Dutch posted there, who immediately attacked them, fifty or sixty men strong, and summoned them to surrender, but they put themselves in posture of defence, and after a skir- mish with the Dutch, were all taken prisoners, except two, who retreated to the boat, and were several times fired upon by the enemy, but without being slain or wounded. Upon this we fired upon the Dutch from the sconce, with a great gun, whereupon they retired into the woods, and afterwards treated harshly and cruelly such of our people as fell into their hands.
" The same day, the factor Elswyck was sent down from Fort Christina to Stuyvesant, to demand an explanation of his conduct, and to dissuade him from further hostilities, as we could not be persuaded that he seriously purposed to dis- turb us in the lawful dominions of his royal majesty and our principals. But as Stuyvesant had so cheaply obtained pos- session of Fort Casimir, whither we had sent our best soldiers, thus depriving ourselves in a great measure both of men and munitions, he would give Elswyck no satisfaction, but claimed the whole river and all our territory, and had well-nigh de- tained Elswyck as a spy. When we learned this, we collected all the people we could for the defence of Fort Christina, and laboured with all our might, by night and by day, in strength- ening the ramparts, and filling gabions. The next day, being September 2, the Dutch showed themselves in considerable strength on the opposite bank of Christina Creek, but at- tempted no hostile operations. On the morning of the 3d, they hoisted their flag on our shallop, which lay drawn up on the beach, and appeared to be about establishing themselves in a neighbouring house. We therefore sent over Lieutenant Sven Hook, with a drummer, to demand what they purposed, for what cause they posted themselves there, and for what we
192
JOHN RYSINGH, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1655. should hold them. When he had nearly crossed the creek, he asked them from the boat, whether he might freely go to them ? They answered yes ; and whether, after discharging his commission, he might freely return ? to which also they answered, yes, as we could all plainly hear in Fort Christina, and can bear witness accordingly. So the drummer rowed the boat to the shore, without beat of drum, because the lieutenant already had their parol, and knowing no cause of hostility, he supposed this ceremony to be unnecessary. They then both went on shore, and an officer met them, and con- ducted them some distance to a house, where the enemy had already taken up a position. The Dutch then sent our lieu- tenant down to Stuyvesant, pretending that he was a spy, and Stuyvesant arrested him and threw him into the ship's hold, but Captain Fridr. Könish detained the drummer and his drum in his own custody, and thus they treated our mes- sengers, contrary to the laws and customs of all civilized nations.
" By the 4th, they had planted gabions about the house on the opposite bank of Christina Creek, and afterwards threw up a battery under cover of them, and intrenched themselves there. Some of our people interpreted all this as indicating the purpose of the Dutch to be to claim and hold all our territory up to the creek, and to construct a fort there, not yet believing that they would, in contempt of public peace, and without any known cause, commence hostilities against us, until they had set up some claim, or promulgated some protest against us, whereas, up to this time we had received from them neither message nor letter assigning any manner of cause or complaint.
" On the 5th, the Dutch ships went up to Third Hook, (tridie Hoeck,) where they landed their men, who then passed over to Timber Island, and thence over the great falls, (stoore fallet,) and so invested Fort Christina on all sides. They brought their ships into the mouth of the creek, and planted their great guns on the western side of the fort, and when we burnt a little powder in a couple of pieces to scale them, they fired several shots over our heads from Timber Island, where they had taken post in a house, and announced to us that they had taken up a position on the west side, by regular volleys. We continued to prepare ourselves to make the best defence which our strength would allow, if we should be
1
Governor Rysingh's official re- port, con- tinued.
193
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
attacked, for we were not yet satisfied what the Dutch in- 1655. tended ; but in a short time an Indian came in to us with a letter from Stuyvesant, in which he arrogantly claimed the whole river, and required me and all the Swedes either to Governor evacuate the country, or to remain there under Dutch pro- Rysingh's official re- port, con- tinued. tection, threatening with the consequences in case of refusal. Hereto I answered briefly, by letter, that I would reply to this extraordinary demand by special messengers, and sent him my answer by the same Indian. We then held a general council of war, as to what should be done, if the Dutch assaulted us by storm or battery, and it was determined that we should, in any case, maintain the defensive, and make the best resistance we could, but should not commence or provoke hostilities, on account of our weakness and want of supplies; that we should wait until they fired upon us, or began to storm the works, and then defend ourselves as long as we could, and leave the consequences to be redressed by our gra- cious superiors.
" The Dutch now began to encroach upon us more and more every day. They killed our cattle, goats, swine, and poultry, broke open houses, pillaged the people without the sconce of their property, and higher up the river they plun- dered many, and stripped them to the skin. At New Gotten- burg they robbed Mr. Pappegoya's wife of all she had, with many others, who had collected their property together there. They continued to advance their approaches to Fort Chris- tina, (which was a small and feeble work, and lay upon low ground, and could be commanded from the surrounding heights,) and threw up two batteries besides those on the op- posite bank and on Timber Island, and hoisted their flags on all of them, as well as on our ship in Fish Creek, all which hostile acts, injuries, and insults we were, to our great morti- fication, compelled to witness and suffer, being unable to resist them, by reason of our want of men and of powder, whereof our supply scarcely sufficed for a single round for our guns. Notwithstanding all this, we still trusted that they would at length be persuaded to hear reason, and accordingly, on the 7th, we sent messengers down to Stuyvesant at Fort Casimir, with a written commission, whereby we sought to dissuade him from further hostilities, protesting against his invasion and disturbance of our proper territory without cause as- signed, or declaration denying, as far as they could, our right
25
R
1
194
JOHN RYSINGH, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1655. of possession in the river; also suggesting to him the jea- lousies between our respective sovereigns, and other conse- quences of great moment which would ensue; that we were determined to defend our rights to the utmost of our strength, and that he must answer for all consequences, and finally required him to cease hostilities, and to retire with his people from Fort Christina. But all this availed nothing with him, and on the contrary he persisted in his claim to the whole river, and would listen to no terms of accommodation, de- claring that such were his orders, and that those who had given them might answer for the consequences. He then wrote me a letter on the 9th, in which he anticipates all terms of accommodation, will not allow that we have any rights to the said river, seeks to refute our arguments, and styles our possession a usurpation, and so interprets every point to his own advantage.
" As we still determined to maintain our own defence, and abide the result, the enemy continued to carry on their ap- proaches day and night, and with our little force of about thirty men, we could make no sorties, or prevent him from gaining positions from which he could command the sconce so completely that there was not a spot on the ramparts where a man could stand in security, and as he now daily advanced his works, and summoned us to capitulate, with threats of giving no quarter, our men proposed to us to go out and try to bring Stuyvesant to reason, both on account of our want of supplies, and the advanced condition of the enemy's works, and especially because our provisions were scanty, and would soon be exhausted. Besides, our few and hastily collected people were getting worn out, partly sick, and partly ill disposed, and some had deserted. From these considerations, and the fear of a mutiny, it was agreed, that I and Elswyck should go out the next day and hold a parley with Stuyvesant, and endeavour to restrain him from forcible measures, and to bring him to reason. We accordingly went out for this purpose on the 13th, and Stuyvesant and Nicatius de Sille met us between the sconce and their most advanced work. We solemnly protested against his procedure and his hostile conduct, and replied verbally to his last-mentioned letter, confirmed our title with the best arguments we could, and held a long discussion with them ; but all this produced no impression upon them, and they maintained their first
Governor Rysingh's official re- port, con- tinued.
195
1655.
Rysingh's official re- tinued.
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
ground, and insisted upon the surrender of Fort Christina and the whole river, to which we replied that we would de- fend ourselves, and resist them to the last, clearly showing them that they were unjustly invading our possessions, and Governor declaring that we would appeal to our government to redress our wrongs, and protect our rights thus forcibly trenched port, con- upon, and so we went back to the sconce, exhorted our men to a manly defence, and encouraged them as well as we were able.
" As soon as the Dutch had nearly completed their works, they brought the guns of all their batteries to bear upon us, and on the 14th instant formally summoned Fort Christina, with harsh menaces, by a drummer and a messenger, to capi- tulate within twenty-four hours. We then assembled a general council of the whole garrison, and it was found to be their unanimous opinion, that inasmuch as we had not sufficient strength for our defence, (the Dutch having completed their works against the sconce, and neither the sconce nor the gar- rison being able to stand an assault,) and were in want both of powder and other munitions, and had no hope of relief, therefore they were all of opinion, that we should make the best terms we could obtain with the Dutch; all which may be seen by the documents. So the next day we announced to the enemy, that we would consider their summons within the time prescribed, and being now reduced, by our want of supplies and weak condition, to yield to the violence practised upon us, we concluded a capitulation with Stuyvesant, as may be found by the original among the documents, and surren- dered Fort Christina to him on the 15th instant, stipulating that the guns and all the effects belonging to the crown or the company, should be restored by the Dutch, according to the inventory, upon demand, and reserving the restitution of our sovereign's rights, in time and manner fitting ; providing also, that the Dutch should freely transport to Sweden, both us, and as many Swedes as chose to accompany us, for we held it better that the people should be restored to their father- land's service, than to leave them there in misery, without the necessaries of life, in which case they would have entered the service of the Dutch or English, and never again advan- taged their country."1
After the success attending the capture of the two forts, it is said, by Campanius, " the Dutch proceeded to destroy New
1 N. Y. Hist. Soc. Coll. N. S. vol. i. p. 443-448.
196
JOHN. RYSINGH, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1655. Gottenburg, laying waste all the houses and plantations with- out the fort, killing the cattle and plundering the inhabitants of every thing they could lay their hands upon."1 No other document has fallen into our hands to confirm this statement ; although the Swedish power on the river being subdued, this fort of consequence came into possession of the Dutch.
Gottenberg falls into the hands of the Dutch.
Acrelius says, " the Swedes suffered great hardships from Swedes hard- the Dutch. The flower of their troops were picked out and ly used by the Dutch. sent to New Amsterdam ; though under pretext of their free choice, the men were forcibly carried aboard the ships. The women were ill treated in their houses, the goods pillaged, and the cattle killed. Those who refused allegiance were watched as suspicious. That this ill usage took place, appears from the testimony given by Rysingh to those who had suf- fered, several of which were preserved in the original. The Dutch have in vain endeavoured to defend their aggressions by allegations that the Swedish establishment, was by a pri- vate company, because the whole was undertaken under the authority and protection of the government."2
One of these certificates given by Rysingh, is copied on the records of the Swedes' Church in this city; it is "a passport given by Rysingh to Nicholas Mattson. "I do by these presents certify, that the bearer has, during my whole time, behaved as an honest faithful servant of the crown. He was brought on board the enemy's vessel, and endured, for three weeks, with the other prisoners, contumelious in- sults. In the same time his house was plundered, and his wife stripped of her very garments."3
Indians attack the fort.
Lambrechten says, "it is a fact, that in the fall of this year, Fort Casimir was assaulted by more than 500 Indians, instigated, as it is presumed, by the Swedes."4
Tender of Fort Chris- tina to Gov. Rysingh.
Agreeably to the instructions given to the director-general, a tender of Fort Christina was made to Rysingh, as is related in a Dutch document already referred to, which says, " al- though the above-mentioned acts (alluding to the surrender) might have been supported and justified according to the laws of nations, and to several views, nevertheless did the company, to show and declare to the world that they did not wish nor seek any hostilities with anybody, but only maintain
1 Campanius, p. 84. Holl. Doc. vol. viii. p. 32-60. 2 Acrel. p. 417.
3 Records of Wiccacoa Church.
4 Lambrechton, p. 109. He gives as authority, Holl. Merc. 1658, p. 43.
197
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
and defend their own rights, they made, on the same day (of the surrender,) a written offer to put Fort Christina again into the hands of the said John Rysingh, on honourable and reasonable terms, to be sworn to and faithfully kept on the part of him and his officers, as authorized by her royal majesty of Sweden, on one side, and on the part of the di- rector-general and his council on the other, as authorized by the company ; but the offer was declined by Rysingh, under pre- tence that this affair was not complete, and he would rather hold himself to the capitulation made."
Rysingh, the late governor, arrived at Manhattans in a Rysingh ar- " frantic mood," charging Governor Stuyvesant with a breach rives at Manhattan. His conduct there. of some of the articles of the treaty, loss of public property, and not suitably providing for his accommodation, all which are replied to in the following communication to Rysingh from Stuyvesant :
" Petrus Stuyvesant, in behalf of the New Netherland, &c., October 28. does insinuate to you, John Rysingh, as he is pleased to qualify himself, formerly director of his royal majesty of Sweden and the company of the South in New Sweden :
"1. That your honour placed, besides the houses in the Letter from Fortress Christina, some effects and materials which have not been delivered to us, but may be left in Fortress Christina, whereof we now inform you, protesting that we do not con- sider ourselves holden to the restitution of any other effects ferring to or materials than those we received, and for which you have our receipt ; whereas, besides that we, (in regard of the old confederation and union between their High Mightinesses and crown of Sweden,) did offer you the Fortress Christina, with- out doing it any hurt, or forcing it by our artillery, and with same intention made you an offer of the keys before your departure, yet you left it unprotected and abandoned it, and therefore all losses and damages suffered by the interested are to be answered by you. We shall, however, as far as it yet remains in our power, endeavour to protect it, by our delegates and soldiers on South River, till the crown of Swe- den and their High Mightinesses shall have compromised this business, and informed us both of the result.
"2. We insinuate that when you, last Sunday, stepped here on shore in a frantic mood, you injured us in our quality, by uncouth language, and many threats that you would per- secute us in every corner, would accuse us of an infraction
1655.
Stuyvesant to Rysingh, complaining of his con- duct, and re- his offers to restore Fort Christina.
R 2
198
JOHN RYSINGH, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1655. 1
Letter con- tinued. Rysingh having left the ship, Stuyvesant is absolved from paying bis expenses.
of a solemn capitulation, because we declined to accommodate you, with your suite, to your satisfaction, and did not offer to defray your expenses, whereas, you cannot prove, by the let- ter of the capitulation, that we were holden in any manner to defray your expenses, or those of your suite, but only a free passage to some parts of Europe, for which end you were embarked, with your dependants, in a capital ship, "the Balance," and provided by the captain with an honourable entertainment, till the merchantmen ready to sail could admit you, with your accoutrements and baggage ; so that when you left the ship voluntarily, with your people, we deem not our- selves further obliged by the capitulation to defray any of your further expenses, except only in the way of courtesy, and from respect to your high station, on which last account only, we presented you more than once, and offered by re- spectable individuals, to accommodate and entertain you in my own house, with which, nevertheless, you seemed not satisfied. We succeeded in persuading you, by others, to re- side in one of the principal houses in this city, when, how- ever, indulging yourself in unmannerly threats that you would return to destroy the place, with other indecent lan- guage and actions, you scared so much the honest inhabitants of the house, that for peace' sake they left their own lodgings for a while, by which conduct, and your usual threatenings, before and after that day, in such an unmannerly way against ourselves, this province and city particularly, just reasons were given us, after we produced many proofs from respect- able and reputable persons, to compel you to defend yourself and conduct, but so far is it, that we made use of our right, that we set it entirely aside, by our respect for the crown, and the high relation in which you stand to it. While we only went so far as, by our own station, we were in duty bound to do, because the rumour of your threatenings had struck the ears of the skippers and passengers with whom, agreeably to the capitulation, you were to embark, so that their fears were raised, and they were not without apprehen- sions if prudence would permit them to take you, with your suite, and such a large number of your dependents, in their ships, except they obtained previously a good security for their ships and cargoes. They are at least unwilling, appre- hending some mischief, to land you in England or France, in conformity to the secret capitulation, concluded without
199
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
knowledge of your people, except they met, as by accident, in the Channel, or near the heads, some French or English vessel, of which we deemed it necessary to give you a timely information, by our secretary and witnesses, so that you may have no reason to blame us, but your unmeasured threaten- enings, if our orders concerning our secret capitulation were not executed. Done in Fort Amsterdam, day as above.
" PETER STUYVESANT."
Then follows a certificate of the secretary, Van Ruyven, " that he read the above, word for word, to Rysingh, residing at the house of Lieutenant Daniel Litschoe, in the city, de- livered his protest, and left him a copy of it, to which he answered, ' It is well, I shall answer it,' in presence of Johan de Decker, commissary of Fort Orange, and Dirck Van Scheldyne, 28th October."1
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