Vol. 26, No. 3 “De Nieu Nederlanse Marcurius” Sept. 2010

Events of interest Campaign of 1672–1674” September 11, 2010.Peter Rose 12:00 Lunch (box lunches available will speak on “Art in Food and September 25, 2010. “The prepay) Food in Art,” a lusciously illus- Company Strikes Back,” will be 1:45 Hendricks Award Presentation trated slide-talk on food and drink rd the NNI’s 33 New Netherland 2:15 Afternoon Session seen in the 17th-century Dutch Seminar (né the Rensselaers- David Voorhees, “A Provisional Masters and their relevance to the wijck Seminar). It will focus on Government: The Dutch Adminis- American kitchen today, at 5:30 at the restoration of New Nether- tration of Governor Anthony Colve” the annual (fundraising) dinner of land, 1673–1674. It is well known Daniel Richter, “New Netherland’s the Rhinebeck Historical Society; that Stuyvesant surrendered the Restoration in the English Imperial Rhinecliff Hotel, Rhinecliff, NY. Dutch colony to the English in Context of the Stuarts’ Restoration” Ms. Rose will offer the same talk on th 1664. What isn’t as well known is Len Tantillo, “The Appearance of September 25 at 11am at the that during the third Anglo-Dutch Change: New York’s Melting Pot Association of Blauvelt Descen- war a combined Zeeland and 1660–1720.” dants; Henry A.Wallace at the FDR Amsterdam squadron recovered The entire program will take place in Mus. & Lib., Rhinebeck, NY. most of what had been lost nine the Carole Huxley Theater, West *** years earlier. Following is the Hall, New York State Museum on program which will offer Madison Avenue in Albany, NY. October 15–16, 2010. “Faces of perspective to this mostly Check our website for additional Schenectady Seminar.” Because of neglected period in New Nether- information. the interest generated by “Faces of land’s history: Schenectady: 1715–1750” as well *** as brand-new research, support 8:30 Registration and coffee from the First Reformed Church of 9:15 Welcome and remarks September 11, 2010. Firth Fabend will speak on “Plowmen, Politics, and Schenectady, and generous grants 9:30 Morning Session Pietism: Dutch Settlers in the Hudson from the New York Council for the Joyce Goodfriend, “Looking Valley” at the Fishkill Historical Humanities, and Schenectady Backward, Looking Forward: The Society at 2 p.m. For more County, the Schenectady County Dutch Restoration of 1673/74 and information, go to: www.bit.ly/clagik. Historical Society is offering a two the Narratives of 17th-Century Dr. Fabend will offer the same talk on day seminar this October. New York History” September 29th at 1:00 pm at the Participants will be able to Dennis Maika, “‘We shall bloom Emanuel United Church of Christ in experience, first hand, new research and grow like the Cedar on Woodhaven, NY. For more informa- related to eighteenth-century art, Lebanon’: Dutch Merchants in tion go to: www.bit.ly/cf49Zh. politics, and culture in Schenectady English New York, 1664–1673” County. Along with one-of-a-kind *** Donald G. Shomette, “Raid on lectures, SCHS is also offering a America, the Dutch Naval one-on-one gallery talk with

New Netherland Institute, Box 2536, Empire State Plaza Station, Albany, NY 12220 Voice: 518–486–4815 | Fax: 518–473–0472 [email protected] | www.newnetherlandinstitute.org De Nieu Nederlanse Marcurius 2 co-curator Ona Curran and a 17th- NNI News you can access the chronology in century Dutch Luncheon made vol. 4 and the index in vol. 6 via the possible by the Glen Sanders A reminder that applications for the following site: www.bit.ly/a4Tf96 Mansion. Take this opportunity to Senior and Student Scholar grants delve into the history of are due 9/15 and 10/1 respectively. Totidem Verbis Schenectady County. For more Go to: www.nnp.org for further information or to register: information. Because Cornelis Evertsen is central to this 518-374-0263 or www.schist.org or *** year’s Seminar, our contributing editor, [email protected]. Peter Douglas, offers this profile of him. Len Tantillo on the Evertsen “The Voyage of Pieter de Lint, 1598– *** portrait on p. 3: “When it was 1603” will be concluded in the next issue. November 19, 2010. The 29th Peter determined that the NNI Seminar Stuyvesant Ball, held for the benefit would focus on the exploits of Cornelis Evertsen the Youngest, of the Netherland–America Admiral Cornelis Evertsen and his 1642-1706: The Man Who Took Foundation, Inc., will take place at raid on New York in 1673, I Back New Netherland Pier Sixty on the Hudson. For thought it would be an interesting Anyone searching for information additional information contact Age challenge to try to recreate his face about Cornelis Evertsen must be B. Diedrick at 212–355–6363 or in a contemporary drawing style as careful; there are three seventeenth [email protected]. For more on opposed to using the traditional and century Dutch admirals with this the Ball visit: www.thenaf.org. somewhat unrealistic engraving of name, and they are all related. Our Evertsen that was made in his time. interest lies in Cornelis Evertsen the Publications Taking the basic facial features that Youngest (1642–1706). He was the were suggested in the engraving I second son of Admiral Cornelis Records of The Reformed Protes- set about building a digital model of Evertsen the Elder (1610–66), tant Dutch Church of Flatbush, his head and hair style. Once I was nephew of Admiral Johan Evertsen Kings County, New York. Volume 2 satisfied with the results I made a (1600–66), and cousin of the Midwood Deacons’ Accounts few studies and then the final pencil latter’s son, Admiral Cornelis 1654-1709, translated and edited by drawing which is now being used to Evertsen the Younger (1628–79), David William Voorhees. This promote the NNI Seminar. The with whom he is often confused. second volume in the Flatbush lighting and angle of the pose were Cornelis was thus a member of a Church Records series consists of intentionally designed to give him distinguished dynasty of naval deacons’ accounts of the Flatbush the stature of the heroic naval heroes, though evidently one with (called by the Dutch Midwout, or commander he seems to have little imagination when it came to Midwood), Long Island, Dutch been.” naming babies. His nickname was Reformed congregation for the Keesje de Duivel, or “Kees the years 1654–1709. The volume is Website(s) Devil,” both for his bravery and for available for $60.00. Send check or being ever in the thick of a fight, as money order payable to: The For the New Netherland researcher well as for his hot-tempered and Holland Society of New York 20 one of the first places to look for cantankerous nature. West 44th Street New York, NY information, whether it be the text Like a surprising number of 10036. Tel: 212–758–1675; fax: of New Amsterdam’s 1653 charter Dutch admirals, including De 212–758–2232; hollsoc@ aol.com; as a municipality or a curiosity Ruyter, Cornelis was born in www.hollandsociety.org; The about what was happening in the Vlissingen, and had already had Society is a tax-exempt, nonprofit colony on your birthday in 1639, experience on his father’s ship by organization; no sales tax is Stokes’ Iconography is probably age ten. When the Second required. the first source you reach for. Now Anglo-Dutch War broke out in De Nieu Nederlanse Marcurius 3

1665 he became a privateer, and it capture and plunder England’s powerful English fleet again, wasn’t long before an encounter homeward-bound East India fleet Cornelis turned to Plan B. His ships with three enemy ships led to his while victualling at St Helena in the reached South America by March capture. Because of his famous South Atlantic. Success would 1673, after which he set course for father and uncle he received special mean the financial salvation of the Caribbean. After failing to find treatment and came to the attention Zeeland. If the mission were to prizes in Barbados, he made for of King Charles’ brother James, founder, the fleet was to proceed to Martinique. Duke of York, then Lord High the Cayenne and the Caribbean to Here by chance he encountered Admiral. Samuel Pepys’ diary prey on the enemy’s ships and the Amsterdam squadron under records what happened when James destroy and pillage its colonial Jacob Benckes (1637–77), sent out met Cornelis on April 17: “And outposts. No one could know that in December to prey on the enemy’s Everson, when he was brought this voyage would write Cornelis’ colonies and trade in the West before the Duke of Yorke, and was name in the history books. Indies. The two squadrons joined to observed to be shot through the hat, The Zeeland Squadron, create a formidable naval force, and answered, that he wished it had consisting of six ships, with sailed northwards during the gone through his head, rather than summer months, running up a list of been taken.” Luckily for his spectacular successes. They country, the ball had only gone captured or destroyed as many as through his hat. 200 ships, attacked and burned the Following his release and return Virginia tobacco fleet in the to the Netherlands, Cornelis went Chesapeake, and amassed much on to serve with distinction and booty. participated in numerous sea The combined fleet arrived at battles. That June he was part of the the English colony of New York in decisive English victory at Lowes- July 1673. The English had taken toft, and he fought in the Four Days over New Netherland in 1664, and Battle in 1666, where he was flag the sight of the impressive armada captain of his father’s ship. Cornelis with Dutch flags fluttering awoke also took part in the St James Day the smoldering loyalty of many of Battle in 1666, and the following Cornelis Evertsen de Jongste the inhabitants. While the fleet was June he had a role in the raid on the lying at anchor off Sandy Hook a Medway. In 1672 Cornelis was in contingent of disgruntled Dutchmen This sketch of Keesje de Duivel was command of one of the men-of-war went aboard. They grumbled about developed by Len Tantillo from existing that repelled the English attack on life under the English, and provided portraits of the Admiral. See NNI news. the Smyrna fleet, a convoy of valuable intelligence about the Dutch armed merchant ships and shabby state of the city’s defenses their escorts, returning from the Cornelis commanding the and the poorly garrisoned Fort Levant. The following May he Zwanenburg, left the Netherlands in James. They also indicated that commanded the Zwanenburg late 1672. An encounter with a Governor Lovelace was absent from against the English-French fleet at superior English fleet at the Cape the city. All this kindled the interest the Battle of Solebay. Verde Islands forced him to abort of Cornelis and Benckes, and gave With the war against England the raid after learning that, by an them a crazy idea: what if they were still ongoing, the authorities of uncanny coincidence, the enemy to actually retake New Netherland? Zeeland gave this battle-hardened fleet was also bound for St. Helena The decision made, Cornelis 30-year-old veteran command of a to intercept the Dutch VOC fleet. sent a letter to the citizens of New daring and ambitious expedition to Not wishing to run into the more York, advising them of his De Nieu Nederlanse Marcurius 4 intentions and requesting support For all the efforts of Cornelis Nevertheless, Cornelis had a for such an action, or at least their and Benckes, the new Dutch rule at famous name and supporters who neutrality. He then demanded that New Orange was short-lived, and in were not armchair admirals and the governor of Fort James should November 1674 the colony reverted knew well the numerous risks and surrender. How Cornelis treated the to England under the Treaty of uncertainties of the sea. In the end English authorities gives rich Westminster, a bargaining chip in the charges were dropped, and insight into the personality of the peace process, and the Dutch neither his ambition nor his upward Keesje de Duivel. When the empire in the New World finally progress was hindered by his Englishmen demanded to see came to an end. failures. He was appointed Rear- Cornelis’ commission he replied Cornelis did not get a happy Admiral of Zeeland the following that it was “stuck in the muzzle of reception. Despite many successes, year, and in 1677 he commanded a the cannon,” as they would soon it was his failures that the Zeeland blockade against the Dunkirkers, find out if they did not hand over officials chose to examine. While commerce raiders in the service of the fort. his companion in arms, Jacob Spain operating from Flemish ports. Following a brief exchange of Benckes, was promoted to Vice In 1679 he replaced his deceased fire and the landing of 600 marines Admiral of Amsterdam, as his cousin, Cornelis the Younger, as under Captain Anthony Colve, the reward Cornelis was accused of Vice-Admiral of Zeeland, and he English surrendered. It was an easy disobedience and summoned before continued to receive promotions victory. New York became New the Assembly to answer charges. It and fight battles. He commanded Orange, Fort James became Fort didn’t help that Cornelis had little the vanguard of the invasion fleet of Willem Hendrick, and Captain to show for his travels, most of his William Prince of Orange when he Colve was appointed military prizes having been lost to storms. landed in Brixham in November governor-general. During the His superiors couldn’t overlook his 1688 to begin the “Glorious transition to a new provisional failure to carry out his primary Revolution,” and was involved in government, Cornelis and Benckes mission at St Helena, whose an expedition to Ireland. In 1690 at made a further attack on English success would have brought huge the Battle of Beachy Head Cornelis interests, this time targeting the profits. led the Dutch squadron, this time Newfoundland fisheries fleet. In As for his escapades in New fighting with the English against the October, four ships under Nicholas York, this was an impulsive action French as Europe continued its Boes were sent on this mission and on Cornelis’ part and one not political turmoil. Admiral Van had great success, causing much sanctioned in his instructions. Almonde replaced him as destruction. After this, Boes was to While it may be regarded as his commander of the Netherlands fleet rendezvous with the Zeeland fleet at greatest achievement of that in 1690, and he was never to Fayal in the Azores. voyage, this was not how the command a major fleet again. Cornelis and Benckes left New Zeeland officials saw it. Short of Cornelis died on November 16, Orange in mid-September and cash, they were looking not for his birthday, in 1706 and was reached the Azores on October 27, territory but for prize ships and rich buried in St Peter’s Church in where they encountered a huge cargoes to replenish the depleted Middelburg. The tomb was moved storm that caused the loss of several provincial treasury. To them this to the Nieuwe Kerk in 1918. In ships. The remnants of the fleet sideshow in New York was minor 1940 the church was damaged but arrived at Cadiz in December, in and incidental; it had created more the tomb survived and can be seen sore need of repairs and refitting. It problems and responsibilities, and, today, “a modest memorial to the was here that Cornelis received worse, more expense. Cornelis’ feat man whose raid on America nearly orders from home, and he arrived was not so much a grand patriotic altered the course of history.” back in Vlissingen on June 23, thrill, merely a new economic 1674. burden.