Peter of New Amsterdam: A Story of Old New York

by Harry Castlemon

  It was reported also that many of the English from Hartford, whobelieved they had cause of complaint against Master Stuyvesant, hadjoined themselves to the soldiers sent from England, and that no less aperson than Governor Winthrop was with them.

  To show how complete was the information which came to us discontentedones of New Amsterdam, it is only needed for me to say that we even knewthat the English commander was Colonel Richard Nicolls, who was to beDeputy Governor of the West India Company's possessions when he hadcaptured them.

  A WEAK DEFENSE

  I knew, in addition to all this, because of having lived so many yearsin the fort, that we were not in a condition to hold our own againsteven one of these English ships, because of many of our soldiers' beingin the same frame of mind as was I, concerning the Director, and eventhough each and every one had been heart and hand with MasterStuyvesant, there was not in all the city enough of ammunition to servethe guns during a battle.

  It stood on the accounts that we had thirteen hundred pounds of powderin the magazine; but I knew, as did many another, that of the wholeamount a full seven hundred pounds would not burn even though it wasthrown into a blazing fire.

  We had one hundred and fifty soldiers under arms, and Martin Kip had thenames of ninety-six of these who had declared that if English, French,or Swedes came against us while Petrus Stuyvesant was Director, theywould not raise a hand in defense of the city.

  There were also near to two hundred and fifty citizens who had beenarmed and commanded to be ready for service in time of danger; but Iknew beyond a question that more than half the number would stand withhands in their coat pockets, rather than raise them in obedience to anorder from Director Stuyvesant.

  Thus it can be seen that the English had chosen a most favorable timefor coming against us, and, as if to make their chances even better,Master Stuyvesant, suspecting no evil, had gone on a tour of inspectionfar up the North river.

  MASTER STUYVESANT ABSENT

  On the night this welcome news was brought to New Amsterdam, the farmbuildings belonging to Martin Kip were actually crowded with men, whohad come thus far out of the city that they might decide upon whatshould be done when the Director gave orders for all the citizens tostand to their weapons, and a most excited throng it was.

  Some one brought word that a messenger had been sent in hot haste up theriver to summon Master Stuyvesant, and others had learned fromfishermen who had been in the lower bay, that the English fleet was evenat that moment in sight.

  Although the people had been so disposed, nothing could be done in theway of making ready to defend the city until Master Stuyvesant cameback, and from all I could hear, though as a matter of course I had nospeech with those who were friendly with the Director, no one was sorrybecause of there promising soon to be an end to Dutch rule in America.

  We were well content to remain idle, knowing that each hour of theDirector's absence made more certain the end we desired, and it wasrather from curiosity than anxiety, that Martin Kip and I stood halfsheltered by one of the bastions of the fort when Master Stuyvesantarrived.

  During the hurried journey he must have settled in his own mind exactlywhat should be done, for within ten minutes after having come, orderswere given that every third man of all the citizens should, with axe,spade, or wheelbarrow, present himself at the fort ready to aid instrengthening the works.

  DISOBEYING COMMANDS

  Not above ninety obeyed this command, and the greater number of thosewho did so were, in one way or another, under Master Stuyvesant's thumb.

  At the same time guards were placed at the city gates to prevent anyfrom leaving the city over the land, and every farmer was commanded tosend in all the grain he had on hand, together with what his slavescould thresh during the next eight and forty hours.

  Martin Kip laughed at this last order, declaring that he would hold allhe had of food-stuff at the muzzle of his gun, and no man in the countryshould force him to give up to the use of others, what might be neededfor his own family and for his slaves.

  Nor did he stand alone in such refusal; I heard of but two who obeyed,and one of these was the schout who had been appointed to office at thetime when Master Stuyvesant refused to give us the rights called for bythe charter which had been sent from Holland.

  It must be told to the credit of the Director, that he set a goodexample of obedience, for all his servants and slaves were hard at workhauling grain into the city from his farm above the swamps, or engagedin threshing that which yet remained on the stalk.

  It seemed as if Master Stuyvesant believed it would be possible for himto hold out a long while against the English, and he was preparing for aregular siege.

  SURRENDER OF THE CITY DEMANDED

  There had been no more than time to issue commands, when the fleet wehad been expecting sailed up the harbor, and anchored within full viewof the city. The ships were seemingly crowded with soldiers, and eventhose who were eager to prevent the English from working their will,must have begun to understand that there was no hope of making asuccessful defense.

  The streets of the city were filled with men, women, and children, whowandered about aimlessly, too much excited to be able to remain withindoors, and as messengers came and went from the fleet, enough of whatwas being done leaked out to give us a good idea of the matter in hand.

  First we knew that the commander of the fleet had demanded the surrenderof the city, and this we would have understood even though no one toldus, because of the officers who came ashore under flag of truce.

  Then it was whispered about that Master Stuyvesant wanted to talk overthe situation with the English commander; but was told that the fleethad been sent to take the city, not that its officers might argue.

  A THREE DAYS' TRUCE

  Upon this Master Stuyvesant asked for three days in which to consultwith his advisors, forgetting, perhaps, that the Swedes had asked foronly twelve hours, and he had refused.

  To this request Colonel Nicolls agreed, but at the same time made allhis preparations for opening fire upon the city, in case MasterStuyvesant was so pig-headed as to refuse to surrender.

  Two of the ships were sent up the river and anchored where they couldthrow shot into the fort at short range, while the others were mooredoff Nutten Island, sending five companies of soldiers ashore near theferry landing on Long Island, where they went into camp.

  Next morning a company of horsemen and a band of soldiers came down fromHartford, and were ferried across in the boats of the fleet, thusshowing that the Massachusetts Bay Company would do what they might tocarry out the wishes of King Charles.

  That night the commander of the English fleet sent ashore, secretly,twenty or more written messages to the people, and both Martin Kip, onwhose farm the messengers landed, and I, knew beyond a peradventure thatthere were found men in New Amsterdam willing to spend their timecarrying them where the most good might be done to the enemy.

  In these messages Colonel Nicolls promised all who would lay down theirarms, full liberty to remain on the land, without being molested in anyway, and agreed that his king would protect them in the holding of alltheir property.

  Now even those who had been hesitating whether to side with the Dutch orthe English, were eager to see the surrender of the city, and when theDirector called upon citizens to work on the fort or the palisade, hecould find none save servants or slaves to answer his summons, and eventhese it was necessary to drive with such of the soldiers as were yetwilling to obey orders.

  VISITORS FROM THE ENGLISH

  At noon of the second day of the truce, a boat put off from the fleet,coming directly toward the city, and before she was near to the docksome of the Englishmen among us cried out that he who stood in the bowwas Governor Winthrop, of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

  Then it was that Master Stuyvesant ordered a salute to be given, as ifthe gentleman were coming to us as a friend, and when the latter steppedon shore, followed by five officers from the English army, the schoutc
onducted them to the city hall, where it was said the Director and theburgomasters were waiting.

  It can well be fancied that every person in the city, save, perhaps,Master Stuyvesant's family and servants, gathered around the city hallto hear what might be going on, and there we speedily learned that theDirector had fallen into a rage, even going so far as to quarrel withthose other officials who had been his best friends.

  The visitors from the fleet did not stay overly long, and when they wentaway it was whispered among the excited citizens that Governor Winthrophad left a letter, which some of the burgomasters believed should beread to the people.

  MASTER STUYVESANT'S RAGE

  It seemed, as we learned very shortly, that in his rage MasterStuyvesant had torn the letter into little pieces claiming that it didnot concern the common people, and then it was that his own friends lefthim in anger.

  Within half an hour the people insisted that the letter be demanded ofthe Director, and five men were sent to Master Stuyvesant, claiming thatwhich Governor Winthrop had brought.

  It was Martin Kip who headed the messengers from the free men of NewAmsterdam, and he told me Master Stuyvesant was in a fine rage. Hestumped to and fro threatening, but finally showed in his hand the tinybits of paper, throwing them on the floor.

  Then some one of the house, I do not know who, picked up the pieces,putting them together so that the words might be read, and Martin Kip,speaking from the steps of the city hall, told us what had been written.

  I do not remember it all, but there was in the letter a promise thatthe Dutch should not be driven out after the city was captured. Theywould be allowed to remain, each man on his own land, free to come or goas it pleased him best, and other Dutchmen were at liberty to live inNew Amsterdam with the same rights as belonged to any English man.

  It was all up with Master Stuyvesant after that. He did not cease tostorm and rage at those who refused to stand by the guns in the fort,and threatened that he would hold the city till the last building in itwas destroyed; but what could he do alone?

  THE END OF DUTCH RULE

  When the three-days' truce was at an end, Colonel Nicolls landed threemore companies of the King's soldiers, and himself marched at their headto join those who were encamped at the ferry-way. All the ships cameinto position for opening fire upon the city, and it was time for MasterStuyvesant to surrender, or have it done for him by those of us who werenot minded to make fools of ourselves.

  I have heard it said that he was near to being broken-hearted because ofhaving come to such a plight; but it was no worse for him than it hadbeen for the Swedish governor whom he bullied, and, by thus makingpromises to the people, the English commander was showing himself moreof a man than had Director Stuyvesant, when he drove away every lastSwede out of their homes.

  Whoever gave the command to hoist the white flag over the fort in tokenof surrender, I know not; but it was done before the English had time toopen fire, and New Amsterdam was no longer under Dutch rule.

  It was Monday, September 8th, in the year of our Lord, 1664, when MasterStuyvesant, at the head of the hundred and fifty soldiers, marched fromthe fort to take ship for Holland, and an hour later Colonel Nicollscame in with seven companies of soldiers, who, instead of remaining toeat us out of house and home, went at once on board the ships until theycould go into camp on the Long Island shore.

  THE CITY OF NEW YORK

  That same day Colonel Nicolls was chosen governor by the Dutchthemselves, and his first order was that the city be called New York inhonor of the Duke of York, who had really had charge of the matter.

  Next day came a message from the new governor, in which it was promisedthat people from all lands might come into the City of New York, withthe same rights as any other; that there would be no change in theaffairs until an election by the people could be held, and that each manmight worship God in whatsoever way seemed to him best.

  We who had lived so long in the New World had seen the last of NewAmsterdam with its Dutch rulers, who knew no law but their own whims,and now were we like men who have finally thrown off a heavy burden,able to breathe freely once more.

  I would that I had enough of knowledge to set down in words all that Ihave just told you; but I am ignorant of nearly everything, save fursand bargaining with the Indians, therefore it is, that unless you shallrepeat what I have said, the people of this country may never hear thestory of Peter of New Amsterdam.

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