DUTCH INVASION ON ST HELENA 1672

The full index of our ship stamp archive
Post Reply
aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

DUTCH INVASION ON ST HELENA 1672

Post by aukepalmhof » Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:32 pm

On 20th December 1672 four Dutch ships, led by Jacob de Gens, arrived off St. Helena from the Cape. A landing party came ashore at Lemon Valley but was repelled by English planters hurling rocks from above. Returning after dark, a light was seen near another landing place, Bennetts Point, close to Swanley Valley, on the western side of the Island. A traitor named William Coxe, accompanied by his slave, had lit a fire and was waiting to guide the Dutch invasion force onto the island. Five hundred men came ashore and were led up the precipitous cliffs by Coxe and his slave, who was then murdered to keep the treacherous story secret.
The Dutch met no opposition until they reached High Peak where they overpowered a small detachment of English troops stationed at the fort. The Dutch continued unchallenged to Ladder Hill where they now looked down on James Fort, knowing that if they took James Fort, they took the Island.
A detachment of Dutch troops made repeated advances towards James Fort but were driven back each time. However the small group in the fort were trapped; the Dutch were above them and also attacking them from the sea. Governor Anthony Beale realised the Dutch had the strategic advantage, being in possession of Ladder Hill Fort, and that he could not defend his weak position indefinitely. The governor spiked his guns, spoiled the gun powder and retreated with his entourage and their possessions to the ship HUMPHREY AND ELIZABETH which was anchored in James Bay. They set sail for Brazil.
According to Dutch records they gained little in monetary terms from their new posession, the most valuable items being an English slave ship, 220 slaves and 551 tusks of ivory. They repaired the fort and set a garrison of 100 men to defend the island.

St Helena 2002 25p sg?, scott?
http://sainthelenaisland.info/invasion.htm
Attachments
Image (13).jpg

Post Reply