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No. 4 These few lines serve as a preface to the enclosed capitulation entered into with the governor of Fort Christina which shall be signed and take effect, may it please God, tomorrow.^[1] For details I refer you to the bearer, Sander Leeneertsen, who will be dispatched as quickly as possible in order to encourage my saddened wife, children and sisters, and my distressed and sorrowful subjects; and to announce my intended speedy return in person with most of the force; praying meanwhile to God that He may temper wind and weather to such an extent that we be allowed to return speedily to you and to them according to your request. We, therefore, ask and also firmly trust that you, my household, and beloved community shall humbly pray to God, after which we have no doubt but that the Lord God shall quickly return me and them. With what sorrowful and painful concerns the Almighty God has overshadowed the expedition, which was blessed by Him alone, so that He might teach us to moderate our victories, and show us how our joy is a mourning! It was transformed, as can be easily imagined, when yesterday afternoon we learned from your sad letter of the sorrowful and grievous state of my afflicted subjects.

Honorable Gentlemen, if we had had the wings of an eagle, I would have disdained our victories and flown away from our apparent success to console my afflicted friends and subjects with our meager advice and deeds. Since this is impossible, wind and weather being calm and unfavorable to make speed, we must have patience.

Meanwhile, I am sending this yacht off with orders and instructions to proceed as swiftly as possible by rowing, sailing and drifting in order to assure your honors and my subjects of my affection and haste. Also, I command and charge the loyal citizens to observe with courage and unanimity your orders and those whom you have appointed during my absence, which I hope shall be short; obeying as if I were present myself.

I firmly hope and trust that God, who can bring forth light our darkness, will change things for the best and that a happy ending shall follow this grievous and bloody tragedy; I mean, that God shall provide that, because of this shameful murderous act, a righteous revenge shall be taken on the Indians, and He shall give us courage and opportunity to purge the country of them, be it through might and means entrusted to us by them and high authorities or by other distant Indians who had no hand in this massacre, which is enough said for the wise.

Meanwhile, I would hope and trust that with the arrival of the ship, De Liefde, by which some Swedish soldiers have been sent over, and by the presence of the ship that not only the city of Amsterdam shall have been secured under God's blessing (to some extent), the citizens encouraged, the murderers disheartened but also that you shall have acquired some spirit and opportunity to assist the remaining outlying farms. If it has not been done [      ] my advice that the ships presently there be divided between the North and East rivers to give more security to the city of New Amsterdam. Although I had ordered the speedy dispatch of skipper Anne Douwes in my last letter, I now find it inadvisable until my return.

Please inquire diligently whether the Maquasen had a hand in this murderous act; if not, as I hope, meet with them and remind them to honor the conditions of the previously concluded peace which was brought about by them and of which they became guarantors; and the murders which we have suffered from time to time contrary to the concluded peace and among others the recent cruel and murderous act; furthermore, what their thoughts are on it and whether it may not be possible for them to avenge us, with other inducements necessary thereto.

For the present nothing else other than to commend your honors, after cordial greetings, to God's protection and shelter together with greetings to my wife, children, sisters and their families, with greetings to them, your honors, the magistrates of New Amsterdam and the citizens thereof, to whom you are to read as much of this as concerns them.

In all haste in our camp before Fort Cristina about eight o'clock in the evening of 24 September 1655.

This is done in haste without copy and must therefore be preserved. Some freemen are going with Sander to help row the yacht down the river. I have ordered them to follow precisely those commands which you deem necessary.

Notes

References

Translation: Gehring, C. trans./ed., New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vols. 18-19, Delaware Papers: Dutch Period, 1648-1664 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1981).A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.