| Citation |
IC.781.010
29 Mar 1781:32 (13/657)
Boston, March 29. By an intelligent person who lately made
his escape from St. Eustasia, an island belonging to the
States of Holland in the West Indies, a free port, and where
a vast traffick was carried on between all trading nations,
we have obtained the following particulars of the capture of
that important place.
On the 3d of February, Admiral Rodney with a British
squadron of 13 ships of the line, and with transports that
carried, so was said, 2000 men, arrived at that island. The
Governor had no previous notice of the approach of this
squadron, or that any hostilities had commenced between the
two nations; so that Statia was completely surprized. The
British Admiral immediately sent a message to the Governor
demanding a total and unconditional surrender of the place.
. . landed his troops and took possession of the fortresses,
the town, and all the merchandize and wealth of the place
without opposition. . . [16 lines] The day after the
British troops landed, a drum went round the town, notifying
all the Jews there to repair to an appointed place, and
produce all their money and effects; the summons was obeyed,
and the British commander took all into his possession, but
gave the Jews four johannes a man, and sent them to St.
Christophers. . .
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