Plan for rebuilding Fort Nassau

Title Leupe: Project tot Etablissement van het Gouvernement van de Colonie de Berbice, by het geweese fort Nassau.

During the evacuation of Fort Nassau and Nieuw-Amsterdam on 8th March 1763 due to the advance of Cuffy’s slave army, the Dutch burned the fort downto prevent its occupation. After the war was won, the need arose for new defenses.

In line with his instructions, François Samuel de Veije had drawn his first version of a design for the new fortifications intended to replace the ruined Fort Nassau on site in 1764, together with his project plans for a main fort on the confluence of the Berbice and the Canje as well as various secondary posts (Nationaal Archief number 4.OBPV 1.38).

Once he returned to the Republic he was repeatedly asked to adapt or further elaborate on his plans and to give various explanations which meant that he was not able to complete his duties for the Society of Berbice until sometime in the year 1767.

This map shows the second stage of De Veije’s plans for the fortifications at Fort Nassau which was never realized.

This detailed plan, together with extensive explanations, of the projected post would include a fort almost as big as the original one and it would serve both as a fortification and a centre, permanent or otherwise, for the government.

This is a copy of VEL143A.

North is below.

Scale-bar of 48 Rhineland feet = [approximately 1 : 1,440].