Plan for batteries at the Mouth of the Saramacca and Coppename Rivers
Anoniem / Anonymous
Title Leupe: Schetsplan van de verdediging van de riviere Saramacca en Coppename.
This map shows the planned defences around the mouth of the Saramacca en Coppename Rivers.
This anonymous map of the mouths of the Saramacca and Coppename probably dates from the last years before the first British occupation in 1799 or from the short period of the restored Batavian administration in 1803-1804.
Two small forts, Marquette and Johan Gerhard (named after former Governor Wichers) are marked. Their positions are drawn slightly too far towards the sea.
On the point of land between the Saramacca and the Coppename a third, new battery is projected, which according to this plan should form one line of defence with Marquette.
In addition, both rivers were to be provided with a barricade formed by ships and a floating barrier.
This plan was also never accomplished, but the small fort Nassau was built after 1816 at the place on the southern bank of the Saramacca where the post Marquette has been incorrectly marked.
The range of the batteries is drawn with straight lines from the fortifications.
The flow of the Saramacca river becomes vaguer towards the top side of the map, due to wear.
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