SEPTEMBER 15, 1655

SUSQUEHANNOCK ATTACK NEW AMSTERDAM STARTING PEACH TREE WAR

In 1655, the dominant Native people in the Delaware River Valley were the Susquehannock.  Forming a solid relationship with colony of New Sweden, they distrusted the rival Dutch in New Netherland who had a similar relationship with the Iroquois Confederacy.  On September 11, Director-General of New Netherland Peter Stuyvesant and 600 soldiers left Fort Amsterdam and seized New Sweden.  While they were absent, a Wappinger girl named Tachiniki entered an orchard in New Netherland and climbed a tree to pick a peach. The Dutch owner shot and killed her.  In revenge and seizing an opportune time, 600 warriors of the Susquehannock and allied tribes attacked the undefended Dutch colony towns of Hoboken, Pavonia and Staten Island killing 100 Dutch, capturing 150, and destroying buildings.  When Stuyvesant returned, he set about negotiating with the Indians.  The captives were returned for a ransom of powder and lead.  This was the last major Dutch-Indian hostility in the colony.

Sources:  Dr. Gary K. Busch, “The Peach Tree War,” Ocnus.Net, 4/8/2017.  Retrieved 7/13/2019, http://www.ocnus.net/artman2/publish/Editorial_10/The-Peach-Tree-War.shtml “Peach Tree War,” Wikia.org: Military.  Retrieved 7/13/2019, https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Peach_Tree_War
Image:  John Smith (1580-1631), William Hole ( ? – 1624), 1624.  Susquehannock from 1624 Smith map.  Public Domain in U.S.:  Pre 1/1/1924.  Public Domain elsewhere where copyright term is author’s life plus 70 years or less