Document: Order to the inhabitants of Elizabethtown and five neighboring towns to nominate magistrates

[1]: Jacob Benckes, after the reduction of New-York, returned to Europe, and obtained considerable reputation in the war between France and Holland, in which he commanded a squadron of thirteen ships. With these he set sail on the 16th of March, 1676, against the French possessions in the West Indies, and arrived before the Island of Cayenne on the 4th of May; attacked the place with great fury, and reduced it in a short time, after which he captured St. Martins, and proceeded to the Island of Tobago, then in the possession of the Dutch, whither he was followed in February, 1677, by Count d'Estrées, the French Admiral, who demanded the surrender of the fort. This being refused, the place was stormed and the Dutch fleet attacked. After an engagement which lasted from the break of day until night, the French were obliged to retire with considerable loss, leaving the victory to the Dutch, and M. d'Estrées returned to France whence he was again dispatched in October and arrived in December following, with sixteen sail of the line, before Tobago. Here he landed 1,500 men with suitable artillery and summoned Commander Benckes, who refused to surrender. The place was soon after invested and the cannonading began on both sides. Towards noon Commander Benckes, Captain de Montigny of the Marines and other officers were about sitting down to dinner. Unfortunately the dining room was directly over the magazine or store where the ammunition was kept Along the pathway leading from this store to the battery much powder was strewed by those supplying the gunners, and one of the enemy's fireballs falling in this path set the train on fire, and in a moment the magazine exploded, instantly killing Vice-Admiral Benckes and most of his officers. Kok, VI., 562; History of the Buccaniers, 8d edition, London, 8vo., 1704, pp 177-180. Thus perished, on the 12th December, 1677, in the height of a brilliant career, this brave seaman who identified himself with our history, by the reduction of New-York, thus vindicating the honor of Fatherland. — Ed.