Point Blanche in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Dutch Caribbean — Caribbean Region (Lesser Antilles)
Historic Sint Maarten Remembered
"Peg Leg Pete"
With a fleet of 13 ships, Stuyvesant set sail to Sint Maarten. He landed at Cay Bay on March 20, 1644, and made camp at Cay Hill. A summons was dispatched to the Spanish garrison at the fort while a delegation under Stuyvesant's command climbed the battery on Bel Air Hill to plant their flag. The Spanish, spotting them from the fort, fired a cannon in their direction. Stuyvesant was severly wounded in his right leg by this shot. He was taken back aboard his ship "De Blauwe Haan" where his leg was amputated from the knee down. A wooden stump later served as a replacement, and from then on he was nicknamed "Peg leg Pete". The battle continued until April 17, 1644, at which time the Dutch, being unable to defeat the Spanish, returned to Curacao.
Pieter Stuyvesant is remembered in history for his woodn leg as well as being tough, valiant, hard headed and dictatorial. He went on to sternly govern the Dutch settlers of New Netherland "as a father over his children". He surrendered New Netherland to the British in 1664. Stuyvesant continued to live in New York as a private citizen until his death in 1672. His tombstone can be viewed at St. Mark's Cemetery in The Bowery in New York City.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1750.
Location. 18° 0.87′ N, 63° 2.613′ W. Marker is in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. It is in Point Blanche. Marker can be reached from Juancho Yrausquin Boulevard, 200 kilometers west of Juancho Yrausquin Blvd, in the median. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Juancho Yrausquin Blvd 22, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten 00100, Dutch Caribbean. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. St. Maarten Gingerbread Market Stalls (within shouting distance of this marker); Frontstreet Merchants (within shouting distance of this marker); The Old Police Station (within shouting distance of this marker); Vance Theophilus James (about 120 meters away, measured in a direct line); Dr Albert Claudius ("Claude") Wathey (about 150 meters away); John Philip Frederick Craane (about 150 meters away); Sint Rose Hospital (approx. 0.9 kilometers away); St. Joseph Convent 1890 (approx. 0.9 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philipsburg.
Also see . . . Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Peter Stuyvesant. Oxford Dictionary of the US Military: Peter Stuyvesant- Gale Encyclopedia of Biography: Peter Stuyvesant- Houghton Mifflin Companion to US History: Stuyvesant, Peter (Submitted on February 17, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 17, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,336 times since then and 103 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 17, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.