Cornelius Andreson

Cornelius Andreson (fl. 1674-1675) was a Dutch pirate, privateer, and soldier. He is best known for attacking English traders off Acadia and for serving in King Philip’s War.

During the Franco-Dutch War in the 1670’s the Dutch took over Acadia (the Atlantic coast of Maine and southeastern Canada), starting a colony at New Holland. Dutch buccaneer Jurriaen Aernoutsz had ejected the French from Acadia, and on his departure left behind a small force with privateering commissions to stop French ships and prevent the English from encroaching on New Holland. Cornelius Andreson, John Rhoades, and others outfitted two small ships in late 1674 and sailed up the coast to enforce the Dutch claims.

Anrdreson’s ship Penobscot Shallop took several English vessels on charges of trespassing and illegal fur trading, and was soon joined by a third privateer. He looted them of their pelts, detained their captains and crews, and threatened to keep their ships as prizes before releasing them.Boston merchants heard complaints from fur traders, who had been previously been allowed free range over the Acadia territory by paying fees to the French. They petitioned colonial officials to send a small fleet under Captain Samuel Mosely to seal with the Dutch privateers. Andreson and the two ships with him tried to engage Moseley, but when one of the Dutch ships switched sides, Andreson and the other ship under Captain Roderigo were heavily outgunned and surrendered.

The Dutch sailors had privateering commissions but the colonial courts denied their validity for taking English ships and their goods, and convicted them of piracy at their trial in May 1675. The Penobscot Shallop and its sister ship were given to the heirs of a Boston merchant as compensation for lost goods. The Dutch were condemned to hang but were later given a reprieve and were banished from English territories instead.

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