During the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the Dutch Republic dispatched Admiral Abraham Crijnssen with a fleet of seven ships on December 30, 1666.

His mission was to recapture the Dutch colonies in the West Indies and inflict maximum damage on the enemy in the Atlantic region.

The expedition was initiated by Pieter de Huybert, the Grand Pensionary of Zeeland, who hoped to force the enemy into peace negotiations through devastation and ruin.

[2] He stayed in the colony for another month to establish governance before departing with five ships to reclaim Berbice[3] and Tobago, bringing both islands back under Dutch control.

Those on board told him about a large number of ships loaded with tobacco upstream on James River would lie.