Johann Lauffer

After finishing elementary school, he wanted to travel to the United States, but ended up in Curaçao where he enlisted in the schutterij (militia) in 1776.

[1][2] On 18 January 1795, William V, Prince of Orange fled from the Netherlands, and went into exile in Great-Britain shortly before the announcement of the Batavian Republic.

[4][5] Governor Johannes de Veer refused to submit to the Batavian Republic, and was replaced by Jan Jacob Beaujon in August 1796.

[7] On 20 October 1796, the French commander M. Valteau arrived on the island with a defence plan, and Lauffer had taken control of all the military forces including the corps of free blacks and mulattoes.

[7] To gain popular support, Beaujon was characterised as an orangist and pro-British and was compared to his brother Antony who had handed Demerara to the British.