The raid on Demerara and Essequibo took place between 24 and 27 February 1781 in the context of the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780–1784).

The Fourth Anglo-Dutch War was a conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Dutch Republic.

[citation needed] The privateers had heard of the outbreak of war between Britain and the Dutch Republic and decided to take advantage of the situation.

They did not have letters of marque authorizing offensive action and so had they failed in their attack the Dutch would have been within their rights to hang any captives as pirates.

Britain too could have hanged them for piracy, but the privateers "trusted to the Honour of the Government, that no advantage would be taken of that defect, while they only did what appeared to them to be good service to their country as well as to themselves; and what in their judgement would greatly distress the enemy.

[7] The first Dutch report of the privateers stated that the squadron consisted of two 3-masted ships, a brig, and two schooners.