Anthony or Anthonij Colve (Veere, 1644 – Veere, 29 June 1693) was a Dutch captain of Marines and the Governor-General of New Netherland during a brief restoration of Dutch rule in New Netherland during the Third Anglo-Dutch War.
Personal life
Colve was the son of Jacob Colve, a scion of an old Veere family, and Maria de Margenault. His widowed mother bought an annuity for him in 1653, which would pay out until his death in 1693. Colve married Margarethe "Griton" de Quade. Two daughters and a son are known of this marriage. His son Jacob Lambert Colve (died 1723) was mayor of Veere and a member of the States of Zeeland from 1717 to 1722.
Career
Of Colve's early life is little known, except that he made his profession as a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in Veere in 1664.
Early military career
Colve was involved in the recapture of Suriname from the English by a Zeeland squadron led by Abraham Crijnssen in March 1667 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. Crijnssen made him an ensign, and he remained behind in the fortress that the Dutch had captured, after Crijnssen left. After the Peace of Breda an English fleet, that did not know the peace had been signed, invaded Suriname and retook the colony. Colve was made a prisoner of war and interned on Barbados. He was eventually brought to London, and released, a year after the peace.
Upon his return in 1668, he was posted as an ensign in until 1670, when he became a captain at Fort Lillo. During this time Colve was court-martialled for the loss of his flag during the recapture of Suriname by the English. He was eventually exonerated on the exact day prince William III of Orange was inaugurated as "First Noble"in the States of Zeeland in 1668, in defiance of the Perpetual Edict. In 1672, he moved with his troops to Veere.
Recapture of New Netherland
After the beginning of the Third Anglo-Dutch War, which was part of the Franco-Dutch War, in 1672, the Zeeland authorities in deepest secret planned a naval expedition to do their enemies harm and earn appreciable sums from prizes that might be captured in the course of it. The leadership of the expedition was entrusted to admiral Cornelis Evertsen the Youngest. Colve, now a captain, was made the officer commanding the 64 marines aboard the flagship of the squadron commanded by Evertsen, the Swaenenburgh. The squadron marauded along the coast of present-day Suriname and the [[Dutch colonisation of the Guianas|Wild Coast]], and other parts of the Caribbean, before starting up the coast of the English colonies in North-America. In Virginia Evertsen and Jacob Binckes, the commander of another Dutch squadron, from the Admiralty of Amsterdam, that had joined the Zeeland squadron in the Caribbean, learned that governor Lovelace of colonial New York, which only recently had been New Netherland, before the English had captured it in 1664, was absent in Hartford, Connecticut, conferring with the governor of that colony, John Winthrop the Younger. They therefore decided to recapture the colony, and invaded it on Wednesday 30 July 1673. Colve led the landing party of about 600 marines that took the former New Amsterdam. Colve landed to the north of the city and then marched down Broadway street (formerly Heeren straat). The Dutch colonists cheered along the way and joined the force. Arriving before Fort James, which had been severely bombarded by the Dutch squadron (now 19 ships, including prizes) he demanded its surrender. The garrison commander, captain John Manning, agreed to capitulate, after he was granted the honours of war. So the English troops marched out, flags flying and drums beating, and then laid down their arms. They were made prisoners of war and housed for the night in the Dutch Reformed Church within the wall of the fort.The next day they were brought aboard the ships.De Waard, p. 43