Beez Neez now Chy Whella

The Fort

Big Bear and Pepe Millard

Wed 2 Mar 2011 23:57

Christiansvaern Fort

Our first look at the fort was as we sailed into Christiansted, St Croix. As we wandered toward it today we saw these information plaques.

For two hundred and fifty years, Fort Christiansvaern has served the community well in a variety of ways: It protected commercial shipping against attack by pirates and privateers. Enforced the collection of customs duties. Quartered Danish troops responsible for the colony's external defense and internal security. Housed the early colony's Governor's residence, State Church and administrative offices. Provided early residents with a place of refuge during the hurricanes and served as the town jail.

This Danish naval victory off St Thomas in March 1801, did not deter the British Invasion.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the British twice tried to force Denmark to abandon its neutrality. When these proposals were rejected, the British sent naval and land forces against Denmark and its West Indian possessions. Outnumbered as much as seventeen to one, Danish garrisons in the Virgin Islands capitulated without firing a shot, sparing life and property. The Islands were finally restored to Denmark by peace treaty in 1814.

By December 1852, a yellow fever epidemic had spread to St Croix from St Thomas. In an attempt to contain the disease the Christiansted policemaster banned the traditional black festivities (the drum dances and the Bamboula) during the Christmas holidays. The poor labourers considered this unjust. Police trying to disperse a festive crowd at the Christmas Eve Sunday Market were driven off. The black militia infantry was called out, which, after being pelted with stones, opened fire. The square was quickly cleared, leaving behind three dead and six severely wounded. In the face of rising anger over the massacre, the Governor ordered all militia units to be disbanded the following day. A locally-raised militia was not reestablished until 1907.

1st Lt. Herman R. L. Ostermann of the First Company, West Indian Infantry at Christiansted.

The Military Force relief column engages rioters at Estate Carlton on the 3rd of October 1878

On the 1st of October 1878, a labour uprising (known locally as the "Fireburn"), began on St Croix. By the time the riot was over, one third of Frederiksted and many sugar plantations had been damaged or destroyed. What remained of Frederiksted was saved due to the courage of 1st Lt. Herman Ostermann and a combined force of twenty infantry and cavalry. This small group made a four-hour forced march from Christiansted to Frederiksted during the night. They drove two thousand rioters from the town, and held it against repeated assaults until reinforcements arrived the following day.

In June 1914, the Christiansted infantry barracks were totally destroyed by fire. The cause was ultimately revealed as arson, set by the commander of the Gendarmery Corps, Captain Hoyer. He had previously accumulated a large gambling debt while serving in the French Foreign Legion. He had also married a very attractive woman, whose expensive tastes far exceeded his military pay. In desperation, Hoyer embezzled the military payroll. To cover the crime, he set fire to records in the office on the first floor of the barracks. The fire spread rapidly, engulfing the building. Hoyer was court-martialed and given a twelve year sentence of hard labour.

The Officers Day Room. Office space was at a premium within the fort. Though intended to be Officers' quarters, this room was used primarily as a "day room" - an office and reception area - for officers and nco's. Here sergeants prepared daily sick lists, duty rosters and disciplinary reports. Officers, if they could afford to, lived and dined in town. They had relative elegance and furnishings compared to the junior staff.

For lower ranking Danish soldiers, the glamour of serving in the West Indies often wore thin before the end of their six year tour. High mortality, low pay, limited personal space, uneven discipline and lack of social opportunity could demoralise all but the most professional soldier. Desperate infantrymen of the Christiansted garrison, plotted an incredible mutiny in 1835. It called for taking senior government officials and prominent members of island society hostage, raiding the treasury and hijacking a Danish warship to North America. The plan was never carried out. In spite of such serious symptoms, appropriate reforms were a long time coming. However, August Neumann's record of service in the Danish West Indies proved that not all soldiers simply waited for their tour of duty to end to "go home to Denmark". He served a total of thirteen years in the Islands beginning in 1896. Besides his primary duty as the senior non-commissioned officer commanding all artillery troops, Neumann also occasionally served a in the infantry, cavalry and engineers.