He was a privateer in the service of the West Indies Company. His nickname was "Keesje de Duivel" (= Keesje the devil). He was ordered to proceed to the West Indies in 1672 to secure the Dutch posessions during the Third English War (1672 - 1674, between England and the Dutch Republic). The fleet he commanded left on 15 December 1672.
In 1673 he met a Dutch squadron that was under the command of Jacob Binckes purely by coincidence in the West Indies. They decided to join their fleets and arrived at St. Eustatius on 8 July 1673.
The English commander of the garrison that was stationed there received a letter from the dutchmen in which he was ordered to surrender. He refused, and after a short battle was forced to surrender. He and his remaining soldiers were transported to the island of St. Christopher on 11 July. The 80 dutch colonists that helped the English were tried and their posessions confiscated. They were transported on board one of the captured ships (in the harbour?) and together with 204 slaves would be brought to Curaçao where the slaves were to be sold. This ship left for Curaçao on 17 July 1673. The loot also included 19 cannons and a large amount of sugar. This was brought aboard the other ships of the fleet before it left on 18 July. The houses and other buildings on the island were burnt down before Evertsen left with his fleet. In 1676 Evertsen became commander of the Dutch navy in the Oostzee.
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