During the revolt of the Belgian provinces against the authority of the King of the Netherlands, the Dutch bombarded the City of Antwerp. After the first intervention by the French army, the Dutch withdrew from Belgium but left a garrison in Antwerp Citadel. From here, they bombarded the town. Among the damage was a public warehouse that stored the goods of various foreigners including Americans. Initially, the government excused itself from damages on the grounds that the insurgents breached a contract that had been reached to suspend hostilities. By 1836 though, after the Kingdom of Belgium was established the United States along with Austria, Brazil, France and Great Britain put forward claims of indemnity for their citizens who had suffered losses. Compensation was obtained, under the ruling that the bombardment of Antwerp by Dutch forces was unnecessary and unjustifiable.
In his 1836, State of the Union Address, Andrew Jackson shared the news with Congress that claims of losses against the governments of both Holland and Belgium were being "pressed" and would be settled "in due season".
"The claims of American citizens for losses sustained at the bombardment of Antwerp have been presented to the Governments of Holland and Belgium, and will be pressed, in due season, to settlement."
References
Presidency.ucsb.edu. 2021. Eighth Annual Message | The American Presidency Project. [online] Available at: <https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/eighth-annual-message-2>.1913. Pecuniary Claims Arbitration. The "LINDISFARNE." MEMORIAL of His Britannic Majesty's Government In Support of the Claim. American and British claims arbitration. [Place of publication not identified]: U.S. Government Printing Office, pp.24-25.
En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Siege of Antwerp (1832) - Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Antwerp_(1832)>.
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