Mr Cassard, commander of a squadron of six ships and two of the King's frigates, left Toulon in March of last year, with the intention of attacking the Dutch colony of Surinam. Passing through the Cape Verde Islands, he took control of the town of St Yago, which he burnt down after blowing up the fortifications and removing the belongings found there. He continued on to Surinam, where he arrived on June 20. The setbacks he encountered there prevented him from making his descent, and forced him to stop off at Guadeloupe, a French island in America, to pick up fresh supplies and refresh the crews. He left Guadeloupe on August 21 to return to Surinam, arriving there on October 10.

The same day, he embarked on longboats with the King's troops, numbering 1,100 men, and entered the river at night. The enemy, having been warned of his plan, had more than 80 cannons mounted in several batteries in the landing areas, had re-established the fortifications and equipped the fortresses with everything necessary for a vigorous defense. All this determined Sieur Cassard to attack them with open force, and to this end, he ordered the ships and frigates to enter the river, with the exception of the Neptune, which was drawing too much water, to advance the galiots, and keep the troops ready for the descent. However, the vessels that were to support and cannonade the town and fort, ran aground two gun ranges away, forcing Sieur Cassard, while waiting for the high tides to relieve them, to invest the castle and town, and to take control of the entire Surinam river with his troops.