Coffy lived in Lilienburg, a plantation on the Berbice River, as a house-slave for a cooper (barrel maker). He was owned by the widow Berkey. On 23 February 1763, slaves on plantation Magdalenenberg on the Canje River rebelled, protesting harsh and inhumane treatment. They torched the plantation house,Thompson, Alvin O., "The Berbice Revolt 1763-64", in Winston F. McGowan, James G. Rose and David A. Granger (eds), Themes in African-Guyanese History, London: Hansib, 2009. p. 80. and made for the Courantyne River where Caribs and troops commanded by Governor of Suriname attacked, and killed them. On 27 February 1763, a revolt took place on plantation Hollandia nextdoor to Lilienburgwhere Coffy was staying . Coffy is said to have organized them into a military unit . From then on, the revolt spread to neighbouring plantations.Cleve McD. Scott, "Berbice Slave Revolt (1763)", in Junius P. Rodriguez, Encyclopedia of Slave Resistance and Rebellion, Vol. 1, Westport, Ct: Greenwood Press, 2007, pp. 55-56. When Dutch Governor Wolfert Simon Van Hoogenheim sent military assistance to the region, the rebellion had reached the Berbice River and was moving steadily towards the Berbice capital, Fort Nassau. They took gunpowder and guns from the attacked plantations. By 3 March  the rebels were 600 in number. Led by Cossala, they tried to take the brick house of Peerenboom. They agreed to allow the whites to leave the brick house, but as soon they left, the rebels killed many and took several prisoners, among them Sara George, the 19-year old daughter of the Peerenboom Plantation owner, whom Coffy kept as his wife.
Coffy lived in Lilienburg, a plantation on the Berbice River, as a house-slave for a cooper (barrel maker). He was owned by the widow Berkey. On 23 February 1763, slaves on plantation Magdalenenberg on the Canje River rebelled, protesting harsh and inhumane treatment. They torched the plantation house,Thompson, Alvin O., "The Berbice Revolt 1763-64", in Winston F. McGowan, James G. Rose and David A. Granger (eds), Themes in African-Guyanese History, London: Hansib, 2009. p. 80. and made for the Courantyne River where Caribs and troops commanded by Governor of Suriname attacked, and killed them. On 27 February 1763, a revolt took place on the Hollandia plantation next to Lilienburg . Coffy is said to have organized the slaves into a military unit an from then on, the revolt spread to neighbouring plantations.Cleve McD. Scott, "Berbice Slave Revolt (1763)", in Junius P. Rodriguez, Encyclopedia of Slave Resistance and Rebellion, Vol. 1, Westport, Ct: Greenwood Press, 2007, pp. 55-56. When Dutch Governor Wolfert Simon Van Hoogenheim sent military assistance to the region, the rebellion had reached the Berbice River and was moving steadily towards the Berbice capital, Fort Nassau. They took gunpowder and guns from the attacked plantations. By 3 March , the rebels were 600 in number. Led by Cossala, they tried to take the brick house of Peerenboom. They agreed to allow the whites to leave the brick house, but as soon they left, the rebels killed many and took several prisoners, among them Sara George, the 19-year old daughter of the Peerenboom Plantation owner, whom Coffy kept as his wife.
R
plantation Hollandia nextdoor to Lilienburgwhere Coffy was staying
the Hollandia plantation next to Lilienburg
R
them
the slaves
R
. From
an from
A
,