The capture of Mandarsah Poetih on 28 January 28 January 1875 was a Dutch operation of the Atjeh-oorlog in which the troops of Kolonel PEL took the “Mandarsah Poetih” (the “white bedehuis,” a small stone mosque already partially ruined by artillery fire) to the south of Kota Radja. The building was then put in a state of defence by Tweede-Luitenant C. J. Snijders of the Compagnie Mineurs en Sappeurs as part of PEL’s southward extension of the Dutch perimeter in January 1875. The position continued to be harassed by Atjeh fire from the fortified kampongs of Gitjiel Olejlo, Lamara Olejlo, and Lohong, leading directly to the Lamara Olejlo fortification of 15 February 1875.
Context
After the Missigit Longbatta operation and the capture of Pungej Blang Tjoet on 23 January 23 January 1875, PEL continued his southward operations. On 28 January 28 January the troops took the Mandarsah Poetih, the “white bedehuis,” a small stone building already partially ruined by artillery fire.
Fortification
Snijders “voerde overeenkomstige werkzaamheden uit” — that is, he put the captured building in a state of defence, as he had done at Pungej Blang Tjoet five days earlier. The small size of the building and its partial ruin by artillery fire made it a less ambitious work than the Missigit Longbatta redoubt, but its position served as part of the southern line of posts covering the Dutch perimeter.
Subsequent Operations
The Mandarsah Poetih continued to be harassed by Atjeh fire from the fortified kampongs of Gitjiel Olejlo, Lamara Olejlo, and Lohong, leading to the reconnaissance of 14/15 February 15 February 1875 and the Lamara Olejlo fortification of 15 February.
See Also
- Cornelis Jacobus Snijders
- J. L. J. H. Pel
- Mandarsah Poetih
- Missigit
- Pungej Blang Tjoet
- Capture of Pungej Blang Tjoet (23 January 1875)
- Missigit Longbatta operation (31 December 1874 – 13 January 1875)
- Lamara Olejlo fortification (15 February 1875)
- Benting
- Bataillon Mineurs en Sappeurs
- Aceh War
- Koeta Radja
- 1875
Source
D. van den Berg, Cornelis Jacobus Snijders (1852–1939): Een leven in dienst van zijn Land en zijn Volk (Voorburg: September 1944), p. 32. Koninklijke Bibliotheek shelfmark 0301 4872.