Pel’s offensive against the VI, IV and IX Moekims (1875–1876) was the great winter campaign launched by generaal Pel in person on 26 December 1875 — after the arrival of the Barissans on 10 December 1875 and the 9th battalion on 21 December 1875 — by which, in the space of six weeks, three Dutch colonnes in verbond overran the VI, IV and IX Sagis of Groot-Atjeh, drove out Toekoe Nanta and Toekoe Bait, and carried the Dutch line from the Kroeng Raba on the west coast to Atoeh on the south-east.
The launch
Under Pel’s personal leiding, three colonnes in verbond moved on 26 December 1875 against the VI, IV and IX Moekims. Vetter occupied Mibouw south of K. Radja. F. J. E. Mekern took a stelling between Mibouw and K. Daroe but was doodelijk gewond the same day. Lt.-kol. Engel advanced along the right bank of K. Daroe.
The fall of the VI Moekims
On 27 December 1875 the important kampong of Ketapang Doewa — bitterly fought over on 15 February 1874 — fell “andermaal en nu voorgoed” into Dutch hands. On 28 December 1875 Engel occupied Pakan Badak; the kampongs Lamtermin and Bital were ontruimd by the enemy, as were Toekoe Nanta’s geduchte versterkingen west of Sinangri. “Nergends hadden de Atjehneezen ernstigen tegenstand geboden” — proof, Borel writes, that they could not withstand a well-planned combined colonne attack. On 8 January 1876 Lamtengah fell “niet zonder krachtigen tegenstand.”
Into the IV and IX Moekims
On 10 January 1876 the opperhoofd of Lampagger submitted; a post was opgericht. On 15 January 1876 a colonne marched through the kloof (gorge) of Blang Kalla southward over bergachtig terrein into the IV Moekims, reaching Loenga on the right bank of the Kroeng Raba mouth, which would become the western boundary of the new afsluitingslinie. On 28 January 1876 Pel invaded the IX Moekims; at Boekit Daroe there was vinnig gestreden, and the mountain pass of Glitaroem, which gave access between the IV and IX Moekims, fell into Dutch hands.
The closing weeks
On 31 January 1876 troops moved eastward, took Lampermej and Oeleh Soesoe — at Oeleh Soesoe the enemy offered hevigen tegenstand but had to zwichten. On 3 February 1876 Atoeh was carried after heeten strijd. On 4 February 1876 Lamrong and Lamsajoen fell; communication with Longbatta-Mesigit was established. On 7 February 1876 the troops returned to K. Radja after a ten-day tocht. Total losses were five dead and fifty-nine wounded — betrekkelijk gering. The entire Sagie of XXV Moekims was now in Dutch hands. The demarcation line ran from the mouth of the Kroeng Raba on the west coast to Atoch, then northward to Pager Ajer on the left bank of the Atjeh-rivier.
Borel’s verdict
For Borel this is the campaign of the war: proof that, with adequate reinforcements, a clear plan, and the offensive stelsel, the Atjehneezen could be beaten in the field at small cost. The conquest would be crowned, on 13 February 1876, by the taking of Pango — though the same day would bring the Atoeh catastrophe.
See Also
- Generaal Pel
- VI Moekims
- IV Moekims
- IX Moekims
- XXV Moekims
- Majoor Vetter
- Majoor F. J. E. Mekern
- Luitenant-kolonel Engel
- Ketapang Doewa
- Bital
- Sinangri
- Boekit Daroe
- Glitaroem
- Blang Kalla
- Lampagger
- Atoeh
- Lamsajoen
- Longbatta-Mesigit
- Pager Ajer
- Kroeng Raba
- Atjeh-rivier
- Toekoe Nanta
- Toekoe Bait
- Bataljon Barissans van Madura
- Atoeh catastrophe (13 February 1876)
- Pel’s Buitenzorg planning session (1875)
- Aanvallende tactiek in Atjeh
- 1875
- 1876
Source
Onze vestiging in Atjeh, critisch beschreven, by G. F. W. Borel, Kapitein der Artillerie. ‘s-Gravenhage: D. A. Thieme, 1878. pp. 313, 316–321.