Second Conquest of the Great Missigit was the renewed assault on Atjeh’s Groote Missigit executed on 14 April 1873 during the First Aceh Expedition. The operation was marked by intense combat, heroic sacrifices, and the tragic death of General J.H.R. Köhler.
Preparation and Assault
After the withdrawal on 10 April 1873, the Dutch forces regrouped. On the morning of 14 April 1873, Major F.P. Cavaljé again led the attack, commanding the entire 3e Bataljon Infanterie along with support from the 9e Bataljon Infanterie and the artillery. The attack was executed in closed columns to counter the Acehnese klewang (sword) charges. Captains like W. Pordon, C.H. Visscher, J. Lauer, and J.H. Huijer led their respective companies against the mosque’s walls.
Heroic Actions and Tragedies
The fighting at the walls was exceptionally brutal. Captain J.H. Huijer and his men from the 9e Bataljon Infanterie engaged in desperate ladder combat. A defining moment occurred when Gunner C.H. Kool van Heerens climbed a ladder to throw a grenade into the Acehnese positions, successfully detonating it but receiving a fatal lance thrust to his throat in the process.
During the broader engagement on this day, General J.H.R. Köhler was struck and killed by an Acehnese sniper while observing the battle from near a prominent banyan tree, which later became known as the Generaal-Köhler-boom. Despite the severe losses, the Dutch forces successfully retook the mosque by overwhelming the defenders through coordinated infantry and artillery action.
See Also
Source
De verovering van Atjeh’s groote Missigit by J.F.D. Bruinsma, Sneek, 1889, pp. 58-93.