Stemfoort's Second Tenure as Civiel en Militair Gouverneur (11 July – 17 November 1896)

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descriptionStemfoort's Second Tenure as Civiel en Militair Gouverneur of Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden — from 11 July 1896, when he resumed the office after the death of Generaal-Majoor J. J. K. de Moulin, until 17 November 1896, when he handed over to Kolonel C. P. J. van Vliet and returned to Java — was the four-month administrative period which characterised the second semester of 1896. Under Stemfoort's second tenure, the Dutch extended their control from the geconcentreerde linie into the XXVI Moekims, the XXII Moekims, the IV Moekims (Kroeng-Raba / Lok-Nga), and the Selimoen highlands, and introduced the pasenstelsel (pass system) for the regulation of movement between the Dutch-held and Acehnese-held territories.
tagsevent, aceh-war, 1896, governorship, stemfoort, civiel-en-militair-gouverneur, groot-atjeh, kruisheer-vol3, hoofdstuk-iii, hoofdstuk-iv, administration
aliasesStemfoort's second tenure, het tweede waarnemend-gouverneurschap van Stemfoort, Stemfoort's acting governorship of the second semester of 1896, the second Stemfoort tenure, Stemfoort as wd. Civiel en Militair Gouverneur

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Stemfoort’s Second Tenure as Civiel en Militair Gouverneur — het tweede waarnemend-gouverneurschap van Kolonel Stemfoort — from 11 July 1896 to 17 November 1896 was the four-month period during which Kolonel J. W. Stemfoort served as wd. Civiel en Militair Gouverneur of Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden for the second time, following the death of Generaal-Majoor J. J. K. de Moulin by sunstroke on 7 July 1896. Stemfoort had previously served as wd. Civiel en Militair Gouverneur from 28 June 1896 — the departure of Lt.-Gen. Vetter as Regeeringscommissaris — until 5 July 1896, when he had handed over to De Moulin and departed for Batavia on the same steamer. The death of De Moulin on 7 July 1896 — two days after assuming the office — required Stemfoort’s recall, and he aanvaardt kolonel Stemfoort het gezag — assumed the authority — on 11 July 1896. His second tenure lasted until 17 November 1896, when the newly-appointed Kolonel C. P. J. van Vliet arrived at Koeta-Radja and the handover took place.

The Recall of 7 July 1896 and the Telegram of 18 July 1896

The death of Generaal-Majoor De Moulin on 7 July 1896 was telegraphically communicated to the Governor-General at Buitenzorg, who immediately ordered Stemfoort’s recall to Koeta-Radja. Stemfoort — who had been en route to Batavia — was redirected, and 11 Juli aanvaardt kolonel Stemfoort het gezag — on 11 July Colonel Stemfoort assumed the authority. The Governor-General then sent a telegram of 18 July 1896 which eene nadere uiteenzetting zijner bedoelingen omtrent de verdere actie (a further exposition of his intentions regarding the further action) gave. The telegram — supplementing the Notulen der conferentie van 18 Juni 1896 between Van der Wijck and the late De Moulin — laid down that de XXV Moekims moeten in haar geheel door ons beheerscht worden, wij moeten de woelgeesten en de hen volgende benden onschadelijk maken, minstens verdrijven, vervolgens moet er naar gestreefd worden, de medegesleepte kampongbevolking en hare traditioneele hoofden te doen terugkeeren; aan die hoofden mogen geen wapens worden verstrekt, en vuurwapens zelfs slechts tot zeer gering aantal in hun bezit gelaten worden, maar hun worde dan ook alleen de eisch gesteld om tegen dieven en roovers enz. op te treden, terwijl wij de woelgeesten en benden á faire moeten nemen en langzamerhand van hoofden en bevolking gedaan moeten krijgen, daarin geholpen te worden, door geheime inlichtingen en aanwijzingen hunnerzijds. This beheersching (domination) programme — more explicit than the pacificatie (pacification) framework of the 18 June conference — was the policy within which Stemfoort’s second tenure would be conducted.

The Occupation of Kroeng-Raba (Lok-Nga) on 15 July 1896

The first major operation of Stemfoort’s second tenure was the occupation of Kroeng-Raba (Lok-Nga) on 15 July 1896 — the permanent Dutch occupation of the IV Moekims (Kroeng-Raba) region, which had been the objective of De Moulin’s fatal excursie (reconnaissance (excursie)) of 7 July 1896. The occupation was authorised by the Governor-General’s telegram of 18 July 1896, which permitted het bezetten dezer moekims (the occupation of these mukims) on condition that voortdurende aanvulling van troepen en dwangarbeiders steeds mogelijk zullen zijn (continuous replenishment of troops and forced labourers would always be possible). The occupation of Kroeng-Raba — known to the Dutch as Lok-Nga, the modern Lho-Nga (Lhoknga) — was the first permanent Dutch occupation of a point beyond the geconcentreerde linie (concentrated line) in the second semester of 1896, and represented a significant departure from the geen postenstelsel policy laid down in the conference of 18 June 1896.

The Reconnaissances of July–August 1896

The remainder of July and August 1896 was devoted to a series of reconnaissances and tuchtigingen designed to extend Dutch knowledge of, and control over, the XXVI Moekims and XXII Moekims. On 24 July 1896, idem in de XXVI Mockims door eene colonne onder Luitenant-Kolonel G. F. Soeters — a reconnaissance of the XXVI Moekims by a colonne under Luitenant-Kolonel Soeters. On 29–30 July 1896, tocht naar Teungkoe di Lengkong en Pièng — a trip to Teungkoe di Lengkong and Pièng — was undertaken, in which the religious leader Habib Lengkong of the Oostergebergte was contacted. On 4 August 1896, verkenningen in verschillende richtingen a.a. naar de IX Moekims — reconnaissances in various directions, including to the IX Moekims — were undertaken. On 7 August 1896, nieuwe verkenningen van de Blang Bintang — new reconnaissances from Blang Bintang — were conducted. From 10 to 14 August 1896, excursie naar Lepong en Lohong — an excursion to Lepong and Lohong — was undertaken, in which the Dutch made contact with the kedjoeroean (council of headmen) of Lohong and received intelligence on the movements of Toekoe Oemar, who had Lepong verlaten en zich in Lohong gevestigd (left Lepong and settled in Lohong). On 23–27 August 1896, tocht naar de XXII Moekims — a trip to the XXII Moekims — was undertaken by a colonne under Soeters.

The Construction of Blang Bintang Camp and the Selimoen Expeditions

On 7 September 1896, begin van den bouw van een kampement op de Blang Bintang (Tjot Mantjang) — the beginning of the construction of a camp at Blang Bintang (Tjot Mantjang). The camp — which would serve as the advanced base for the first Selimoen expedition of 6–11 September 1896 and for the second Selimoen expedition of 3–6 November 1896 — was a significant forward position in the Dutch strategy of the second semester. The first Selimoen expedition, which had been ordered before the construction of the camp began, was the principal Dutch probe into the Selimoen highlands — a region which had been a centre of Acehnese resistance throughout the war. The expedition was conducted by a colonne under Van Heutsz, and represented the most ambitious Dutch operation of September 1896.

The Pasenstelsel (September–October 1896)

In the period van medio September tot 28 October — from mid-September to 28 October — the Dutch introduced the pasenstelsel (pass system) for the regulation of movement between the Dutch-held and Acehnese-held territories. The pasenstelsel (pass system) was a critical innovation of Stemfoort’s second tenure: it required all inhabitants of the Dutch-held area to obtain a pass (pas) in order to travel beyond the geconcentreerde linie, and all inhabitants of the Acehnese-held area to obtain a pass in order to enter the Dutch-held area. The system was designed to facilitate the identification of woelgeesten (troublemakers) and the regulation of trade, but it also represented a significant restriction on the freedom of movement of the Acehnese population, and was a notable extension of Dutch administrative control beyond the military sphere.

The Temporary Occupation of Indrapoeri and the Capture of Kota Ba Teuē (28 October 1896)

On 28 October 1896, tijdelijke bezetting van Indrapoeri — the temporary occupation of Indrapoeri — was undertaken, in conjunction with the samenwerking met de bezetting van Tjot Mantjang tot inname van de sterkte, genaamd Kota Ba Teuē (cooperation with the garrison of Tjot Mantjang for the capture of the fortification called Kota Ba Teuē). The capture of Kota Ba Teuē — the Acehnese stelling (fortification (stelling)) which had controlled the approach to Indrapoeri — was the most significant Dutch military success of October 1896, and opened the way for the trip to Ladoeng and Kroeng Raja of 30–31 October 1896 and the second Selimoen expedition of 3–6 November 1896.

The Arrival of Van Vliet and the Handover (8–17 November 1896)

On 8 November 1896, aankomst van den nieuw benoemden Civiel- en Militairen Gouverneur van Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden den kolonel C. J. P. van Vliet — the arrival of the newly appointed Civiel en Militair Gouverneur of Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden, Colonel C. J. P. van Vliet. The handover took place on 17 November 1896 — overgave en overname van het bestuur, Kolonel J. W. Stemfoort keert naar Java terug — at which Stemfoort returned to Java and Van Vliet formally assumed the governorship. Stemfoort’s second tenure thus closed on 17 November 1896, after four months and six days in office.

Significance

Stemfoort’s Second Tenure as Civiel en Militair Gouverneur is significant in the documentary record of ATJEH ‘96 — Tweede Deel as the administrative period which characterised the second semester of 1896. Under Stemfoort’s command, the Dutch extended their effective control from the geconcentreerde linie (concentrated line) into the XXVI Moekims, XXII Moekims, IV Moekims (Kroeng-Raba / Lok-Nga), and the Selimoen highlands; introduced the pasenstelsel for the regulation of movement; and undertook the most ambitious operations of the second semester — the first Selimoen expedition, the capture of Kota Ba Teuē, and the second Selimoen expedition. Stemfoort’s second tenure was thus the bridge between the immediate crisis of the Umar defection and the appointment of Van Heutsz as Civiel en Militair Gouverneur in 1898 — the slow, methodical pacificatie (pacification) of the second semester of 1896 which prepared the ground for the decisive korte oorlog phase.

See Also

Source

ATJEH ‘96. Tweede Deel (2c Deel), door A. Kruisheer, Kapitein der Infanterie O.I.L., met 3 kaarten en 6 portretten (Weltevreden: N.V. Boekhandel Visser & Co, 1913). Instituut Kern, Leiden. OCR-filename: 20260715_163243_DLP-90-Atjeh_96_DLP-89-Atjeh_96_Met_3_kaarten_en_6_DOORA_KRUISHEER_Kapiteinder_Infanterie_nemoretriever-ocr-v1_OCR.txt., pp. 7–9, 11–145.

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