F. N. Nieuwenhuysen

Properties2
tagsperson, commissioner, dutch, colonial, administrator, aceh-war, colonial-administrator, 1873, atjeh-oorlog, diplomacy, official, atjeh, raad-van-indie
aliasesNieuwenhuysen, Nieuwenhuizen, Vice-president Nieuwenhuysen, F.N. Nieuwenhuysen, F. N. Nieuwenhuyzen, Nieuwenhuyzen, Vice-President Nieuwenhuyzen, Regeeringscommissaris Nieuwenhuyzen, T. N. Nieuwenhuyzen, Nieuwenhuizen (Vice-President van den Raad van Indië), Vice-President Nieuwenhuizen, Nieuwenhuizen Raad van Indië, Nieuwenhuizen Atjeh 1873, Commissaris Nieuwenhuizen

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F. N. Nieuwenhuysen — the source work also spells the name Nieuwenhuizen — was the vice-president of the Raad van Nederlandsch-Indië appointed by Governor-General Loudon as government commissioner to the first Aceh expedition of April 1873. He arrived at the roadstead of Atjeh with the expedition on 5 April 1873, conducted the final negotiations with the sultan by letter, issued the manifesto of war, and — after the death of General Köhler on 14 April — advised the Governor-General by telegram on 14 April of the unexpected resistance and requested reinforcements. He played a key part in the council of war of 18 April that decided on withdrawal.

Background and Appointment

Nieuwenhuysen held the office of vice-president of the Raad van Nederlandsch-Indië, the highest advisory council of the Indies government. On 21 February 1873, when the decision to dispatch an expedition was taken in an extraordinary meeting of the Raad with the commanders of land and sea forces, he was appointed commissioner: “To commissioner was designated the vice-president of the Raad van Nederlandsch-Indië, F. N. Nieuwenhuysen; the command of the land force to be sent to Atjeh was entrusted to the major-general J. H. R. Köhler, that of the sea force to the captain-ter-sea J. F. Koopman, and the former was at the same time appointed supreme commander of the expedition.” He departed from Batavia on 1 March 1873.

Negotiations with the Sultan

At Singapore and Penang he learned that the Acehnese were fully aware of Dutch intentions and ready for the war. He asked for and obtained authority, outside his instructions, “after eventual declaration of war, immediately to cause the four warships at his disposal to make a bombardment, in order perhaps still by intimidation to obtain what was wished, and, in any case, to hamper the enemy in his preparations for serious resistance.” On 22 March [1873], after arrival at the roadstead of Atjeh, a Malay, Said Tahir, was sent to the sultan with a letter. When the sultan’s answer did not give the requested clarification, a second letter was sent on 24 March. When this too was not sufficiently answered, Nieuwenhuysen proceeded to the declaration of war, for which a manifesto was issued and sent to the sultan. When the sultan on 27 March requested an extension to 29 March, this was granted once more on condition that the armed people left the beach and ceased work on the fortifications. As this condition was not met, the guns of the warships themselves had to make an end to the work. Further letters of 30 March and 1 April from the sultan were equally without the requested categorical answer. Nieuwenhuysen now broke off the negotiations, to leave the word to the weapons.

After Köhler’s Death

After the death of General Köhler on 14 April 1873 and the unexpected resistance encountered, the government commissioner had already telegraphed the Governor-General on 14 April to request reinforcements. Immediately after the return to the beach bivouac a meeting took place of the supreme commander and the chief of staff with the commander of the sea force and the government commissioner. “It was agreed that for the moment a continuation of the expedition was not to be thought of; and that the season would prevent the sending of sufficient reinforcements. There was a difference of opinion on the necessity of causing the whole expedition to return to Java. The government commissioner considered that step very detrimental to our prestige and to the later continuation, although he could not deny that the present position was untenable.”

The Decision to Withdraw

The decision was left to the Indies government. On 20 April the Governor-General convened an extraordinary meeting of the Raad of Nederlandsch-Indië with the commanders of land and sea forces and Major-general Verspyck, who had been designated as Köhler’s successor. Although Verspyck declared himself ready to depart for Atjeh at once, the vice-admiral’s opinion that communication between roadstead and beach could not be maintained in the bad season prevailed. The Governor-General authorised the expeditionary force to return immediately, with the firm intention of resuming the campaign in the favourable season. The fleet left the roadstead of Atjeh on 29 April 1873.

Sources

Atjèh. Algemeen samenvattend overzicht van land en volk van Atjèh en onderhoorigheden, door J. Kreemer, Archivaris van het Atjèh Instituut. Eerste Deel. Leiden: N.V. Boekhandel en Drukkerij voorheen E.J. Brill, 1922. Hoofdstuk I, B (“Periode 1824—1873. Oorzaken van den Atjèh-oorlog”), blz. 13–14.

Verslag van het verhandelde in de vergaderingen der Tweede Kamer in comité-général van 16, 17, 18 en 20 April 1874: Oorlog met Atjeh, gedrukt ter Algemene Landsdrukkerij van het Koloniaal Instituut (1881), pp. 9–15, 19–25. Het Land van Jan Pieterszoon Coen, door Dr. W. A. Terwogt (Hoorn: P. Geerts, [1891]). Hoofdstuk XIII: “De Vice-President van den Raad van Indië, Nieuwenhuizen, werd tot Commissaris benoemd en met vier oorlogsschepen naar Atjeh gezonden… Den 22sten Maart 1873 kwam Nieuwenhuizen ter reede van Atjeh… Hierop volgde de oorlogsverklaring op 26 Maart.”

See Also

Source

De geschiedenis van Nederland in onzen tijd, by J. A. de Bruyne, Directeur der Hoogere Burgerschool te Zierikzee. Deel IV. 1872-1883. Nieuwe uitgave. Schiedam: J. F. Dupont, 1912, Hoofdstuk I, pp. 11-19.

F. N. Nieuwenhuysen — the source work also spells the name Nieuwenhuizen — was the vice-president of the Raad van Nederlandsch-Indië appointed by Governor-General Loudon as government commissioner to the first Aceh expedition of April 1873. He arrived at the roadstead of Atjeh with the expedition on 5 April 1873, conducted the final negotiations with the sultan by letter, issued the manifesto of war, and — after the death of General Köhler on 14 April — advised the Governor-General by telegram on 14 April of the unexpected resistance and requested reinforcements. He played a key part in the council of war of 18 April that decided on withdrawal.

Background and Appointment

Nieuwenhuysen held the office of vice-president of the Raad van Nederlandsch-Indië, the highest advisory council of the Indies government. On 21 February 1873, when the decision to dispatch an expedition was taken in an extraordinary meeting of the Raad with the commanders of land and sea forces, he was appointed commissioner: “To commissioner was designated the vice-president of the Raad van Nederlandsch-Indië, F. N. Nieuwenhuysen; the command of the land force to be sent to Atjeh was entrusted to the major-general J. H. R. Köhler, that of the sea force to the captain-ter-sea J. F. Koopman, and the former was at the same time appointed supreme commander of the expedition.” He departed from Batavia on 1 March 1873.

Negotiations with the Sultan

At Singapore and Penang he learned that the Acehnese were fully aware of Dutch intentions and ready for the war. He asked for and obtained authority, outside his instructions, “after eventual declaration of war, immediately to cause the four warships at his disposal to make a bombardment, in order perhaps still by intimidation to obtain what was wished, and, in any case, to hamper the enemy in his preparations for serious resistance.” On 22 March [1873], after arrival at the roadstead of Atjeh, a Malay, Said Tahir, was sent to the sultan with a letter. When the sultan’s answer did not give the requested clarification, a second letter was sent on 24 March. When this too was not sufficiently answered, Nieuwenhuysen proceeded to the declaration of war, for which a manifesto was issued and sent to the sultan. When the sultan on 27 March requested an extension to 29 March, this was granted once more on condition that the armed people left the beach and ceased work on the fortifications. As this condition was not met, the guns of the warships themselves had to make an end to the work. Further letters of 30 March and 1 April from the sultan were equally without the requested categorical answer. Nieuwenhuysen now broke off the negotiations, to leave the word to the weapons.

After Köhler’s Death

After the death of General Köhler on 14 April 1873 and the unexpected resistance encountered, the government commissioner had already telegraphed the Governor-General on 14 April to request reinforcements. Immediately after the return to the beach bivouac a meeting took place of the supreme commander and the chief of staff with the commander of the sea force and the government commissioner. “It was agreed that for the moment a continuation of the expedition was not to be thought of; and that the season would prevent the sending of sufficient reinforcements. There was a difference of opinion on the necessity of causing the whole expedition to return to Java. The government commissioner considered that step very detrimental to our prestige and to the later continuation, although he could not deny that the present position was untenable.”

The Decision to Withdraw

The decision was left to the Indies government. On 20 April the Governor-General convened an extraordinary meeting of the Raad of Nederlandsch-Indië with the commanders of land and sea forces and Major-general Verspyck, who had been designated as Köhler’s successor. Although Verspyck declared himself ready to depart for Atjeh at once, the vice-admiral’s opinion that communication between roadstead and beach could not be maintained in the bad season prevailed. The Governor-General authorised the expeditionary force to return immediately, with the firm intention of resuming the campaign in the favourable season. The fleet left the roadstead of Atjeh on 29 April 1873.

See Also

Source

De geschiedenis van Nederland in onzen tijd, by J. A. de Bruyne, Directeur der Hoogere Burgerschool te Zierikzee. Deel IV. 1872-1883. Nieuwe uitgave. Schiedam: J. F. Dupont, 1912, Hoofdstuk I, pp. 11-19.

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