J. J. Staat was a Dutch captain of engineers (Kapitein der Genie) in Atjeh in 1876, who reconnoitred — with Captain of the General Staff F. C. E. Meijer — the crossing of the Kroeëng Raba on 11 July 1876 and then supervised the first fortification work of the new post at the mouth of that river.
The reconnaissance of 11 July 1876
Before the encircling march against Toekoe Tjihiq Lamngga, a precise reconnaissance of the Kroeëng Raba was indispensable. Staat was one of the two officers charged with it, escorted by a company: from Pakan Bing across the brook at Anaq Paja to kampong Lamlom, then up the river. Near the kampong Raba they found the place shown on the map where a raft crossing was easy; and near Loeknga they found, and Staat himself with some soldiers tested, a one-metre foot-bridge — found already in January — that infantry could still use, before the exchange of shots with Atjehers hurrying to the left bank ended the reconnaissance and betrayed the troops’ presence.
The fortification of Kroeëng Raba
From 14 July Staat directed the fortification work at kampong Moesang at the river mouth — built almost wholly out of the materials of the kampong itself after the hired steamer Marion could land nothing through the surf of the bay. On 19 July he handed the direction over to First Lieutenant of Infantry H. W. Nijenhuis, who had arrived with engineering materials from Kota Radja; the palisade was up by that date, and by 28 July the work was reported fit to receive its garrison.
See Also
- Sweep of the IV and VI Moekims (8-15 July 1876)
- Kroeëng Raba
- H. W. Nijenhuis
- F. C. E. Meijer
- Atjeh van 26 December 1875 tot 4 September 1876
Source
Atjeh van 26 December 1875 tot 4 September 1876, door H. F. Meijer (Breda: P. B. Nieuwenhuijs, 1883), chapter VII, pp. 215–224.