J. van Gogh was a captain-lieutenant at sea (kapitein-ter-zee) who commanded the Dutch naval forces during the Second Expedition and the blockade of the Aceh coast. He had previously been at Atjeh and was summoned to Batavia at Van Swieten’s request to provide local knowledge for the planning of the expedition. His command of the naval forces — consisting of a steam frigate, seventeen steamers, and twelve steam launches of the war navy, seven government steamers, two armed launches, and a total of 181 guns — was crucial to the success of the landing, the river operations, and the coastal bombardments.
Role in the Planning
At Van Swieten’s request, Captain Van Gogh had come from Atjeh to Batavia in October 1873 to confer about various matters related to the landing and other operational details. His intimate knowledge of the Atjeh coast and the prevailing conditions was invaluable in the final planning of the expedition.
Naval Operations
During the Second Expedition, Van Gogh’s naval forces played a critical role:
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Support of the landing: The warships provided fire support and transport for the landing at Kwala Loë on 9 December 1873.
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River operations: The naval steamers and launches operated on the Atjeh river, supporting the army’s advance and maintaining communications.
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Coastal bombardments: The squadron conducted bombardments of the coastal fortifications, including the bombardment of the VI Moekims.
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Blockade enforcement: The naval forces maintained the blockade of the Aceh coast, intercepting ships and preventing the importation of arms and ammunition.
Van Swieten’s Tribute
In his farewell address of 20 April 1874, Van Swieten paid special tribute to the navy:
“I shall not presume to enter into particulars thereof, which belongs more to the competence of her worthy Commander. But this I can and must say, that the performances of the navy have in every respect been for our operations an indispensable, a not-to-be-dispensed-with aid, without which our striving and our efforts would have been fruitless.”
The naval forces also provided a landing division of 35 officers and 829 men, which could be employed on shore when needed, though — at the express requirement of the Minister of Marine — their services could not be required beyond the beaches.
See Also
- Second Aceh Expedition (1873-1874)
- Blokkade van Atjeh
- Bombardment of VI Moekims
- Jan van Swieten
- Atjeh River
- Aceh War
Source
De waarheid over onze vestiging in Atjeh, door den Luitenant-Generaal J. van Swieten, Zalt-Bommel, Joh. Noman en Zoon, [1879], pp. 49, 53, 381–416, 491.