Von Lübtow was a Dutch captain (kapitein) of the Indies army who, in the second storming of the kampong Batoe Iliq in the Batoe Iliq expedition of July 1880, commanded the outflanking company — a company of the 3de Garnizoensbataljon — and with it performed the only unqualified tactical success of the operations. His exploit, and the order that recalled him from the position he had won, form the core of the tactical criticism of Coblijn in Hoe Atjeh te onderwerpen.
The outflanking movement of 22 July 1880
In the attack disposition of 22 July 1880 Von Lübtow was designated to make an omtrekking (outflanking movement) with his company around the fortified kampong. He took the heights adjoining Batoe Iliq and drove the enemy from a breastwork; from the hills, which dominated the kampong at about 150 metres, the position of the defence was turned. In the same action 2e luitenant T. P. J. Berg carried a fortification whose rear stood open, and 1e luitenant-adjudant A. G. Populier, reconnoitring the terrain further, discovered another benting south-east of Batoe Iliq which dominated it, and which was taken by a section under 1e luitenant J. E. J. den Berger. Von Lübtow drew his company together in the hills, understanding that he must hold out there because he had a part — the enemy’s flight being cut off — in the battle still intended, and he remained in position overnight in expectation of a renewed attack on the 23rd.
The recall
During the night Von Lübtow sent the dwangarbeider (forced labourer) who had guided him back to the bivak, to bring the commander of the expeditionary column, majoor Schmilau, up to date with his situation. If the occupied point was to be held, however, the whole column had to be moved forward, and the majoor instead ordered the company to return. Coblijn condemned the decision: knowing that outflanking was very well possible — kapitein Von Lübtow, he wrote, could have given most valuable information on the point — the leadership ought not to have thrown away the success that had been gained; the proper course, once the heights were held, was to bring the entire force around. Scherer’s later visit to the spot, recorded by Coblijn, confirmed that the kampong would have been taken at once from that side.
See Also
- Batoe Iliq Expedition (July 1880)
- Batoe Iliq
- T. P. J. Berg
- J. E. J. den Berger
- A. G. Popelier
- 3de Garnizoensbataljon
- Hoe Atjeh te onderwerpen (Coblijn, 1893)
- Aceh War
- 1880
Source
Hoe Atjeh te onderwerpen, door W. A. Coblijn, gepensionneerd Kolonel van het Oost-Indisch Leger (‘s-Gravenhage: De Gebroeders van Cleef, 1893), pp. 109–112. OCR-filename: 20260716_140310_DLP-100-Hoe_Atjeh_te_onderwerpen_Nemotron-OCR-v2_OCR.txt.