Kroeng Kali

Kroeng Kali — Krueng Kali — is a river in the XXVI Moekims of Groot-Atjeh that flows recht noordwaarts (straight northward) some two hundred metres west of the Atjehnese fortification of Kaloet. The river is named in the Atjeh-Album of 1896 as the site of the night-patrol of Lieutenant Brant on the night of 22-23 August 1892 — the patrol that established the topographical knowledge that would inform the subsequent reconnaissance of 23 August 1892 — and as the site of the excursie (reconnaissance) of 4 May 1896 on which Lieutenant Krohne was mortally wounded. As described in Kruisheer’s ATJEH ‘96, the name Kroeng-Kali is also borne by a kampong and river in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb of T. Tjoet Toengkoeb — the site of the house of the territorial chief, a series of fortifications, and the principal Achehnese stelling east of Kroeng-Kali; the two localities share a name but lie in different sagi.

The 1892 night-patrol (XXVI Moekims)

The Atjeh-Album of 1896 records that the Kroeng Kali — die een paar honderd meter westwaarts langs Kaloet, en recht noordwaarts stroomt (which flows a couple of hundred metres westward along Kaloet, and straight northward) — was the site of the night-patrol of Lieutenant Brant of the maréchaussée on the night of 22-23 August 1892. The patrol — a detachement maréchaussées — lay in ambush in the dry bed of the river — in eene der versterkingen in de bedding van het riviertje de Kroeng Kali (in one of the fortifications in the bed of the riverlet the Kroeng Kali) — with the intention of catching the Atjehnese garrison of Kaloet as they came in the morning. The river was dikwijels … droog; zoo ook toen (often dry; so also then), which allowed the patrol to occupy its bed. The Atjehnese garrison, however, versliepen zich (overslept), and the patrol had to return to Lamreng at 7 a.m. without having caught anyone.

The 1896 reconnaissance (XXVI Moekims)

The Atjeh-Album records that the Kroeng Kali was also the site of the excursie (reconnaissance) of 4 May 1896 on which Lieutenant Krohne was mortally wounded. The album’s roll of the fallen gives Krohne’s date of death as 4 May 1896 and records that he was gewond op 4 Mei bij eene excursie naar Kroeng Kali (XXVI Moekims) — wounded on 4 May during an excursion to Kroeng Kali (XXVI Moekims) — and that he denzelfden dag tengevolge van deze verwonding overleed (died the same day in consequence of this wound). The reconnaissance was undertaken in the period between the relief of Biloel and Lamkoenjit of 9 April 9 April 1896 and the storming of Lampisang of 23 May 23 May 1896.

Significance (XXVI Moekims)

The Kroeng Kali’s significance in the documentary record of the Atjeh-oorlog is as the site of two of the principal documented engagements of the late concentratie period — the night-patrol of Lieutenant Brant of 22-23 August 1892, and the reconnaissance of 4 May 1896 on which Lieutenant Krohne was mortally wounded. The river’s droog (dry) bed was the principal route by which the Dutch patrols approached the Kaloet fortification in the 1892 operations, and its situation in the XXVI Moekims — the northernmost of the three sagis of Groot-Atjeh — places it as one of the principal operational centres of the late concentratie period.

Kroeng-Kali in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb (ATJEH ‘96 account)

As described in Kruisheer’s ATJEH ‘96, a separate Kroeng-Kali — also written Kroeng Kali, Kr. Kali — was a kampong and river in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb of T. Tjoet Toengkoeb, the site of the house of the territorial chief, a series of fortifications, and the principal Achehnese stelling east of Kroeng-Kali. As described in ATJEH ‘96, Kroeng-Kali was the site of a cavalerie charge on 4 May 1896 and of the four-way intersection at which 1e luit. Krohne was mortally wounded on the same day. The old fort of Kroeng-Kali — a square redoubt of 15 metres side, walls 1.5 metres high, with a small swivel cannon — was stormed on 23 June 1896 by the compagnie of Kapitein Linck of the 12e Bataljon, with 2nd Lt. Heyligers first inside; the benteng (fortification) was destroyed. The Achehnese stelling east of Kroeng-Kali (partly belonging to the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb) was a complex of six versterkingen (fortifications) known as the Glé Broeë stelling.

Description and Location (XIII Moekims Toengkoeb)

Kroeng-Kali lay in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb of T. Tjoet Toengkoeb, to the south of the kampong of Toengkoeb and to the east of the mountain wall at whose edge Habib Lengkong’s fort stood. The kampong was the site of the house of the hoeloebalang T. Tjoet Toengkoeb and of a series of versterkingen. The old fort of Kroeng-Kali was a square redoubt of 15 metres side, with walls 1.5 metres high and 0.75 metres thick, a 4-metre-wide bamboo-thorn palisade, lodging for approximately 40 men, and a small swivel cannon. The four-way intersection at Kroeng-Kali was the principal crossroads of the area. The Achehnese stelling east of Kroeng-Kali (the Glé Broeë stelling) was a complex of six versterkingen: Koeta Lampoe Taroem, Toei Gloempang, Glé Broeë Siem, Boeng, Koeta Lampoe Djoeng, and Teungkoe Ba+ Riwat. The stelling of Tjot Karieng (Tjat Karieng) to the east of Kroeng-Kali and the southern part of the III Moekims Lam-Rebo stelling were also associated.

Historical Background (XIII Moekims Toengkoeb)

Kroeng-Kali had been the seat of the hoeloebalang T. Tjoet Toengkoeb throughout the Atjeh-oorlog. The kampong had been fortified with an old square redoubt and a series of versterkingen, and had been a persistent obstacle to Dutch operations in the eastern theatre. The Achehnese stelling east of Kroeng-Kali — the Glé Broeë stelling of six versterkingen — had been built up over years and was a complex of old and new fortifications. After the defection of 29 March 1896 T. Tjoet Toengkoeb aligned himself with Umar, and Kroeng-Kali became a base for hostile benden (war-bands) operating against the buitenposten of the eastern linie.

Role in the 1896 Operations (XIII Moekims Toengkoeb)

Kroeng-Kali was the scene of repeated Dutch operations throughout the first semester of 1896. On 4 May 1896 the second expedition to the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb under Van Heutsz advanced against the stelling east of Kroeng-Kali: a cavalerie charge was conducted near the kampong, and 1e luit. Krohne was mortally wounded at the four-way intersection. On 17 June 1896 the tuchtiging of the V Moekims Montassik included the storming of the benteng of Kroeng-Kali by the compagnie of Kapitein Linck of the 12e Bataljon; the benteng was a square redoubt of 15 metres side with walls 1.5 metres high and a small swivel cannon, and was destroyed by the 12e compagnie. On 23 June 1896 the battle of Kroeng-Kali was fought: the compagnie of Kapitein Linck stormed the old benteng of Kroeng-Kali, with 2nd Lt. Heyligers first inside; the benteng was destroyed. T. Tjoet Toengkoeb and Panglima Nja Makam were attacked and retreated to Lam-Tobah. On 22 June 1896 a maréchaussée column crossed Glé Taroempas and descended into the valley of Beradin from the east, in the course of which the Achehnese stelling east of Kroeng-Kali — the Glé Broeë stelling — was attacked by the Hansen column from the rear via Ladoeng.

Significance (XIII Moekims Toengkoeb)

Kroeng-Kali was the principal Achehnese strongpoint in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb and the seat of the hoeloebalang T. Tjoet Toengkoeb. Its benteng — a square redoubt of 15 metres side with walls 1.5 metres high and a lilla (small swivel cannon) — was the most-formidable single Achehnese fortification in the eastern theatre, and its repeated storming on 17 June 1896 and 23 June 1896 demonstrated the Dutch determination to break the eastern bastion of Achehnese resistance. The mortal wounding of 1e luit. Krohne at the viersprong (four-way intersection) on 4 May 1896 was one of the most-noted Dutch losses of the period.

Account in Hooijer’s De verlaten posten in Groot-Atjeh (1897)

Kroeng Kali was an Achehnese benteng and Dutch post at the north-eastern end of the kampong (village) chain of which Toengkoeb formed the opposite extremity, in the XXVI Moekims of Groot-Atjeh, occupied by the Dutch at the demand of Toekoe Tjoet in October 1893, relieved by the 3rd battalion under Overste Sievers, and evacuated again in January 1894.

Situation and earlier history

Hooijer described the ground as one on which a fatum seemed to lie. Through it the road had formerly been laid that ran from Lamjong in the geconcentreerde linie by way of Toengkoeb, Messigit Siem and Kroeng Kali to the foot of the bare hill country bounding the Atjeh valley on the east. The column that in 1880 had to penetrate the northern part of the XXVI Moekims met strong resistance there and could approach and burn the kampongs (villages) of Siem and Kroeng Kali only after two days of fighting. When the population that had fled returned after some time, the head appointed over it by the Dutch was murdered by Toekoe Nja Hassan.

The post that General van der Heijden had caused to be erected at Kroeng Kali remained a thorn in the enemy’s eye, and proved so great a point of attraction for the ill-disposed that the new governor resolved to slight its walls and withdraw the garrison from that advanced position.

Re-occupation of 1893

Toekoe Tjoet demanded that Kroeng Kali be occupied by the Dutch before he would render help to Toekoe Nja Banta; when that was about to be granted on condition that he erect a watch-post on a neighbouring hill, he was negligent in that too, and when Dutch soldiers appeared before Kroeng Kali on 6 October 1893 the hill was still unoccupied. Hooijer judged that by yielding to the request of the man who was afterwards banished the Dutch hadden wij ons in een wespennest gestoken — had thrust themselves into a wasps’ nest — for the benteng shown on the plate was indeed surrounded by the enemy on every side.

The relief operation

The 3rd battalion under Overste Sievers advanced to relieve it and to try to drive the enemy from three positions on the connecting road with Toengkoeb. The defenders resisted so obstinately that on the first day only two positions could be taken, one of them the Messigit Siem, where Luitenant Weyerman and three men fell and two officers and fifty men were wounded. The third position was evacuated by the enemy during the following night. On 21 October 1893 Toekoe Djohan appeared with a hundred fighters to take over Masdjid Siem and to quarter his men in the benteng of Toekoe Tjoet near Kroeng Kali.

Description of the benteng

Hooijer used the plate of the northern bastion of Toekoe Tjoet’s benteng to describe Achehnese fortification generally. Such works, he wrote, bore little resemblance to European fortifications: the latter lay on the ground as mathematical figures without a picturesque point, without the shadow of high trees, without weathered edges; whereas in the Achehnese fortifications all was filth and half-darkness beneath a dense roof of leaves. The walls, revetted upright with stone on the inner side, were unrecognisable from outside behind a broad girdle of slender bamboe doeri stems, whose hundreds of whipping twigs were set with hooked thorns and closed every approach better than the best wire entanglement.

In the south-western bastion lay the water-well, and on that side a passage had been dug behind the wall, covered above against falling shells by coconut trunks and a thick layer of earth and sods. Under that cover one could descend into the passage from a little house built against it — beside which lay a few smoorkuilen (smothering-pits) for smothering Dutch explosive projectiles — unhindered by Dutch fire. Five other large huts served as dwellings for the garrison. Only along a narrow passage winding through the broad bamboe doeri hedge and leading over a ditch could one penetrate to the front of the great bastion; and to reach the entrance of the benteng itself, covered by a traverse (traverse (blast wall)), one had to follow the narrow passage between the bamboe doeri hedge and half the eastern wall. How difficult such small strongholds were to capture — usually discovered only when one stood close before them, and then only by the bullets whizzing out of an opaque green curtain of bamboo leaves — needed, Hooijer wrote, no further demonstration.

Evacuation

After Toekoe Djohan’s men took over, it remained quiet. The returned population showed itself so well disposed and so sufficiently a match for the Moslemin that in January 1894 it was judged unnecessary to keep Kroeng Kali occupied any longer. Hooijer considered that evacuation fortunate: had this advanced post too been invested by the population that immediately took Toekoe Oemar’s side when he declared against the Dutch, a relief undertaken in the circumstances then prevailing would certainly have cost many a drop of blood.

Sources

Atjeh-Album van Eigen Haard, uitgave van de N.V. Het Tijdschrift “Eigen Haard”, Amsterdam, 1896, pp. 28, 30 (De Poeassa; De Strijd om Kaloet — Eene herinnering uit den Atjeh-oorlog).

ATJEH ‘96, door A. Kruisheer, Kapitein der Infanterie O.I.L., met 2 kaarten en 4 portretten (Weltevreden: N.V. Boekhandel Visser & Co, 1913). Instituut Kern, Leiden. OCR-filename: 20260715_163243_DLP-89-Atjeh_96_Met_2_kaarten_en4_DOORA_KRUISHEER_Kapiteinder_Infanterie_nemoretriever-ocr-v1_OCR.txt, pp. 146, 159, 162–164, 310, 313–317, 322, 326–328, 596.

De verlaten posten in Groot-Atjeh, door G. B. Hooijer, Gep. Luit.-Kolonel O. I. Leger, met 24 platen (Haarlem: De Erven F. Bohn; Batavia: G. Kolff & Co., 1897). Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen, Centrale Boekerij, Amsterdam. OCR-filename: 20260719_140140_DLP-134-De_verlaten_posten_in_Groot_Atjeh_Nemotron-OCR-v2_OCR.txt, pp. 24, 26, 30, 32, 34, 36.

Acknowledgement of sources. This article is a single consolidated account combining the material previously held in this entry with the account given in De verlaten posten in Groot-Atjeh (1897) by G. B. Hooijer. Dutch terminology has been rendered in English, the original Dutch being retained only in direct quotations and in bibliographic citations.

tags	place, river, aceh, xxvi-moekims, groot-atjeh, 1892, kaloet, 1896, reconnaissance, krohne, xiii-moekims-toengkoeb, achehnese, aceh-war, military, military-post, benteng, colonial
aliases	Krueng Kali, Krueng Kali (XXVI Moekims), the river Kroeng Kali, Kroeng-Kali, Kr. Kali, Kroerg Kali, Krocng Kali, post Kroeng Kali, benteng van Toekoe Tjoet te Kroeng Kali

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