The Kroeng Tjoet (Krueng Cut) is the river on the north coast of Groot-Atjeh flowing into the lagune of Gigieng, which served throughout the war as the major contraband supply channel giving the Atjehneezen of the XXVI Moekims access to arms, buskruit and levensmiddelen imported from Penang and Singapore. Its closure was a principal strategic object of the Dutch from 1874 onward, but the channel was not finally closed until 1876.
The contraband channel
The Atjehnees resistance east of the Kraton depended on a steady flow of imported arms and ammunition through the north-coast lagune of Gigieng, whose mouth at Kwala Gigieng was sheltered from the seaward blockade by the configuration of the coast. Boats could enter the lagune from the sea, pass up the Kroeng Tjoet, and discharge their cargoes at points within easy reach of the XXVI Moekims and the eastern approaches to the Kraton. The Dutch post at Moesapi — armed with two 12 c.M. voorlaadkanonnen — was supposed to cover the lagune and the Kroeng Tjoet, but its disadvantageous position meant it could not stop boats entering the river. The Kroeng Tjoet was therefore a constant preoccupation of generaal Pel’s planning; his great afsluitingslinie from the mouth of the Kroeng Raba on the west coast to the mouth of the Kroeng Raya on the north coast was designed precisely to isolate Atjeh from such supply channels.
Closure in 1876
The Kroeng Tjoet was finally closed by the Dutch in 1876 in the wake of Pel’s great winter offensive of 1875–1876. On 23 February 1876 Pel’s march northward from Pango reached Tongah on the linker-oever (left bank) of the Kroeng Tjoet; the bivouac was pitched at Lamjoeng between Tongah and Silang on the far side of the river. Pel died at Lamjoeng in the night of 24 February 1876 of a slagaderbreuk (ruptured artery). Lt.-kol. Engel, who had arrived at Lamjoeng with the 9de bataljon to reinforce the ageerende troepen, assumed tijdelijk oppergezag as oudste hoofdofficier and continued the march via Tjade to the Kwala Gigieng, which was reached on 26 February 1876. Posts were established at Kwala Gigieng and on the island of Kota Pohama in the lagune, completely sealing the gemeenschap between sea and mouth of the Kroeng Tjoet.
See Also
- Kwala Gigieng
- Moesapi
- Kota Pohama
- XXVI Moekims
- Tongah
- Lamjoeng
- Luitenant-kolonel Engel
- Generaal Pel
- Pel’s offensive against the VI, IV and IX Moekims (1875–1876)
- Death of Generaal Pel (24 February 1876)
- Kroeng
Source
Onze vestiging in Atjeh, critisch beschreven, by G. F. W. Borel, Kapitein der Artillerie. ‘s-Gravenhage: D. A. Thieme, 1878. pp. 176, 263, 322–325, 336, 342–344.