Lam-Asan — written in Dutch as also Lam Asan, Lam Asam — was a major kampong in the IV Moekims of Teuku Umar, forming the centre of the fighting on 23 May 1896 and attacked and taken by the 9e and 7e Bataljons. As described in Kruisheer’s ATJEH ‘96, Lam-Asan was the site of three principal fortifications — Binasa Belang in the northern rand, Binasa Ketapang in the south-eastern abandoned section, and Balei Ba’ Mó to the east (occupied by Pa Karim) — and was the centre of Umar’s defensive stelling on the right bank of the [stelling]. Lam-Asan was razed (geraseerd) from 30 May to 2 June 1896 by 800 forced labourers, 400 Chinese coolies, and engineer troops under the protection of multiple bataljons.
Description and Location
Lam-Asan lay in the IV Moekims of Teuku Umar between the kampong of Lam-Pisang on the south-east and the kampong of Lam-Loempoer on the north-west. The kampong was the centre of Umar’s defensive stelling on the right wing of his line, with three principal versterkingen: Binasa Belang in the northern rand of the abandoned Lam-Asan, Binasa Ketapang in the south-eastern the end-point of the right wing, and also Balei Ba Mó to the east, occupied by Pa Karim. The kampong was connected by communication trenches to the neighbouring versterkingen of Pakan Badak (where Umar had his house and a bivak), Paja Trieng, and Lam-Pisang. The kampong was bounded on the south by the road toward Pasar Oleh-Gli and on the north by the heights of Bt. Seboen.
Historical Background
Lam-Asan had been part of Teuku Umar’s territory throughout his period as Panglima Prang Besar (1893–1896). The kampong was integrated into Umar’s elaborate defensive stelling across the IV en VI Moekims, which was divided into a left wing (from the sea-strand to the centre), a centre (from binasa Lam Mé to Balei Ba’ Mó), and a right wing (from Binasa Ketapang to Boekit Kesoemba). The Binasa versterkingen — a name meaning “destruction” or “ruin” — were the principal strongpoints of Umar’s right wing. The kampong had been fortified with three successive lines of versterkingen and trenches over the years before 1896.
Role in the 1896 Operations
Lam-Asan was the centre of the fighting on 23 May 1896. The 9e Bataljon under luit.-kol. Veeren attacked Lam-Asan in one continuous attack; the 1e compagnie (kapitein H. T. de Moulin) hit the breastwork behind the Kroeng Ateuh, and the kampong was taken by the 9e and 7e Bataljons. The 2de luit. W. A. Engelbrecht distinguished himself in the attack. After the capture of Lam-Pisang on 24 May 1896 the 5e Bataljon established a bivak at Pakan Badak near Lam-Asan. From 30 May to 2 June 1896 the razing of Lam-Asan was carried out by 800 forced labourers, 400 Chinese coolies, and engineer troops under the protection of multiple bataljons, including the 12e and 14e Bataljons. The razing was the largest single engineering operation of the first semester of 1896 and was intended to deny the kampong to any future Achehnese reoccupation. The Binasa versterkingen were demolished and the kampong reduced to ruins.
Significance
Lam-Asan was the centre of Teuku Umar’s defensive stelling on the right wing and the principal object of the three-day offensive of 23 May 1896. The razing of 30 May – 2 June 1896 was the largest single act of chastisement of the first semester of 1896 and demonstrated the new Dutch policy of destroying hostile kampongs rather than simply occupying them.
See Also
- Three-day Dutch offensive of 23–25 May 1896
- Razing of Lam-Asan (30 May – 2 June 1896)
- Binasa
- J. F. Th. Veeren
- W. A. Engelbrecht
- H. T. de Moulin
- Lam-Pisang
- Pakan Badak
- Pasar Oleh-Gli
- IV en VI Moekims
- 1896
Source
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. 144, 179, 181, 201–203, 227–230.