The Marine-benteng was the small Dutch fort on the right bank of the Atjeh-rivier, about half-way between the mouth at Kwala Atjeh and the bivouak at Penajoeng, garrisoned by the compagnie mariniers and forming with the bivouak and the river-mouth one of the early fixed points of the Dutch perimeter on the right bank. After the fall of the Kraton van Swieten ordered improvements to the marine-benteng, the vierkante gehastionneerde redoute at Penajoeng, and the conversion of the captured Kraton into the Dutch hoofdplaats — all part of his werken met schop en spade (“working with spade and shovel”) programme of February 1874.
Function
The Marine-benteng’s purpose was to keep the lower Atjeh-rivier open for the prauwen and stoombootjes that brought heavy stores from the roadstead at Kwala Atjeh up to Penajoeng and the Kraton. Its guns enfiladed the river and the adjacent right bank; its garrison could sally against any enemy attempting to verschansen (entrench) along the river. On 21 May 1874 the Dutch learned that the Atjehneezen were working between Penajoeng and the Marine-benteng precisely to render the vaart on the river unsafe; the Marine-benteng’s role in frustrating this attempt was critical. The waterweg via the Soengei Aroesan — at this point still controlled by the Marine-benteng — was, in Borel’s phrase, “geruimen tijd voor ons van onschatbare waarde,” carrying almost all vivres, munitie, geschut, and bouwmaterialen.
Attacks and aftermath
The Marine-benteng was repeatedly threatened through the spring of 1874. On 15 June 1874 the Dutch waterprauw was fired on between the Marine-benteng and Penajoeng by Atjehneezen concealed in the brush on the right bank; the sailors saved themselves only by rowing with all their might, and many bullets pierced the prauw. It was the first sign that river navigation was becoming unsafe. After kolonel Pel took command in late April 1874 the Marine-benteng was strengthened, and the conquest of Langkroek of 28 September 1874 finally cleared the right bank below Penajoeng of enemy positions. With the Pedir-dijk later garrisoned and the post at Lamara established beyond the dike, the Marine-benteng became a quiet link in the river-defence chain of the stelling-Pel.
See Also
- Atjeh-rivier
- Kwala Atjeh
- Penajoeng
- Lamara
- Compagnie mariniers in Atjeh
- Stelling-Pel
- Conquest of Langkroek (28 September 1874)
- Jan van Swieten
Source
Onze vestiging in Atjeh, critisch beschreven, by G. F. W. Borel, Kapitein der Artillerie. ‘s-Gravenhage: D. A. Thieme, 1878. pp. 58, 65, 92, 95–96, 112, 121–122, 125, 141, 152, 165.