Pango was an Atjehnees kampong in the III Moekims opposite the Dutch post at Blang Tjoet across the Atjeh-rivier, conquered by the Dutch on 13 February 1876 in Pel’s three-colonne operation against the III Moekims and afterwards designated the uiterste steunpunt (outermost strongpoint) of the new linie toward Kwala Gigieng. Its conquest was, however, overshadowed by the Atoeh catastrophe of the same day.
The conquest of 13 February 1876
Pel granted the troepen only a couple of days’ rest at K. Radja after the first part of his plan had been executed — the entire Sagie of the XXV Moekims was now in Dutch hands — before advancing in oostelijke richting with three colonnes against the III Moekims on 13 February 1876. The rechter-colonne (the 13de bataljon + part of the Barissans + one section artillery under majoor B. E. Mekern) marched stroomopwaarts along the left bank of the Atjeh-rivier. The midden-colonne (the 12de bataljon + the remainder of the Barissans + two sections artillery under majoor Jeltes) marched from Kota Alam along the right bank against Pango and the enemy-held Longbatta-Mesigit. The linker-colonne (the rechter halve bataljon + a section artillery under majoor Diepenheim) was to cover the flank. On 13 February 1876 Pango was conquered and a post opgericht.
The uiterste steunpunt
The same day saw the Atoeh catastrophe: kapitein van Swieten’s reinforcement detachment was massacred on the drassige sawah near Lamsajoen. Despite the catastrophe Pel pressed on. Meroe, Lampermej and Tjap Octoe were bemachtigd after hevigen tegenstand on 14–15 February 1876. At Tjap Octoe the troepen stuitten on a sterke benteng with artillery, krachtig verdedigd, only taken “met veel moeite en opoffering.” The losses were enough to make Pel decide not to push further eastward but to designate Pango as the uiterste steunpunt of the new linie toward Kwala Gigieng — judged voldoende. From Pango Pel marched northward on 22 February 1876 via Lamkapang, Loeëng Iek, Poeklat and Oeleh Karang to the kampong Pinang — found abandoned, “in den rug genomen” — and on to the Kroeng Tjoet and his death at Lamjoeng on 24 February 1876.
Role in the Geconcentreerde Stelling (1885)
Pango was one of the posts inside the geconcentreerde stelling (concentrated position) of 1885. The post existed before the concentration and was expected to be evacuated after the new Lampermej post on the right bank of the Atjeh-rivier was occupied on 27 July 1885. The Lampermej post assumed the function previously served by Pango, and its completion would allow for the final consolidation of the southern section of the perimeter.
Account from H. F. Meijer (1883) — the post and river crossing of Pango, 1876
Meijer gives Pango its use as the Dutch fortification at the well-known Atjehnese crossing of the Atjeh River on the right bank, built simultaneously with the post of Pagar-Ajer on the left bank opposite it in February 1876, and belonging, with Oleh Karang and Koewala Gigiëng, to the most advanced works of the XXVI Moekims. The terrain about the post was fairly high, consisting for the greater part of grass and of fields earlier used for the cultivation of sugar cane; a gierpont (flying ferry) over the river kept its communication with Pagar-Ajer — broken away once in the March flood — and all its provisions reached it by prauw along the river, convoyed till Pagar-Ajer and thence by forced-labourers, the only transport the enemy never harassed.
Pel designated Pango as the farthest supporting point of the new line towards Koewala Gigiëng. Its patrols were forbidden to cross to the enemy side further than the safety of the posts demanded, and its bread and meat were fouraged daily at Kota Alam — the fouraging path whereon fell, on 14 July, the worst Dutch reverse of the year: ten of twenty-two armed men of sergeant Ribbink’s detachment left dead and seven wounded by an ambush on the open fields halfway. Meijer’s June flood broke the chain of its gierpont and floated the ferry away at once.
See Also
- III Moekims
- Lampermej
- Geconcentreerde Stelling
- Concentration Decision of August 1884
- XXV Moekims
- Blang Tjoet
- Atjeh-rivier
- Kota Alam
- Longbatta-Mesigit
- Tjap Octoe
- Lamjoeng
- Majoor B. E. Mekern
- Majoor Jeltes
- Majoor Diepenheim
- Generaal Pel
- Atoeh catastrophe (13 February 1876)
- Death of Generaal Pel (24 February 1876)
- Pel’s offensive against the VI, IV and IX Moekims (1875–1876)
Account from Land en Volk van Atjeh Vroeger en Nu
Region whose inhabitants are characterized as ‘so good at lying that they can talk a white buffalo grey and straight horns crooked’.
Source: J. Jongejans, Land en Volk van Atjeh Vroeger en Nu (Baarn: Hollandia Drukkerij N.V., c. 1938), pp. 106.
Sources
Onze vestiging in Atjeh, critisch beschreven, by G. F. W. Borel, Kapitein der Artillerie. ‘s-Gravenhage: D. A. Thieme, 1878. pp. 327–329, 336.
De Geconcentreerde Stelling in Groot-Atjeh, ‘s-Gravenhage: De Gebroeders Van Cleef, 1885, pp. 22.
Land en Volk van Atjeh Vroeger en Nu, by J. Jongejans, Oud-Resident van het Gewest Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden, with a foreword by Dr. H. Colijn (Baarn: Hollandia Drukkerij N.V., c. 1938), pp. 106.