Pendetti was the strong enemy fortification opposite Lemboe on the Atjeh-rivier and the Dutch intermediate post on the road to Longbatta, discovered by the Dutch when an Atjehneesche vlag (flag) was seen flying above a new benteng at the height of Lampoe Idjoe upstream on 15 May 1874. From the high observatory at Pakan Atjeh the Dutch shelled the Pendetti works, and the Atjehneezen were unable to “binnen hunne werken te Pendetti geen stand houden” — to hold their ground in the Pendetti works — under the 12 c.M. fire.
The enemy fortification
The Pendetti works were among the most elaborate Atjehnees fortifications east of the Kraton, built on the right bank opposite the strongly fortified kampong of Lemboe in the months after the fall of the Kraton while the Dutch stood idle under van Swieten’s afwachtende houding. The works lay about 1,500 pas (paces) from the Kraton and consisted of a continuous benteng line with several armed salients, linked to the enemy’s eastern line at Lampoe Oek and Longbatta. On 15 May 1874 the Dutch discovery of an Atjehneesche vlag waving above the new benteng triggered the first bombardment of Pendetti: the artillerie at Pakan Atjeh immediately opened fire, the shots being gecorrigeerd from the observatory. The uitwerking was “moeilijk na te gaan,” but it soon became clear that the Atjehneezen could not hold their ground in the works.
In the stelling-Pel
After the Longbatta operation of 31 December 1874 the strong stelling at Pendetti opposite Lemboe was abandoned by the enemy, who had streamed east to face Romswinckel’s feint attack. On 4 January 1875 Pel with two columns reconnoitred and cleared the terrain south of Pendetti and the kampongs of Lampoe Idjoe, Lampoe Oek, Longbatta and Blang Tjoet; no resistance was offered and the houses were burned. Pendetti was then converted into a Dutch intermediate post on the road to Longbatta. With the conquest of Blang Tjoet of 18 January 1875 and the new post 400–500 paces from the Longbatta-Mesigit, transport between the Mesigit and Pendetti became practically safe. Pendetti then formed part of the eastern side of the stelling-Pel, linking Kota Alam upstream to Lemboe and the Longbatta-Mesigit.
See Also
- Lemboe
- Lampoe Idjoe
- Lampoe Oek
- Longbatta
- Longbatta-Mesigit
- Blang Tjoet
- Kota Alam
- Pakan Atjeh
- Conquest of Blang Tjoet (18 January 1875)
- Stelling-Pel
Source
Onze vestiging in Atjeh, critisch beschreven, by G. F. W. Borel, Kapitein der Artillerie. ‘s-Gravenhage: D. A. Thieme, 1878. pp. 95, 117, 124, 131, 137, 144, 191, 202, 226–228, 238–239, 243.