Soerian was an Atjehnees kampong west of K. Radja and the principal objective of the battle of 26 July 1874, in which kolonel Pel led out the whole available force to conquer Soerian and the neighbouring kampongs of Setee, Poengej Blang Tjoet, Poe Oe and Soerian, gain a forward line protecting the Marassa area and the K. Radja–Oeleh Leh communication, and threaten the flank and rear of Toekoe Nanta of the VI Moekims. The enemy abandoned Soerian within days of the battle.
The battle
Pel marched out on 26 July 1874 with the whole available force. His aim was to conquer Soerian and its neighbouring kampongs in one combined operation, gain a forward line protecting the Marassa area and the K. Radja–Oeleh Leh communication, bring Bital and Lamtermin under observation, and threaten the flank and rear of Toekoe Nanta. Troops assembled at Blang Oe and advanced. They met immediate stiff resistance; the enemy was prepared. The Dutch failed to take Soerian outright but managed to surround a band inside a benteng near Soerian and, because they refused to surrender, killed them to the last man — about 70 enemy dead. Dutch losses were six dead and more than 40 wounded, including three officers. A post was immediately erected on the conquered ground. Borel’s verdict is sharp: the whole bloody fight could have been avoided if Soerian, which had been in Dutch hands in February 1874, had never been given back.
Aftermath and incorporation
In the days following the battle the enemy abandoned all positions; the magnificent sawah (irrigated rice fields) stretching to the edge of Bital and Ketapang Doewa fell into Dutch hands. The kampong of Poe Oe west of Soerian was occupied without a shot on 16 August 1874, giving the Dutch a wide view over the sawahs. By the time the continuous line around K. Radja was completed in May 1875, Soerian had become one of the western-side posts of the stelling-Pel, connected through Poengej Blang Tjoet, Lamteboe, Setee and Lamara Olejlo to Longbatta-Mesigit and through Blang Oe to the sea-strand at Oeleh Leh. Sinangri, east of Soerian, was occupied without opposition in July 1875 and considerably improved the stelling at its weakest point.
See Also
- Kota Radja
- Setee
- Poe Oe
- Blang Oe
- Sinangri
- Bital
- Ketapang Doewa
- VI Moekims
- Toekoe Nanta
- Battle of Soerian (26 July 1874)
- Generaal Pel
- 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, 176–179, 183, 202, 245, 263.