1828 was a pivotal year in the Dutch colonial theatre of the Indonesian archipelago, recorded in Raffles’ Atjeh‑overeenkomst van 1819 by P. H. van der Kemp and in a Dutch naval award register that notes a marine decoration (No. 28) for an “expeditie op Celebes” (expedition to Celebes). The award was granted to J. A. van den Velden, a marine officer who later participated in Sumatra‑related operations, thereby linking the Celebes campaign to the broader Dutch‑Aceh conflict. The year also saw the continuation of the Java War and a series of diplomatic and military exchanges on the east coast of Sumatra.
Chronology
- On 7 February 1828, Robert Fullerton wrote Fullerton’s letter to Sultan of Siak (7 February 1828), a correspondence that reflects the British‑Dutch rivalry in the region.
- Throughout 1828 the Bellona mission to Sumatra’s East Coast (1827-1828) operated, concluding its activities that year.
- The Said Akil’s Deli adventure (1824-1828) reached its terminus, with Said Akil returning to Deli after a four‑year expedition.
- The Dutch marine award to J. A. van den Velden was recorded, highlighting the circulation of experienced officers between the Celebes and Sumatra theatres.
People
- Dipo Negoro
- John Anderson
- John Prince
- L. W. G. N. Netscher
- P. H. van der Kemp
- Raja Akil of Sukadana
- Robert Fullerton
- Said Akil
- Said Hussein
- Shahbandar of Deli
- Sultan Alaeddin Muhammad Shah of Acheh
- Sultan of Deli
- Sultan of Siak
- Van de Graaff
- J. A. van den Velden
Places
- Batu Bara
- Deli
- Jambi
- Java
- Madura
- Malay Peninsula
- Siak
- Sukadana
- Sumatra
- Sumatra’s East Coast
- Tanah Putih
- Celebes
Events
- Bellona mission to Sumatra’s East Coast (1827-1828)
- Fullerton’s letter to Sultan of Siak (7 February 1828)
- Java War (1825-1830)
- Padri War on Sumatra’s East Coast
- Said Akil’s Deli adventure (1824-1828)
- Sultan of Deli’s letter to Penang
- Dutch marine award (No. 28) for the expeditie op Celebes (awarded in 1828)
Significance
The entry illustrates the fluidity of Dutch military personnel across colonial fronts: officers who gained experience in the Celebes expedition were later deployed to Sumatra, bringing tactical knowledge that contributed to Dutch successes during the later phases of the Java War and the ongoing Dutch‑Aceh confrontations. The award to J. A. van den Velden exemplifies how naval honours served both as recognition and as a mechanism for career mobility within the colonial armed forces, reinforcing the interconnectedness of Dutch operations across the archipelago.
See Also
Source
Raffles’ Atjeh‑overeenkomst van 1819, by P. H. van der Kemp, in Bijdragen van het Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch-Indië, 6e Volgr., Deel VII (1900), pp. 159‑239. Universiteitsbibliotheek Vrije Universiteit, LS.08781.
De.wikipedia… (source text provided) – pages 174‑182.