CAPTURE OF JAVA. August and September, 1811.
Reading edition
The British government resolved to complete its dominion in the East, by the conquest of the island of Java, of which the Dutch had held undisturbed possession for more than one hundred years. The extent of the island,—six hundred and forty miles long, and about a hundred broad; the luxuriant and fertile character of the soil, the mountain districts yielding the vegetables and grain of Europe, and the plains the delicious fruits and other vegetable productions of the East in abundance, without the necessity of laborious tillage, and to so great an extent, as to occasion it to be sometimes called the granary of the East; rendered the island of Java a valuable acquisition to the United Provinces, and its principle city, Batavia, was the capital of the Dutch settlements in the East Indies. Holland having become a part of that empire which Napoleon was forming to prepare the way for universal dominion, it became necessary to deprive the Dutch of this large and fertile island.
Lord Minto, the Governor-General of India, planned the expedition, and in order to carry out his idea, gave orders for the collection of a number of troops at Madras. The squadron was placed under Rear-Admiral the Honourable Robert Stopford, and the land forces were commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty; whilst his lordship determined to accompany the armament.
A landing was effected on the 4th. of August, 1811, at Chillingching, within twelve miles east of Batavia, which was taken possession of on the 8th. of that month without opposition. The possession of Batavia was of the utmost importance. Although large storehouses of public property were burnt previous to the retreat of the enemy, and every effort made to destroy the remainder, some valuable granaries and other stores were preserved. During the night of the 8th. a feeble attempt was made by the enemy to cut off a small guard, which had been sent for the security of the place; but the troops of the 132advance had reinforced the party early in the evening, and the attack was repulsed. The advance under Colonel (afterwards Major-General Sir Robert Rollo) Gillespie occupied the city on the 9th. of August.
On the 10th. a sharp affair took place with the élite of General Jansen’s army; the British had advanced from Batavia, and found three thousand select men of the Gallo-Batavian troops in a strong position at Weltervreeden, defended by abattis; this post was stormed and carried at the point of the bayonet by the troops under Colonel Gillespie, many of the enemy being killed, and their guns captured; the remainder retreated to the entrenched position at Cornelis, between the great river Jacatra and the deep aqueduct of Slokan, neither of which was fordable. In this affair the grenadier company of the 78th., and the detachment of the 89th. regiment, were particularly distinguished in charging and capturing their adversaries’ artillery. The British loss was trifling compared with that of their opponents, which was estimated at about five hundred men, with Brigadier-General Alberti dangerously wounded.
Although success had thus attended the British troops, further progress became extremely difficult, and somewhat doubtful. The position of the foe was extremely formidable. Seven redoubts, and many batteries, mounted with heavy cannon, occupied the most commanding ground within the lines, the whole of the works being defended by a numerous and well-organized artillery. As the season was too far advanced, the heat so violent, and the number of troops insufficient to admit of regular approaches, the only alternative was to attempt to carry the works by assault, and in aid of this design, some batteries were erected for the purpose of disabling the principal redoubt; a heavy fire was kept up by the British for two days, from twenty eighteen-pounders and eight mortars and howitzers. Their execution was great, and although answered at the commencement of each day by a far more numerous artillery, the nearest batteries were daily silenced, and every part of the position was considerably disturbed.
At dawn on the 26th. of August, the assault on Cornelis was made. To Colonel Gillespie, a gallant and experienced officer, the attack was entrusted. He had the infantry of the 133advance and the grenadiers of the line with him, and was supported by Colonel Gibbs, with the 59th. regiment and the fourth battalion of Bengal Volunteers. They were intended, if possible, to surprise the redoubt, No. 3, constructed beyond the Slokan, to endeavour to cross the bridge over that stream with the fugitives, and then to assault the redoubts within the lines, Colonel Gillespie attacking those to the left, and Colonel Gibbs to the right. Lieutenant-Colonel William Macleod, with six companies of the 69th., was directed to follow a path on the bank of the great river, and when the attack had commenced on the Slokan, to endeavour to possess himself of the left redoubt, No. 2. Major Tule, with the flank corps of the reserve, reinforced by two troops of cavalry, four guns of horse artillery, two companies of the 69th. and the grenadiers of the reserve, was to attack the corps at Campong Maylayo, on the west of the great river, and endeavour to cross the bridge at that post.
The remainder of the army, under Major-General (afterwards General Sir Frederick) Wetherall, was at the batteries, where a column under Colonel Wood, consisting of the 78th. regiment and the fifth volunteer battalion, was directed to advance against the enemy in front, and at a favourable moment, when aided by the other attacks, to force his way, if practicable, and open the position for the line. General Jansens was fully prepared for the conflict, and was in the redoubts when it commenced. After a long detour through a close and intricate country, Colonel Gillespie came on the enemy’s advance, routed it in an instant, and, under a heavy fire of grape and musketry, rapidly possessed himself of the advanced redoubt, No. 3. Passing the bridges with the fugitives, under a tremendous fire, he assaulted and carried with the bayonet the redoubt No. 4, after a very obstinate resistance. Here the two divisions of the columns separated. Colonel Gibbs turned to the right, and with the 59th. and a portion of the 78th., which had now forced their way in front, carried the redoubt No. 1. At the instant of its capture an explosion of the magazine occurred, which destroyed a number of officers and men who were crowded on its ramparts, which the foe had abandoned. The redoubt No. 2, against which Lieutenant-Colonel 134William Macleod’s (69th. Foot) attack was directed, was carried in equally gallant style, but that officer fell in the moment of victory. The front of the position being thus open, the assailants rushed in from every quarter.[45] The cavalry, towards the rear, and horse artillery forced a passage through the lines, the fort of Cornelis was carried, and the British were triumphant at every point. Nearly two thousand of the enemy were killed, and about five thousand prisoners were taken, including three general officers.
General Jansens, with about fifty horse, the remnant of his army of ten thousand men, escaped into the interior, where, having collected a small force, he made a feeble attempt at further resistance, which resulted in the surrender of himself and his troops in September, with the island of Java and its dependencies, to the British arms. This valuable island was annexed to the dominions of the British crown, but was restored to Holland at the termination of the war, by the treaty of Vienna, in 1814.[46]
The 14th., 59th., 69th., 78th., and 89th. regiments were present at the capture of Java.
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Medal for Java.
The medal which was conferred for this success was the same as that granted for the Peninsula victories, and was similarly distributed. When the general silver medal was subsequently authorized for the several services specified at page 58, the word Java was inscribed on one of the bars, as was done for the capture of Martinique and Guadaloupe.