The Dutch During
The Revolutionary Wars

The Prussian Campaign
In Holland 1787
Part IV

Patriot and Prussian Moves

by Geert van Uythoven, The Netherlands

Part III
Part II
Part I

With their defences pierced at Halfweg and Amstelveen, the patriots pulled partially back to new defensive positions. At 13.00 pm, Lt-Col de Wilde received the order to evacuate Ouderkerk. The first to leave were the Jagers van Salm, to cover the retreat by defending Kalfjeslaan, along which the Prussians at Amstelveen would be able to cut off the patriot retreat. The were closely followed by the auxiliary 'brigade' of the province Gelre, after which the remaining patriots retreated in good order, taking with them all the ammunition, leaving behind the guns. At 16.00 pm, they arrived in Amsterdam. A new defence line was formed with the following strongpoints (See map 11):

    1. On the seadike along the Zuiderzee, near the sluice at the village Diemerdam.

    2. Behind the burned bridge at the village Diemerbrug. One of its batteries was armed with sixteen (!) 6pdr guns.

    3. Behind the Duivendrechter bridge.

    4. Behind the circular canal of the Diemermeer Polder to the river Amstel.

    5. At the village Overtoom.

Noticing that the patriots had left Ouderkerk, Major General von Kalkreuth ordered Colonel von Kockeritz to occupy the village with two companies of the 2nd bat/Rgt von Budberg, and two companies of the 2nd bat/Rgt von Marwitz (Major von Ledebour). In addition, the road between Ouderkerk and Amstelveen was repaired, and contact was established with the Duke of Brunswick at Amstelveen.

The next morning (2 October), the patriot municipality of Amsterdam asked for new a truce and this time told the Duke of Brunswick they were prepared to give Princes Wilhelmina and the King of Prussia all the satisfaction they wanted. The fighting of the previous day had made clear to the patriots that the Duke of Brunswick was not prepared to wait for weeks negotiating, giving the patriots time to make their positions around Amsterdam unassailable. However, this time Brunswick was again not prepared to do nothing and wait if the patriots would comply. Therefore, he ordered his subordinates to prepare for a new attack. This attack would be made from the directions of Halfweg and Amstelveen. Major von Hirschfeld was ordered to reconnoitre from Halfweg in the direction of Amsterdam. Major von Götz had to fetch some heavy mortars and ammunition from Naarden, and bring them to Amstelveen.

The Defence-Commission had other ideas about the truce than the municipality of Amsterdam. They still felt themselves capable of defending the city, aided by extensive inundations, which had been prepared or already executed.

The defences at the approaches were strong, armed with many guns, presumed unassailable because of its easy defence against the Prussian (feint) attacks, and defended by determined patriots. The approaches at Amstelveen and Halfweg had only been taken because they were attacked from behind, and such an attack would not be possible at these new positions! Also, rumours were strong that a few thousand French infantry were on their way to reinforce the patriots around Amsterdam, transported by ships that would reach Amsterdam across the Zuiderzee, and would reach Amsterdam in a few days. Therefore, in spite of the truce, the patriots were preparing for defence. Gunboats were constructed to defend the river Amstel and the canals. West of Amsterdam, near the Sloterdam and the village Sloterdijk, redoubts were built and armed with guns. 10-gun warships on the Zuiderzee were ordered to destroy the Zwammerdammer and Sparendammer sluices, in order to inundate the terrain. On 3 October, one of these ships tried to destroy the Sparendammer sluice near Halfweg with its gunfire.

The Prussian gunners at the redoubt, still under the command of Major von Burghagen, replied with a 12pdr gun, and the third shot was a hit on the ship, damaging the rigging. The crew, mainly pressed Englishmen under the command of the patriot Captain Petersen, not expecting such heavy resistance and not all to motivated either, preferred to surrender, rather then to sustain more gunfire before the ship could sail out of range. In this way, the Prussians took their second warship of the campaign. Although this action was clearly in breach of the truce, The Duke of Brunswick decided to ignore it, and to carry on the negotiations. However, to protect the Sparendammer sluice and the redoubt at Halfweg more effectively, Colonel von Kockeritz was ordered to reinforce Von Burghagen with the 1st bat/Rgt von Budberg.

In the meanwhile, Lieut-Gen von Lottum was preparing for another attack on the fortress-city Muyden. At Muyderberg, a battery was erected, armed with heavy guns from Naarden. On the top of several dikes, more heavy guns were positioned. Three gunboats armed with three guns each were prepared to operate on the river Vecht. Major General von Kalkreuth would have to attack from the west and for that purpose, receiving ten 12pdr and two heavy 6pdr guns, commanded by Lieutenant Modrach. However, rumours that the garrison was unwilling to resist, became stronger and stronger.

The garrison had received no payment for weeks now. The auxiliaries were not motivated to give their lives defending the city, and the regular troops, while many of their fellow regular soldiers already had abandoned the patriot cause, did not want to fight either. Colonel de Mattha knew he had no chance to withstand a serious Prussian attack, and opened negotiations with Von Kalkreuth. The result was that the fortress-city capitulated on 7 October. On the 9th, the garrison evacuated the city, after which Major von Schlottheim occupied the city with two grenadier companies, both other companies remaining at Weesp. The Prussians captured 33 guns in Muyden.

Von Kalkreuth also prepared for an attack on the defences of Amsterdam. The patriots would be made to believe that the main attack would be directed to the defences at Diemerbrug, while the main attack would be made at the Duivendrechter Bridge. After taking the defences there, the redoubts at Diemerbrug could be taken in the flank. In the meanwhile, the negotiations were going on. The relations between the Prussians and patriots at the defences became better every day. Visits were paid to each other, and the Prussians were able to see how strong the defences of the patriots really were. To attack them would mean that heavy losses would be sustained. The States-General at The Hague again ordered the regular Dutch battalions on patriot side to leave Amsterdam for Brabant, and to regard the Prussians as friendly troops.

On 6 October, the municipality of Amsterdam declared that they were prepared to:

    1. To give the satisfaction the Prussian king asked for.

    2. To obey all the decrees in favour of the stadtholder and the old constitution the States-General had made since 18 September.

    3. The magistrate of Amsterdam, dismissed by the patriots, would be reinstated.

    4. All Freecorps would be disarmed.

It must be pointed out that although the municipality of Amsterdam gave the above declaration: many patriots and the greater part of the Defence-Commission did not agree with it. To enforce it, the presence of the Prussian troops would undoubtedly be necessary. Therefore, the Duke of Brunswick still wanted to weaken the patriot defences by persuading the six regular battalions continuing to support the patriot cause, to leave for the province Brabant and to remain neutral. To achieve that, the Duke of Brunswick asked the States-General to send marching orders to these regiments and in addition to the Regiments Sternbach and all the units that were part of Van Salms' Corps, because of the fact that these were composed mainly of regular soldiers.

Brunswick, mainly by the efforts of Major General von Kalkreuth, was able to arrange this in such a way that the above units left the defences on 9 October, before they could be replaced by other patriot units. On the morning of the 8th, the Duke of Brunswick denounced the truce, and his troops received orders to occupy the patriot defences immediately they were evacuated by the regular troops leaving for Brabant. However, already on the 8th, in agreement with the commanding officer of Van Salms' Corps at Overtoom, Major von Hirschfeld occupied the defences at Overtoom with thirty Fussjäger and 150 fusiliers (Battalion von Langelair). Next day the defenders, 596 men of the Jagers van Salm, left for Uithoorn. Also on the 8th, the Regiment Sternbach (about 1,000 men) and the Kurassiers and Huzaren van Salm (500 men) at Diemerbrug and the Duivendrechter bridge, left. While the patriots were still busy moving the guns arming the redoubts at these approaches back to Amsterdam, Von Kalkreuth pushed his troops forward. Major von Diebitsch occupied the defences at the Duivendrechter Bridge with two of his grenadier companies. Lt-Col von Hiller occupied the village Diemerbrug with a company of the 2nd bat/Rgt von Marwitz. Diemen was still occupied by the patriot 1st bat/Regiment de Vins. However, these troops did not act against the Prussian advance, although they had fifteen heavy guns at their disposal.

On the contrary, confusion was so widespread, that during the following night and day the whole regiment dispersed. The Defence-Commission retrieved the guns, and in the evening of the 9th, the Prussians occupied the deserted defences at Diemen.Brabant. However, already on the 8th, in agreement with the commanding officer of Van Salms' Corps at Overtoom, Major von Hirschfeld occupied the defences at Overtoom with thirty Fussjäger and 150 fusiliers (Battalion von Langelair). Next day the defenders, 596 men of the Jagers van Salm, left for Uithoorn. Also on the 8th, the Regiment Sternbach (about 1,000 men) and the Kurassiers and Huzaren van Salm (500 men) at Diemerbrug and the Duivendrechter bridge, left. While the patriots were still busy moving the guns arming the redoubts at these approaches back to Amsterdam, Von Kalkreuth pushed his troops forward. Major von Diebitsch occupied the defences at the Duivendrechter Bridge with two of his grenadier companies. Lt-Col von Hiller occupied the village Diemerbrug with a company of the 2nd bat/Rgt von Marwitz. Diemen was still occupied by the patriot 1st bat/Regiment de Vins. However, these troops did not act against the Prussian advance, although they had fifteen heavy guns at their disposal. On the contrary, confusion was so widespread, that during the following night and day the whole regiment dispersed. The Defence-Commission retrieved the guns, and in the evening of the 9th, the Prussians occupied the deserted defences at Diemen.

More Dutch During The Revolutionary Wars

The Dutch During the Revolutionary Wars

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