1821 - The Battle for Palembang

6: The Battle of Brabant's Ford (Bank of the Musi River, 1821)

Bank of the Musi River, 1821

The engagement that would later be known as the Battle of Brabant's Ford–thus denoting the first land engagement of the Palembang Expedition of 1821–took place, for many of the young faces of the infantry, as a kind of proving ground; not only to the standards of bravery expected of men of their age and profession, but also the terrible and ungodly expectation a soldier had to face in war... and therefore, a man against the very values he had grown to observe.

Young Wolesley–at least that was what they called him, even though officers like Lieutenant Simpson were not much older than him–was one such man who had tasted the discrepancies; and there, he realised, that the foundations of civilisation were brought up under the guts, blood, and tears of the dead.

Peter Wolesley was something of a mystery to soldiers of the Light Company. Nobody really knew how he was brought up, but his ability to speak English, Dutch, and French all at the same natural fluency was, at the least, commendable, though his linguistic abilities entailed several assumptions on his nature and background. It was either that he grew up and was raised in different places or that he indeed grew up in that manner and underwent an education–by a governess at childhood and a gentleman's school, perhaps?–to support it. From the way he wrote, drew, and kept his journals closer than his musket, one could easily say that he was indeed a gentleman ranker.

Simpson had overheard some talk from the ranks suggest that some men were reluctant to let them into their circles because 'he was overindulgent in the philosophies' and 'he did not share the men's sentiments in war-making.' However, by any means, Mr. Wolesley was an exceptional soldier. He was always on time, his boots always shone, musket always secure and clean, his drill precise, and his uniform smart.

"Boy's a decent fellar, sir." Sergeant De Zeeuw had said, and praise from the burly sergeant was far in between. "Let's see how he handles the first volley of enemy musketry... Then we can assess whether our little professor would do."

And Simpson agreed. Any mettle that any of his men did indeed have would be tested today, on these very grounds. The light companies of the Thirteenth and the Flanquers of the Mangkunegaraan Legion, marched side by side in company-sized formation of two lines, segmented further into firing platoons of thirty men. Sword in hand, Simpson took the left wing, straightening the line as he did. Captain Raimbaud took his position by the right flank, traditional for company commanders. On his further right, was the daunting body of water known as the Musi River.

Unlike conventional companies, the skirmish-ly nature of the light infantry did not allow them to carry a band of drummers and fifers. Instead, what they had were buglers, and as substitute to the rolling of the drums and the play of the fifes, there were bugle calls, of whom every light infantryman had to remember by heart.

Though aside from the jingling equipment and the roughness of their uniform step, a deafening silence trumpeted through their ears; those of meagre constitution would easily tremble in fear and fall even before the first shot was fired. Anticipation and anxiety could perhaps be the most deadly of vices.

The ford slowly came into sight; a small beach by the river, wide enough and of a lay slope that showed its idealism as a landing spot. However, there, sitting at the Ford, the Detachment could see that several boats had been turned upside down to be used as temporary fortifications. From the distance, Simpson could make out several muzzles hidden behind the wood work. However, the greater body of enemy infantry, dressed in their own, native clothing of long shirts and trousers, did not hide. The Sultan's troops, the same troops who had defeated two previous colonial expeditions just a few years prior, had formed up in close, orderly ranks, mirroring that of the leger soldiers facing them. They had learned the beastly European manner of war, and evidently, had also mastered it.