Battle of Gawok

Battle of Gawok
Part of the Java War

Dutch drawing of the battle, c. 1900
Date15 October 1826
Location7°36′11″S 110°45′6″E / 7.60306°S 110.75167°E / -7.60306; 110.75167
Result Dutch victory
Belligerents
Dutch East Indies
Surakarta Sunanate
Javanese rebels
Commanders and leaders
J. J. van Geen
Frans David Cochius
J. Le Bron de Vexela
Sentot Prawirodirdjo
Diponegoro (WIA)
Kyai Maja
Strength
c. 1,500 c. 4,000
Casualties and losses
Light Heavy

The Battle of Gawok took place on 15 October 1826 during the Java War between rebels under Prince Diponegoro and the Dutch colonial army. The battle took place near the village of Gawok, west of the city of Surakarta. Diponegoro's army, which had previously defeated Dutch columns on its march from Yogyakarta, intended to attack the Dutch military headquarters at Surakarta. The rebels were soundly defeated, which lost them their numerical superiority and therefore turned the tide of the war. After the battle, the rebels shifted to a guerrilla warfare strategy.