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The Sino-Japanese Naval Battle of Baijiangkou (663)

The Korean Peninsula entered the Three Kingdoms era around the 1st century AD and was divided into three countries: Goguryeo (also known as Goryeo), Silla, and Baekje . In the 6th century AD, Goguryeo, which borders China, was invaded by the Sui and Tang dynasties of China. In order to counter China, Goguryeo formed an alliance with the Turks, Baekje, and Japan, which had close relations with Baekje. China, on the other hand, formed an alliance with Goguryeo and Baekje. Threatened by the Silla Kingdom's alliance.

In March 660 AD (the fifth year of Tang Xianqing's reign), Baekje invaded Silla with the support of Goguryeo. The Silla army was defeated one after another, and King Muyeol of Silla asked China for help. Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty appointed Zuo Wuwei General Su Dingfang as the commander-in-chief, and led 130,000 Tang troops to march eastward to attack Baekje. In July, the Baekje army was defeated, the Baekje king and officials were captured and taken to Chang'an, and the Baekje dynasty collapsed.

In 661 AD, Baekje monk Doshen contacted Baekje’s surviving ministers to plot the restoration of the country. He sent envoys to Japan twice to ask for help, and asked for the release of Baekje Prince Fongzhang who was still a hostage in Japan. In the spring of 662, Emperor Tenji of Japan ordered Azambirov to lead 170 warships to escort the prince of Baekje back to his country. After the prince of Baekje returned to China, he was appointed King of Baekje and organized the Baekje survivors to fight against the Tang army. During this period, Japan attempted to support the pro-Japanese regime on the Korean Peninsula and provided a large amount of assistance to the Baekje regime. But the good times did not last long. In 663 AD, the Baekje court, which had just been put together, had internal strife due to the uneven division of internal rights. At the request of the Baekje prince, Japan sent heavy troops to the court. The Battle of Baekjiangkou took place under such circumstances. .

When the news that Japan sent troops to support Baekje reached China, Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty immediately sent Sun Renshi, the general of Youweiwei, to lead an army to reinforce the troops of Liu Rengui and Liu Renyuan who were fighting Baekje. In September, the Tang army reunited, and Liu Rengui decided to first attack Zhouliu City, the lair of the Baekje Army where "a group of murderers gathered", believing that "if Zhouliu is defeated, all the cities will be taken down." So the Tang army was divided into two groups: Sun Renshi, Liu Renyuan, and Silla general Jin Famin led the army to Zhouliucheng by land; Liu Rengui, his general Du Shuang, and Baekje surrender general Fu Yulong led warships to escort the grain ship from Xiongjin along the Baijiang River (today's (Jinjiang, South Korea), and go to Zhouliu City from land and water, so that they can attack Zhouliu by both water and land.

"Datang Ping Baekje Pagoda"

On the 27th, the leading Japanese navy ship supporting Baekje encountered Liu Rengui's army at the mouth of Baijiang River. The two sides fought, and the Japanese army retreated at a disadvantage. On the 28th, the Japanese generals held discussions with the King of Baekje and believed that the Japanese army had more than 400 warships and the Tang army only had more than a hundred warships. They overestimated their own strength and blindly believed that "we should fight for the first, and the other side should retreat", so , without reorganizing and deploying, they "led the soldiers of Japan's chaotic central army to attack the Tang Dynasty's strong formations." The two sides launched a fierce naval battle. "Everyone went to the water and drowned, and the boats were not allowed to turn around." In the end, all the Japanese warships were burned, and for a time "the sea water turned red". Tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers either drowned or were captured by the Tang army. Under the blow of the failure at Baekjiangkou, the King of Baekje fled to Goguryeo, and all the remaining troops surrendered, and the Baekje Kingdom was completely destroyed.

The victory at the Baijiangkou Naval Battle completely shattered Japan’s ambition to invade the Korean Peninsula. Emperor Tenchi of Japan was deeply afraid that the Tang army would attack the mainland. Starting in 664 AD, he spent huge sums of money in the country to build four lines of defense. After that, Japan adjusted its foreign policy, surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, and began to use China as its teacher to seek self-strength.

The Battle of Luliang (1598)

The Battle of Luliang took place in November of the 26th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty. The Chinese and Korean navies fought against the Japanese navy on the Korean Peninsula. A large-scale naval battle took place in the sea west of Luliang.

The cause of the naval battle

"Japanese Army Attacking Busan Picture"

During the Wanli Period of the Ming Dynasty, Japan's domestic political situation underwent major changes. Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan by force. , but there are still some feudal lords in the country who are armed and self-respecting and difficult to control. In order to ease domestic conflicts and consolidate his rule, Toyotomi Hideyoshi directed domestic attention abroad and formulated a military aggression plan to occupy North Korea, conquer China, and then expand to Southeast Asia. As the first step, he made an arrogant request to North Korea to "falsely introduce the Ming Dynasty", which was naturally rejected by the North Korean government.

On April 13, the 20th year of Wanli (1592), Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched a war of aggression against Korea. Japan called it the "Battle of Bunroku Keicho" and China called it the "Imchen War." The Japanese invading army took large ships More than 700 ships crossed the sea from Tsushima Island. They landed in Busan the next morning and launched an attack in three directions: north, south and central. It only took more than 2 months to occupy Seoul, Kaesong and Pyongyang. North Korea faces the danger of national subjugation. Therefore, the King of Korea sent an envoy to the Ming Dynasty to ask for help.

The painting at that time showed a military meeting between the Chinese and North Korean armies

North Korea is a friendly neighbor of China, closely related to each other, and "Guan Bai" (referring to Japanese Prime Minister Toyotomi Hideyoshi) The purpose of the plan for Korea is actually China." (A summary of Song Yingchang's words about aiding the DPRK in the Ming Dynasty, see Volume 62 of "History of the Ming Dynasty") In view of this situation, the Ming court decided to send troops to aid the DPRK to resist the Japanese.

On December 23, the twentieth year of Wanli (1592), the Ming army entered the DPRK to participate in the war. At the beginning of the next year, Pyongyang and Kaesong were defeated. On April 20, Seoul was recaptured. The Japanese army retreated from the southern roads and proposed peace. Soon, an armistice was achieved.

On July 25, the twenty-fifth year of Wanli (1597), Toyotomi Hideyoshi increased his troops to invade the north. The next year, the Chinese and North Korean coalition forces launched a massive counterattack and achieved consecutive victories, compressing the Japanese army into a corner of southern Korea. In August of this year, Toyotomi Hideyoshi died of illness. Ordered to withdraw troops from Korea. At that time, the Japanese troops entrenched in the southeastern corner of Korea had more than 46,000 troops, except for the main force of the First Army stationed in Ulsan, which had withdrawn in advance. Their retreat deployment was as follows: the eastern divisions stationed in Sesaengpo, Yangsan, and Jukdo were to be deployed in October. In January, they retreated first, assembled in Busan, and waited for the ship to return home. The troops in Juchang in the central area boarded the ship and returned to their home country. The Japanese troops stationed in Suncheon, Sacheon, Namhae, and Goseong in the west were divided into Geoje Island after the Japanese troops in the east were evacuated. Assemble and return home by boat.

Troop deployment and operational intentions of both sides

1. Geographical location of the theater

The natural geography of the southwest sea area of ????North Korea has two major characteristics: First, the terrain is complex and islands are dotted. , the waterways are criss-crossed, making it easier for the navy to rely on the island shore to attack the enemy covertly and maneuverably; secondly, the tidal range is large, with an average of 10 meters, which is rare in the Far East. At high tide, the water is rough. At low tide, the water level drops sharply, and large shoals quickly emerge from the water. If the ship does not leave quickly, there is a danger of running aground.

2. The strength of the navies of both sides

The Japanese navy had more than 1,000 ships at the beginning of the war, and by the end of the war, it had grown to about 3,000 ships. Although the quantity is considerable, the structure is simple and the performance is poor. The weapons equipped are muskets (original smoothbore guns), guns, bows and arrows, Japanese swords, etc.

A turtle ship model collected by the Military Museum

The North Korean Navy has about 80,000 troops (accounting for 1/4 of North Korea’s total military strength) and 488 ships, including warships. There are 80 ships (80 people per ship), 192 auxiliary warships (30-60 people per ship), and 26 service ships. Among these warships, the "Turtle Ship" created by Yi Sun-shin is very distinctive. This is a large warship with a covered upper plate with small cross grooves. Sharp blades and awl points are inserted outside the small grooves. The front is the dragon's head, and the mouth of the dragon is the blunderbuss hole; the back is the turtle's tail, and there is also a blunderbuss hole under the tail. There are 6 gun holes on each side, and 8-10 oars under the gun holes. The turtle ship has a solid deck, flexible maneuverability, and good attack and defense capabilities. Hideyoshi Hideyoshi of the Japanese navy once said: "The Korean water war was very different from the land war. Moreover, the warships were large and fast, and the building towers were so thick that no bullets could penetrate them. If our ships encountered them, they would be smashed." It can be seen that. Under the leadership of Yi Sun-shin, the North Korean navy was not only well-armed but also well-trained. It was a powerful maritime force that defeated the Japanese army.

The Ming Dynasty deployed about 100,000 troops on the Korean battlefield (accounting for 1/8 of the country’s total military strength at that time), which later gradually increased to 140,000. Among them, there are 13,000 naval personnel and more than 500 warships. There are many types of warships, including Fu Chuan, Lou Chuan, Baicao, Sha Chuan, Cang Chuan, Bronze Straight Boat, Hai Fang, Balahu, etc. The warships have excellent weapons, in addition to cold weapons such as bows, crossbows, knives, guns, and spears. , as well as a large number of firearms, such as Fo Lang machine, Tiger Crouching Cannon, etc. According to historical records, the Ming army's artillery has a range of up to 3,000 meters, while the Japanese army's artillery range is only 100 or 200 meters.

3. The deployment and combat intentions of the Chinese and North Korean coalition naval forces

After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Japanese army retreated from the sea in three ways. At that time, the main force of the Chinese and North Korean naval forces was about 800 warships, deployed in the sea area around Gugejin Island, and they controlled the sea in the southwest waters of the Korean Peninsula. Chen Lin, the naval admiral of the Ming Dynasty, first learned about the retreat of the Japanese army, decided to block the Japanese army at sea, and made corresponding arrangements:

1. The main force of the coalition navy advanced from Gujin Island to Zuoshui Camp, the sea east of Kang Lao Island;

2. Establish a base and joint military command post in Zuoshui Camp;

3. Occupy Cat Island with one force and blockade Guangyang Bay, cutting off the retreat route of the Second Army led by Governor Konishi;

4. Use a force to patrol the Noliang Strait and the waters east of it to monitor the movements of Japanese troops in Sichuan, Nanhai, and Gucheng.

Battle history

After receiving the order to retreat, the Japanese troops stationed in western Korea planned to begin their retreat on November 11th in the twenty-sixth year of Wanli (1598). The Second Army stationed in Suncheon withdrew first, and then the Japanese troops stationed in Sacheon, Namhae, and Goseong gathered at Geoje Island in order to wait for the ship to return home.

On the morning of the 10th, the Second Army troops boarded the ship and were ready to go. When its advance troops sailed to the sea near Cat Island at the mouth of Gwangyang Bay, they were intercepted by the Chinese and North Korean coalition naval forces, and their retreat was cut off. In order to break through the siege, the Second Army formed a storm fleet and launched attacks on the coalition navy for several days, but failed to succeed. It had to ask for help from the Japanese troops stationed in Sichuan and Nanhai.

At this time, the main force of the Japanese Fifth Army stationed in Sichuan and Xincheng, led by Shimazu Yoshihiro, had already boarded the ship and was waiting for the high tide to set off to Geoje Island. Shimazu Yoshihiro received the After receiving the letter of request for help from Governor Konishi, he immediately led this huge fleet and sailed towards the Noliang Strait under the moonlight on the night of the 18th, in an attempt to break into Guangyang Bay and break the siege of Governor Konishi. On the way, they met up with Zong Zhiyi's fleet coming from the South China Sea. After the two fleets met, the Japanese, with more than 10,000 troops and more than 500 ships, began passing through the Luliang Strait at midnight.

After Chen Lin and Yi Sunchen learned the information about the Japanese reinforcements' westward advance, they immediately began to adjust their deployment, determined to surround and annihilate the rescue enemies in the sea area west of Luliang. Its combat deployment is:

1. Deng Zilong leads 1,000 troops and drives 3 giant ships as the forward. After the Japanese fleet passes through the strait, it will circle back and launch an attack to cut off its return route;

2. Chen Lin led the Ming Dynasty Navy as the left army, stationed in Kunyang's Bamboo Island and Shuimen Cave Harbor, waiting to attack;

3. Yi Sun-shin led the Korean Navy The division formed the right army and marched to Guanyinpu in the South China Sea, waiting to flank the Japanese army with the Ming army.

The war history written by North Korean Prime Minister Yoo Seong-ryong

At the ugly time of the 19th (around 1 to 3 am), most of the main force of Shimazu Yoshihiro's fleet had sailed out of the strait , entering the sea west of Luliang. At this time, "The moon is hanging over the western mountains, the shadows of the mountains are reflected in the sea, and half of it is dimly lit. My ships are countless, coming from the shadows, approaching the pirate ship, firing cannons from the front, shouting and sailing straight towards the bandits, all the ships respond. The bandits know that I am coming, Suddenly, the sound of muskets shook the sea, and the flying pellets fell into the water like rain." ("Liu Chenglong Punishment Record", Volume 2, page 68) Due to the huge disparity in numbers, Deng Zilong's troops were immediately surrounded by Japanese ships. Zilong was a generous man, over seventy years old, and eager to win his first victory. He quickly jumped onto the Korean ship and attacked with two hundred men. The thieves in other boats accidentally threw firearms into Zilong's boat, causing numerous casualties. , The thief took advantage of it, and Zilong died in battle." ("History of the Ming Dynasty: Biography of Deng Zilong") Chen Lin immediately sent his deputy Chen Can to lead a ship to support.

"The Great Defeat of the Japanese Bandits" (Part)

At the same time, the Chinese and North Korean naval forces on the left and right moved from the north and south directions to the sea east of the big island. The main force of the fleet launched a fierce attack. "The Journey of King Lee Chungwu of Korea" gave a vivid description of this battle: "The two armies broke out, attacking from the left and right, the cannons and drums were blasting, arrows and stones were handed down, firewood was thrown indiscriminately, the sound of killing shouts, and the mountains and seas shook together. . Most of the Japanese ships were burned, and the pirates fought desperately and were unable to hold back the force, so they entered Guanyinpo. It was already clear. "

Yi Sun-sin led the North Korean navy to pursue them and entered Guanyinpo again. Fight bloody battles with the Japanese army.

Chen Lin also led the Chinese navy to come to support and bombarded the Japanese ships with squatting tiger cannons, causing Japanese ships to catch fire. Amidst the chaos, the Japanese army was still struggling and desperately fighting back. Yi Sun-shin took the lead in supervising the battle and was shot and died. His son kept his mourning secret, played drums and waved flags, took command on his father's behalf, and continued to fight alongside the Chinese navy. By noon, the Japanese had ceased resistance, and most of the ships were either burned and sunk, or captured by the coalition forces. Japanese troops abandoning ship ashore. It was also annihilated by the land coalition forces.

The outcome and impact of the naval battle

The Battle of Luliang was conducted independently by the Chinese and North Korean navies nearly 400 years ago, with the purpose of cutting off the enemy's retreat at sea. This battle dealt a major and annihilating blow to the Japanese invaders of Korea and played an important role in the formation of the 200 years of post-war peace in Korea.

In this naval battle, the Chinese and North Korean coalition forces cooperated closely and were good at accurately judging the situation. They adjusted their deployment in a timely manner according to changes in the enemy's situation, quickly transferred their forces, relied on the island shore, and waited in hiding to attack at the right time. First, implement a tight blockade on one enemy force retreating from the sea and force it to ask for reinforcements; when another enemy force comes for reinforcements. He quickly cut off his retreat and launched pincer attacks from the north and south, achieving the goal of annihilating the enemy.

Under unified command, the navies of China and North Korea worked closely together and fought bravely, which was the decisive factor in the victory of the Noliang Sea Battle. North Korean navy commander Yi Sun-shin took the lead, and Chinese veteran Deng Zilong sacrificed his life heroically in the fierce battle. After Yi Sun-shin died, his son still "supervised the battle under his command and kept moving forward." This shows that the Chinese and North Korean armies are brave and good at fighting, and they succeed one after another. The heroic spirit of fighting the enemy to the end.

A brief introduction to some of the weapons of the Ming Dynasty Navy

Fu Chuan is a general name for a type of ship that was born along the coast of Fujian. There is a number six in the ***. Fu Chuan used in naval warfare refers to Number one and number two. No. 1 is called the Big Fortune Ship, which "drafts too deep, starts and ends late and heavy," and has poor maneuverability; No. 2 is called the Fortune Ship, which is slightly smaller than No. 1 and is "suitable for common use." The draft of Fuzhou is about 3.5 meters. It is as tall as a building and can accommodate a hundred people. Its bottom is pointed, its upper part is wide, its head is high and its mouth is open, and its tail is high. There are three floors of the building above. There are protective boards around it to protect it. Thatch and bamboo are erected like a wall, with two layers of sails and masts in the middle. The bottom layer is uninhabitable and is made of earth and stone to prevent the danger of lightness. The second layer is where the soldiers sleep, and the ground cabinet is hidden. Climb the ladder down from the top; there are water gates on the left and right sides of the third floor, and a water tank in the middle, which is where sailing and cooking are done. Wooden anchors are installed in the front and back, tied with brown cables. The lower anchors and raising anchors are all used on this floor; the top The first floor is a terrace, which must be climbed up by a ladder from the third floor. The wings on both sides are like railings. People can lean on them to attack the enemy. The arrows, stones and artillery can be fired from an overlook. If the enemy's boat is small, it will be plowed down when it encounters it, and it is difficult for the enemy to raise it. Attack is a powerful weapon in naval battles." ("Wu

Bei Zhi") The disadvantage of Fu Chuan is that it has poor maneuverability. "It is as tall as a city and cannot be driven by human power. It relies entirely on favorable winds and tides. It is inconvenient to fly back, and its draft is deep, so it can only benefit from the open ocean. In the Caspian Sea, it is easy to get stuck in shallow water, so it must be rescued by the sentinel ship." ("Continued Literature Comprehensive Examination")

Tiger Crouching Cannon

Tiger Crouching Cannon Tiger Crouching Cannon was one of the general cannons in the middle of the Ming Dynasty (the Ming Dynasty designated some larger cannons as generals) , created during the Jiajing period. This kind of gun is 2 feet long and weighs 36 pounds. It is equipped with iron hoops, iron claws and iron trip. Use large iron nails to fix the gun body before firing. Each round contains 100 small lead or pebbles weighing 5 taels, and is pressed down with a large pebble or lead weighing 30 taels.

Folangji

Folangji is a new type of artillery introduced from the West during the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty (early 16th century). Folangji was originally the collective name for the Portuguese and Spanish in the Ming Dynasty. In the last years of Zhengde, He Ru, the inspector of Baisha, saw Western artillery on a Spanish ship coming to China. Its performance was superior to the Chinese artillery at that time, so he mobilized the Chinese gunsmiths on the ship to go ashore and imitate the first batch of Western artillery for our country. , named Folangji.

In the second year of Jiajing (1523), the Ming Dynasty imitated the Folang machine in Nanjing and called it the "General". After development and transformation, it has been made into three types: large sample, medium sample and small sample, including copper casting and iron casting. The large-scale Folang is 2 feet, 8 inches and 5 minutes long and weighs more than 300 kilograms. "Military Bei Zhi" classified the imitation Folang machine into No. 5. Among them, No. 3 and No. 4 are lightweight. No. 3 is four to five feet long, each loaded with lead weighs 5 taels and 9 qian, and contains 6 taels of medicine.

No. 4 is two to three feet long, each loaded with lead weighs 3 taels, and the medicine is 3 taels and a half. No. 1 and No. 2 are heavy duty. No. 1 is eight or nine feet long, each loaded with lead weighs 1 jin, and contains 1 jin of medicine. No. 2 is six or seven feet long, each loaded with lead weighs 10 taels, and contains 11 taels of medicine. The firing range of all kinds of Folang machines, those weighing more than 70 kilograms, can reach five or six miles. The No. 1 and No. 2 Franchise can be used in water battles.

The belly of the Folang machine is enlarged, leaving a long mouth. The outside of the gun body is wrapped with wood and equipped with iron hoops to prevent explosion. There are also 5 sub-guns (the sub-guns are also called heart cannons, which are quite large). (in the medicine chamber part of the artillery), the ammunition is loaded into the musket, and it is placed in the long mouth of the abdomen in turn to fire. The characteristic of the Folang machine is that the main gun and the sub-gun are separated. It is a form of breech-loading gun, but it is different from modern breech-loading gun. There is a front sight and a rear sight. You can aim from the rear sight hole. There is a gun mount that can rotate up, down, left and right.

The Second Battle of Dagu (June 25-26, 1859)

The cause of the naval battle

After the outbreak of the Second Opium War, the British and French forces Relying on its superior maritime power, it successively captured important coastal towns in China. In June 1858 (the eighth year of Xianfeng), the Qing government was forced to sign the "Tianjin Treaty" with Britain, France, the United States, Russia and other countries, and agreed to formally formalize the treaty the following year. Exchange contract.

Prince Senggelinqin of Mongolia

After the signing of the Treaty of Tianjin, the Qing government was quite dissatisfied with the harsh terms in the treaty. Emperor Xianfeng believed that it was "very difficult to grant permission" and hoped that Britain, France, etc. Guoneng gave up these terms, and at the same time, in order to prevent another invasion by the British and French fleets, the Qing government appointed Prince Senggelinqin of Mongolia as the imperial minister, and together with Ruilin, the Minister of Rites, organized the defense of Dagu and Jingdong.

The governments of Britain, France and other countries were not satisfied with the rights and interests obtained from the Treaty of Tianjin, and believed that they should take the opportunity of exchanging the treaty to provoke war again and seek more benefits from the Qing government. In June 1859, the British and French ministers who came to exchange the treaty refused to go to Beijing according to the route designated by the Qing government. Instead, under the protection of the fleet, they went straight to Dagu Port where foreign ships were prohibited from entering, and demolished the obstacles set up by the Chinese army. China The defenders fought back, and the Second Battle of Dagu broke out.

The participating troops of both sides

China:

The Qing army defending Dagukou was mainly the Manchu and Mongolian troops led by Seng Gelinqin, Shengbao and others. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Suiyuan, Zhili, and Beijing were transferred to Tianjin, with about 10,000 troops. The main deployments were: 3,800 people from the north and south forts of Dagu, 1,700 people from Xinhe, 500 people from Xincheng, 1,000 people from Shuanggang, 3,000 people from Tianjin, and Yingcheng 1,100 people and 1,600 people in Beitang. There are also temporarily recruited Minyong and Puyong, numbering about 10,000 people, deployed on the line from Tanggu to Xianshuigu (4,000 people) and Dajin (6,000 people). Seng Gelinqin and Shi Rongzhuang, the governor of Zhili, personally took charge of the Dagu South Fort.

British and French

The British and French allied forces sent to Dagu with a fleet of 22 ships, including 1 British steam cruiser (51 guns, 520 men), 3 steam gunboats There are 14 steam shallow water gunboats, 2 steam transport ships, carrying more than 1,200 Marines; 1 French steam cruiser, 1 steam shallow water gunboat, carrying 100 Marines, and the fleet commander is British Rear Admiral Herb. In addition, three warships including the American "Toywang" also participated in the operation of the British and French coalition forces.

Naval Battle

The Dagu Fort was lost in the first Battle of Dagu. After the signing of the Treaty of Tianjin, the British and French troops withdrew from Tianjin. Senggelinqin, who was ordered to prepare for defense, immediately reorganized the army, added a division at Dagu Haikou, and built new defense facilities on the ruins of the forts and camps that were destroyed in the First Battle of Dagu. Three forts were built on each side of the north and south banks, and 60 artillery pieces were installed, including 2 12,000-jin steel cannons, 9 10,000-jin steel cannons, 2 5,000-jin steel cannons, and 23 Western iron cannons. Embankments were built around all the forts, trenches were dug outside the embankments and wooden piles were erected. They also set up three river barrage chains at Haikou, equipped iron bars, installed wooden fences, connected them into a giant raft, and strengthened the camouflage. In order to strengthen the defense of the flanks, a fort was renovated in the Beitang area, the number of artillery pieces was increased to 24, and troops were also deployed to defend the camp north of Beitang.

Thirteen new forts were built near Shuanggang, more than 30 miles east of Tianjin, and 81 large and small steel cannons each weighing less than 1,200 kilograms were installed, greatly strengthening defense in depth.

On June 17, 1859, the British and French fleets, led by Major General Herb, the commander of the British navy that invaded China, arrived outside the entrance of Dagu and immediately carried out armed provocations. He Bu sent Captain Comrelle and translator Meng Gan across the river to deliver a letter to the Qing army, requesting that an entrance be opened within three days so that the envoy could go up the river to Tianjin. On the afternoon of the 18th, eight British ships took advantage of the tide and entered Baihe River. Taking advantage of the darkness of night, I dragged down four iron garrison blocks blocking the river.

On June 20, the ministers from Britain, France, and the United States arrived outside the entrance of Dagu and met with the coalition fleet that had arrived earlier. In order to prevent the British and French allied forces from retaking the Dagu Fort, the Qing government asked the British, French and American ministers to land at Beitang in the north of Dagu. The Qing government would send troops to protect it and go to Beijing to exchange the treaty. He also ordered the new Governor of Zhili, Heng Fu, to go to Beitang to greet the ministers of Britain, France and the United States. He also ordered local officials along the way to prepare supplies and take care of them. Three spacious houses were prepared outside Zhengyang Gate in Beijing as residences for the envoys of the Three Kingdoms.

However, the British and French invaders flatly refused to land from Beitang, shouting arrogantly: "We will take the battle determinedly, not Beitang." He Bu stepped up preparations for war. They were originally scheduled to launch the attack on June 24, but due to the request of the American minister to wait for the participation of the American fleet, they decided to postpone the launch of the attack to the 25th.

At dawn on June 25, the British and French invaders launched an attack on Dagu. He Bu personally led 12 allied warships (11 British shallow-water steam gunboats and 1 French shallow-water steam gunboat) and sailed from the barrage of the river to the seaport. The plan is: the gunboats rush across the Hengjiang Iron Chain and occupy a favorable position on the upper hand of the fort to attack from both sides. Then, under the cover of gunboat fire, the Marine Corps lands from the front and quickly seizes the fort.

At 2 p.m., after the coalition fleet completed its advance mission, Hebu used several ships to remove obstacles in the water and open up a passage. The remaining warships lined up to provoke. During this process, the Chinese officers and soldiers guarding the Dagu Fort were all concealed and camouflaged, and the fort was silent. A British soldier who participated in the war once recalled: "All the forts were sleeping on the beach like monsters, and they could not be heard. There was no sound and no flag in sight.” Hengfu, the governor of Zhili, once again sent officials with notes to persuade the envoys to land in Beitang to exchange the contract. The British and French invading forces refused to accept the note.

At around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the first obstacle in Haikou was demolished. He Bu immediately ordered the fleet to advance towards the iron chain blocking the Haikou and shelled the forts on both sides. "But all of a sudden, like magic, all the straw mats that were originally covering the fort's cannons were rolled up, and all the cannons opened fire in an instant." The Qing soldiers guarding the fort began to fire violently, taking advantage of the enemy ships being blocked by Taking advantage of the favorable opportunity to encounter obstacles in the water, he gave full play to his firepower. Soon many coalition warships were damaged, and He Bu himself was also injured. By 4 p.m., four coalition warships, including the flagship, were sunk, and all other warships participating in the battle were also damaged. Seeing that the situation was not good, the coalition forces raised a white flag and pretended to surrender. Commodore Dardina, the commander of the American fleet on the side, also hurriedly led the fleet to support the British and French coalition forces. After adjusting their deployment, they continued to attack the fort.

At 5 p.m., He Bu, who was seriously injured, issued the order to land. More than a thousand British and French marines, under the command of British Colonel Lemon, boarded more than 20 sailboats and sampans, used naval gunfire as cover, and forced a landing on the south bank of Haikou in an attempt to seize three forts on the south bank first. After the invading troops landed, they were killed by fort artillery fire. On the other hand, the road was muddy and difficult to advance. At the same time, they were blocked by the defenders and the Manchu and Mongolian cavalry who came from Xinhe for reinforcements, and were forced to retreat. That night, the British and French forces continued their attack. Under the illumination of fire bombs, the Qing army fought bravely and inflicted heavy damage on the enemy. After a day and night of fierce fighting, the coalition forces suffered a complete defeat, and the remaining enemies fled to Hangzhou Bay.

The outcome and impact of the naval battle

This battle was the greatest victory achieved by the Chinese army since the First Opium War.

*** sank 4 enemy ships, severely damaged 6 (completely lost combat effectiveness), captured 2, killed and wounded 578 British soldiers (some say 478), 14 French soldiers, and captured 1 British and American soldier each. He Bu, commander of the British invasion fleet, was seriously injured. The Qing army lost 38 people. Shi Rongchun, the governor of Zhili, and Long Ruyuan, the deputy general of Dagu Association, died heroically in the battle.

The failure of the coalition lies in underestimating the enemy. Rear Admiral Herb, commander of the fleet, "thought he had a sure victory" after breaking into the mouth of the river. Seng Gelinqin also made a more in-depth comment on this battle: "The reason why the Yiyi were defeated this time was because they were proud and deceived the enemy. The idea was that the forts and fortresses were easily accessible, and the water battle was defeated, followed by the infantry. It was the Yiyi who did not believe it. China dares to fight." The Qing army was prepared and unprepared, and suddenly attacked within the artillery range, focusing on attacking the enemy's flagship, causing its command to malfunction and fall into chaos, thus achieving a great victory. However, because the Qing army did not have modern ships with fast speed and strong firepower, they were unable to pursue the victory and expand the results, and had to allow them to withdraw from the theater safely.

Majiang Naval Battle

The lower reaches of the Minjiang River, from the confluence of the Wulongjiang River and the Nantaijiang River in the southeast of Fuzhou to the mouth of the sea, are commonly known as Majiang, also known as Mawei. It has the famous Mawei Port, which is the base of the Fujian Navy and an important trading port. Mawei Port is only a hundred miles away from the provincial capital Fuzhou and is an important barrier to Fujian. In addition, Mawei was also the location of the largest shipbuilding base and the largest naval school in the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, the strategic position of horsetail is very important. In the early 1880s, the Sino-French war broke out. France threatened that if China did not accept France's demands, France would occupy the port of Fuzhou as a "collateral."

On July 12, 1884, the French government issued an ultimatum to China, requiring it to meet arbitrary demands such as "withdrawal" and "reparations" within seven days. On July 14, French warships led by Guba entered Mawei Port one after another in the name of "touring". Instead of stopping them, the Chinese authorities in Mawei Port gave the French warships the "most friendly hospitality."

Zhang Peilun, a good general and minister of Fujian Shipping Affairs, later married Li Hongzhang’s daughter. The famous writer Zhang Ailing was his granddaughter

But the French fleet was not a guest. After entering Mawei Port, the French ship immediately occupied a favorable position and reconnaissance terrain, and parked adjacent to the warships of the Fujian Shipbuilding Fleet, posing a great threat to the Chinese warships and Fujian Shipbuilding Shipyard. Zhang Peilun, Minister of Shipping Affairs of Fujian Province, who was specially sent by the Qing court to preside over Fujian's coastal defense, immediately sent a message and requested other Sanyo fleets to send ships for support, but only the Guangdong Navy sent two warships. While moving reinforcements, Zhang Peilun, Shipping Minister He Ruzhang, Fuzhou General Mu Tushan and others called the Qing court many times to inquire about the strategy of war and defense, but they mostly received orders such as "If they don't move, I won't do it either." , so he ignored the navy general's request to fight and issued a strict order: "You are not allowed to fire first without an order. You must wait for the enemy ship to open fire before you can fight back. Anyone who violates the rules will be killed even if they win." In this way, the hands and feet of the Chinese navy were tied before the naval battle began.

French fleet flagship "Wolda"

Before the war began, 10 French warships had entered Mawei Port, with a total tonnage of about 15,000 tons and equipped with 77 artillery pieces, while China Although there are 11 warships, their total tonnage is only more than 9,800 tons and they are equipped with more than 50 artillery pieces. Moreover, most of the warships in the Chinese fleet use vertical steam engines. The machines are above the waterline and have no armor, so they are easily destroyed. The artillery equipped are basically muzzle-loading guns, which have neither armor nor power and rate of fire. It was not as good as the breech-loading guns equipped by French warships. What was even more unfavorable was that the French fleet was also equipped with new weapons at the time-machine guns and torpedoes.

French Far East Fleet

Ship name, ship type, tonnage, horsepower, number of guns, number of guns

Wolda (flagship) wooden hull cruiser 1300 1000 160 9

Triumph armored cruiser 4127 2400 410 21

Dujuzluin iron-walled wooden cruiser 3189 3740 300 10

Fellers wooden cruiser 2268 2790 250 5

Destin wooden-hulled cruiser 2236 2790 250 5

Wildcat gunboat 515 120 9

Ishibi gunboat 471 120 9

Snake gunboat 471 120 9

Torpedo boat No. 45

Torpedo boat No. 46

Fujian Shipping Navy

Ship name Ship type Tonnage Horsepower Number of guns Number

Yangwu (flagship) wooden-hulled cruiser 1560 1130 200 11

Yongbao wooden-hulled transport ship 1358 150 150 3

Chenhang wooden-hulled transport ship 1358 150 150 3

Fusheng Mosquito Boat 250 389 26 1

Jiansheng Mosquito Boat 250 389 26 1

Yixin Gunboat 245 50 30 5

Fubo gunboat 1258 150 150 5

Fuxing gunboat 545 80 70 5

Jian gunboat 1258 150 150 9

Feiyun gunboat 1258 150 150 7

Zhenwei Gunboat 572 80 100 5

The commander of the French Far East Fleet, Guba, was later killed in Taiwan

On August 19, 1884, France once again asked the Qing Dynasty The government put forward an ultimatum to extort huge sums of money, but the Qing court flatly rejected it. On August 21, the French government ordered the acting minister in Beijing to withdraw the flag and return home, and at the same time ordered Guba to prepare for war. On the 22nd, Guba received an order from the French government. At 8 o'clock that night, the captains of the French ships held a combat meeting and decided to use the low tide to transfer the ship's hull to launch an attack on the Chinese fleet at around 2 o'clock the next day. At this time, the French warship The bow can be used to attack the stern of the Chinese warship. The stern is the weakest point of the warship and is extremely easy to be damaged. Moreover, even if the Chinese fleet at anchor responds, it must make a complete semicircular turn before it can turn around. Fighting from the bow, in this way, the French fleet had a "decisive strategic advantage."

At 8 a.m. on August 23, in order to avoid misunderstandings among warships from various countries in the port, the French fleet sent war notices to the consulates of various countries and informed the British "Champion", "Sapphire" and "Alert" in Mawei Port. ”, American “Enterprise” and other 4 warships. At 10 o'clock in the morning, He Jing, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, received a letter of war from the French, stating that war would begin on China in four hours. However, He Jing actually blocked the news from the outside world and did not inform Zhang Peilun and others until after 12 noon. Zhang Peilun, He Ruzhang was shocked after hearing the report. He ordered Wei Han, a famous Fujian shipbuilding engineer who was proficient in French, to take a boat to the French side on the grounds that China had no time to prepare for war, and requested that the war be postponed to the next day. When the French fleet flagship "Volda" saw a Chinese ship approaching, Guba immediately ordered to open fire on the Chinese fleet, and the Majiang naval battle broke out. The time was 1:45 pm on August 23, 1884.

The "Jiansheng" anchored in Mawei before the war

At that time, there were 8 sanitation shipyards in Fujian Shipping Administration's fleet: the transport ships "Yongbao" and "Chenhang" were moored in the shipyard In front of Shuiping; the flagship "Yangwu" and the gunboats "Fuxing", "Fusheng", "Jiansheng", "Fubo" and "Yixin" were anchored upstream of Luoxing Tower to resist the French ship; the other three gunboats "Zhenwei", "Feiyun" and "Jian" are parked near the customs on the lower reaches of Luoxing Tower.

In addition, there are more than 10 old warships of the Fujian Navy and many armed sampans anchored on the south side of Luoxing Tower. The French warships and the shipping fleet were only a few hundred meters apart, forming a pincer attack on the Chinese warships from the north and south, so the attack started from two directions at the same time.

Majiang Naval Battle

In the upstream direction of Luoxing Tower, Guba commanded the flagship "Wolda" and other ships to concentrate their main firepower on the shipbuilding flagship "Yangwu", and used some artillery fire to attack Other ships. The "Yangwu" had no time to turn the ship, so it cut off the anchor chain and fired back with its tail cannon. The first shot hit the bridge of the "Wolda", killing five French people. The French also fired Torpedo Boat No. 46. Attack "Yangwu", and use torpedo boat No. 45 to attack "Fuxing". "Yangwu" was seriously damaged by a torpedo on the starboard side, and the superstructure also began to be hit by artillery fire. However, the leader Zhang Cheng abandoned the ship and escaped on a sampan. Although the officers and soldiers of the "Yangwu" ship resisted tenaciously, the warship was severely injured and began to sink. At the last moment of the sinking, a sailor climbed aboard