The Battle of Sino-Japanese Naval War

On September 17, 1894, the third day after the fall of Pyongyang, the Japanese Combined Fleet finally started a fierce naval battle in the Yellow Sea near Dadonggou at the mouth of the Yalu River.

Japanese navy in the sea off the Datong River, concentrated 12 warships, including all of its essence, namely Yoshino, Takachiho, Akitsukushu, Naniwa, Matsushima, Chiyoda, Itsukushima, Hashidate, and other eight 5,000 horsepower or more of the main ship and cruiser.

On the morning of September 15, 1894, the main force of the Beiyang Fleet, counting 10 warships and 6 attached ships, arrived at Dalian Bay under the leadership of Ding Ruchang.

At 1 a.m. on the morning of the 16th, ten battalions of the Ming army ***4,000 men in five troop-carrying ships headed for Dadonggou at the mouth of the Yalu River.

At noon on the 16th, the fleet arrived at Dadonggou, and by the following morning, the army had all landed.

At 8 a.m. on the 17th, the flagship Dingyuan hoisted the dragon flag and began to return.

11 o'clock, the Beiyang fleet suddenly found a few clusters of black smoke in the southwest direction of the sea, Ding Ruchang boarded the deck to look, judged to be the Japanese fleet. So he immediately ordered all ships to raise fire, live ammunition, ready to fight.

11:30, Yoshino first found the fleet of the North China Sea, issued a signal "northeast found more than three enemy ships".

12:20, the Japanese ships gradually approach the fleet.

At 12:50 p.m., the flagship of the Beiyang Fleet, Dingyuan, opened fire first.

Ten seconds later, the Zhenyuan ship also sent out shells, followed by the Beiyang Fleet ships fired a bombardment. Three minutes later, the Japanese flagship Matsushima also began to fire back. In a flash, the two sides of the ships of the hundreds of guns all together anger, smoke filled, seawater boiling.

At the beginning of the war, the two sides of the force ratio is as follows:

Guns Torpedo tubes Total displacement Total strength Average speed knots

Beiyang navy 195 27 2126 14.5

Japanese fleet 268 36 3916 10.2

Japanese first guerrilla fleet average speed of 19.4 knots. In addition, according to the British Naval Almanac, the firing speed of rapid-fire guns at that time was six times that of the original rear-mounted guns, from which it was calculated that the firepower of the Japanese fleet was actually equivalent to three times that of the Beiyang Fleet. According to the order of sailing, the Japanese ships were equipped as follows:

First Partisan Group

Name Captain Displacement (tons) Speed (knots) Main Guns (guns)

"Yoshino" Kawaguchi 4,216 22.5 150mm Rapid-fire Guns 4

"Takachiho" Kawaguchi 4,216 22.5 150mm Rapid-fire Guns 4

The Japanese fleet was equipped with the following guns. "Takachiho" Sadaharu Nomura 3709 18 260mm2

"Akitsukushu" Hikonosei Uemura 3150 26 150mm Rapid-Fire Guns 4

"Naniwa Togo Heihachiro 3709 24

The first group of this fleet:

Name Captain Displacement (tons) Speed (knots) Main Guns (guns)

"Matsushima" Flagship Omoto-Know 4278 16 320mm1

"Chiyoda" Flagship Omoto-Know 4278 16 320mm1

"Matsushima" Flagship Omoto-Know "Chiyoda" Uchida Masatoshi 2439 19 120mm1

"Itsukushima" Yokoo Michiyuki 4278 16 320mm1

The second group of the fleet:

Name of the ship Captain Displacement (tons) Speed (knots) Main Guns (guns)

"Hashidate" Hidaka Shoujo no Sei 4278 16 320mm1

"Birei" Sakurai Rikyuu no Yo 2284 13.2 170mm2

"Fuso" Arai Yukon 3777 13 280mm2

Left side of the fleet:

Name Captain Displacement (tons) Speed (knots) Main Guns (guns)

"Saikyo Maru" Kano Isunosuke 4100 15 120mm

"Akagi" Sakamoto Yataro 622 10.25 120mm

The 12 ships of the Peking Fleet were equipped as follows:

Name of ship Captain Displacement (tons) Speed (knots) Main guns (guns)

" Dingyuan" flagship Liu Buchan 7335 14.5 305mm4

"Zhenyuan" Lin Taizeng 7335 14.5 305mm4

"Jingyuan" Lin Yongsheng 2900 15.5 210mm2

Name Captain Displacement (tons) Speed (knots) Main Guns (guns)

15.5 210mm2

"Laiyuan" Qiu Baoren 2900 15.5 210mm2

"Zhiyuan" Deng Shichang 2300 18 210mm2

Jingyuan" Ye Zugui 2300 18 210mm2

"Jiyuan" Fang Boqian 2300 15 210mm2

"Pingyuan" Li He 2100 14.5 260mm2

"Jiyuan" Deng Shi Chang 2100 14.5 260mm1

"Chaoyong" Huang Jianxun 1350 15 250mm2

"Yangwei" Lin Cuzhong 1350 15 250mm2

"Guang A" Wu Jing Rong 1296 15 150mm2

"Guang C" Cheng Bik Kwong 1000 17 120mm3

The other six ships are gunboat Zhen Nan, Zhen Zhong and torpedo boats Fook Long, Left 1, Right 2 and Right 3.

Shortly after the battle began, the flagship of the Beiyang fleet "Dingyuan" ship due to 12 years in the water, has been in disrepair, the bridge was suddenly opened fire on the cannons collapsed, Ding Ruchang fell wounded, and soon by the Japanese ship's guns will be destroyed by the signal flag. Ding Ruchang refused to entourage to put himself into the cabin, insisted on sitting on the deck to supervise the battle. But he can only drum a ship morale, the battle just started, the Beiyang fleet lost command. Japan's first guerrilla 4 ships using speed advantage around the attack on the right wing of the Beiyang fleet "super brave", "Yangwei", two ships were hit one after another on fire, quit the battle. The Japanese ship "Yoshino" was also hit by the Beiyang fleet fire, but was quickly extinguished. 13:30, "super brave" sank, "Yang Wei" also ran aground.

While the Japanese First Partisan Group circled around and attacked the right flank of the Beiyang Fleet, this group also exchanged attacks with the main force of the Beiyang Fleet. Due to the different speeds, the slower Japanese ships "Birei", "Akagi", "Fuso" and "Saikyo Maru" were intercepted by the Beiyang fleet. were intercepted by the Beiyang Fleet. Beiyang navy "Dingyuan", "Laiyuan", "Jingyuan" heavily damaged these four warships. The captain of Akagi, Sakamoto Hachirota, was killed on the spot, and Saikyo Maru was seriously wounded.

Around 14:15, the Japanese fleet around to the back of the fleet, and the first guerrilla formed a pincer attack. The Japanese fleet was attacked by the enemy from the back, and the formation became more chaotic. In the melee, the Beiyang fleet has been in front of the "Zhiyuan" ship by the Japanese "Yoshino", "Takachiho" and other concentrated bombardment, many injuries, hull tilt.

Ito Yohan ordered the first guerrilla group to rescue "Akagi" and "Birei". "Yoshino was at the front of the line and met Zhiyuan, which was on fire. Deng Shichang, who was in charge of the ship, was furious and said, "The Japanese ship is specializing in the account of Yoshino, if it is sunk, then our army can be organized! He ordered to sink the Yoshino. "Zhiyuan" ship to the "Yoshino" starboard side of the high-speed collision. Japanese ship officers and men were shocked at the situation, desperately fleeing, and to the "Zhiyuan" ship launched a series of torpedoes, "Zhiyuan" ship to avoid a torpedo, unfortunately, for the other hit, the ship officers and men ****252 died in battle.

"Chiyuanyuan" continue to meet "Yoshino", also hit by fire, steward Lin Yongsheng, first mate Chen Cai was killed in action, and then the ship was also sunk by enemy torpedoes, the ship's 270 people in addition to 16 people were rescued, all died. After the sinking of "Zhiyuan", "Jiyuan" management belt Fang Boqian, "Guangjia" management belt Wu Jingrong, fleeing from the battlefield (Fang Boqian, etc. Whether or not fleeing from the battlefield, there are different views). "Jingyuan" and "Laiyuan" were hit by too many bullets and withdrew from the battle, and avoided repairing the damaged machines near Dalu Island.

"Dingyuan", "Zhenyuan" two ships tenaciously resisted the siege of the Japanese fleet, although many bullets, several times on fire, all officers and men still insisted on fighting.

3:30 p.m., "Zhenyuan" ship's 30.5-centimeter cannons hit the Japanese flagship "Matsushima" for the second time. "Matsushima's turret No. 4 on the rear deck was hit, and the flames triggered the charge, resulting in a large explosion. "Matsushima was tilted 5 degrees, white smoke rose and fire broke out. The Japanese turret commander, Navy Captain Kiyonao Shima, and more than 100 men were killed. Dead bodies piled up, blood flowed all over the ship, and Matsushima was defeated.

Shortly after, "Jingyuan", "Laiyuan" repair is completed, re-enter the battle. Japanese ships "Akagi", "Birei", "Saikyo Maru" was "Tingyuan", "Zhenyuan" bombarded to nowhere, the flagship "Matsushima" has been paralyzed, "Yoshino", "Fuso" also suffered The flagship "Matsushima" had been paralyzed, "Yoshino" and "Fuso" were also seriously wounded and could not fight any more, and seeing that the fleet of the North China Sea had regrouped, Ito Yuken ordered to withdraw from the battlefield at about 1740 hours.

After a short pursuit, the fleet realized that the distance was getting bigger and bigger, and also withdrew to return to Lushun. The Yellow Sea battle, which lasted more than five hours, ended here.

The Yellow Sea battle lasted more than five hours, the scale of its large, long time, for the modern world in the history of naval warfare is rare.

The result of the battle was that the Beiyang Fleet lost "Zhiyuan", "Jingyuan", "Chaoyong", "Yangwei", "Guangwei" and "Zhiyuan". ", "Guangjia" ("Guangjia" fled the battlefield and hit the reef, a few days later was self-destructed) 5 warships, dead and wounded officers and men more than a thousand people; Japanese fleet "Matsushima Japanese fleet "Matsushima", "Yoshino", "Birei", "Akagi", "Saikyo Maru" 5 ships were seriously injured ("Saikyo Maru", "Akagi" two ships were towed shortly after the sinking), dead and wounded officers and men more than 600.

After the Battle of the Yellow Sea, as the Beiyang Fleet was ordered by Li Hongzhang not to go out to sea in search of war, Japan basically grasped the right to control the sea in the Yellow Sea On October 24, 1894, the Japanese army gathered on the south bank of the Yalu River, ready to launch an attack on the Chinese mainland.

The next day at 11:00 a.m., Japanese Colonel Sato first led an army to cross the river, the Qing army put up a little resistance, abandoned their forts and fled, and the Japanese army took the opportunity to cross the Yalu River. At 1:30 p.m., the Japanese army occupied the Qing army's battery on the Anping River, at the same time, launched an attack on Tiger Mountain, the Qing army was outnumbered, and was eventually repulsed. The Japanese occupied Tiger Hill. Immediately thereafter, the Japanese launched an attack on JiuLianCheng, the Qing troops fled to Phoenix City. on November 3, the Japanese continued to attack Phoenix City, the Qing troops retreated to FengTian Fu. At this point, the Yalu River defense line, which was claimed to be guarded by 30,000 troops, collapsed.

Meanwhile, the Japanese 2nd Army marched toward Jinzhou on Nov. 3 and launched a general attack on the 6th. The Qing army fought hard to resist, but Jinzhou fell. The next day, the Japanese First Division launched an attack on Dalian Bay, Dalian Bay, in addition to the Old Dragon Head Battery a little resistance, the other battery defenders fled, resulting in the fall of Dalian Bay. November 21, after the capture of Lushun, the Japanese army animalistic, the Lushun residents launched a massacre, more than 20,000 residents, only 36 people because of the Japanese army stayed behind to bury the body to be spared. January 19, 1895, the main force of the Japanese army from Dalian Bay, 25 in Rongcheng Bay, all landed. Due to the then governor of shandong Li Bingheng and Li Hongzhang do not get along, when the movement, everywhere difficult, do not send reinforcements, so the Japanese in the landing did not meet a large-scale blockade. Because only Weihaiwei and the Beiyang fleet under the jurisdiction of Li Hongzhang, so Li Hongzhang can do nothing about it.

January 30, the Japanese launched a general attack, 7:30, the Japanese launched an attack on the Motiling Fortress, the fortress defenders fought to the death, repelled the Japanese several charges, the fortress flag was pushed down a few times, and then re-established, the Beiyang Marine Division also rushed to help the battle, the melee in the "Laiyuan" number of cannons killed the Japanese Army Rear Admiral Oji Yasumoto. But due to too many Japanese troops, all the defenders of the fort died in battle. After that, the former ridge, Longmiao mouth, and Houbu mouth were conquered one by one, and all the defenders were martyred. By now, Rongcheng Bay was occupied by the Japanese except for Liugong Island and Ridao Island.

February 3, Japan's Combined Fleet Commander Idong right Henry led the main force of the Japanese ships into the attack on Liugong Island, the fierce battle all day. The next night, the combined fleet of torpedo boats on the Beiyang naval division carried out a sneak attack, after paying a great price, bombing wounded "Dingyuan", so that it ran aground, basically lost combat effectiveness. February 5, the Japanese ship again, the Beiyang naval division and the shore batteries fought back, the Japanese ship could not enter the harbor.

February 6, the Japanese ship torpedo boats again sneak attack, sank the Beiyang naval division "Laiyuan", "Weiyuan" and "Raft" No. 2. February 7, Japan's Combined Fleet deployed All warships, with the intention of total annihilation of the Beiyang naval division. Beiyang navy fought hard, although repulsed the attack of the Japanese ships, but lost the Japanese island battery, and lost all the torpedo boats. February 9, the Japanese ships and sank the last main ship of the Beiyang navy, "Jingyuan", the Beiyang navy has lost the momentum.

February 12, in the case of learning that the arrival of reinforcements is hopeless, the governor of the Beiyang Marine Division Ding Ruchang in grief and anguish in suicide. Subsequently, the "Guang B" ship steward Chen Bikuang with surrender on behalf of the Beiyang navy surrendered to the Japanese ship. February 17, the Japanese ship into Weihaiwei, captured the remnants of the Beiyang navy warships. The Beiyang navy was almost wiped out, only the training ship "Kangji" carrying Ding Ruchang's coffin and the remnants of the officers and men, to Yantai.