The most touching story since the Opium War.

Guan Tianpei (1781～1841.2.26), a famous anti-British general in the Opium War. The courtesy name is Zhongyin and the nickname is Zipu. A native of Shanyang, Jiangsu (now Huai'an). In 1803 (the eighth year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty), Zhongwu Xiucai was awarded the title of Commander-in-Chief. Later, he was promoted to general. In 1826 (the sixth year of Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty), the Qing government began to organize grain shipping. Guan Tianpei escorted more than a thousand grain ships to Tianjin safely and was promoted to deputy general. The following year, he was promoted to general soldier. In the spring of 1832, he acted as the admiral of Jiangnan. In 1834, he was transferred to Admiral of Guangdong Navy. After taking office, he surveyed the geographical situation and changed the Shajiao and Dajiao forts at Humenkou into Xin forts. On the line of Shanghengdang Island, he rebuilt the Nanshan fort (renamed Weiyuan), rebuilt the Hengdang and Zhenyuan forts, and added Yongan and consolidated the forts. , control the east-west waterways; at the bottom of Humen, rebuild the Dahushan Fort. Another 40 cannons weighing more than 6,000 kilograms were cast and placed in various forts. At the same time, we should pay close attention to training and formulate spring and autumn exercise regulations. In 1838, the Jingyuan Fort was built between Zhenyuan and Weiyuan Forts, Western bronze cannons were installed for the first time, and two rows of chains were erected in the water channel on the east side of the rung. In 1839, Lin Zexu, the imperial minister, went to Guangdong to ban smoking, assisted in arresting cigarette dealers, confiscated opium, and commanded the navy to engage in many firefights with British ships. In 1840, the Opium War broke out. Qi Shan, the imperial envoy, went to Guangdong. He was determined to advocate peace and was devoted to defense. On January 7, 1841, the British launched the Battle of Humen in an attempt to force Qishan to surrender by force. They dispatched more than 10 ships to capture the Shajiao and Dajiao forts. On February 26, the British army used 10 warships and 3 steamships, coupled with landing troops, to storm the 6 forts on the Hengdang Island. Guan Tianpei, the commander of the Jingyuan Fort, resisted tenaciously and personally fired cannons to bombard the enemy. He was wounded and died in battle. His memorials and official documents concerning the coastal defense of Guangdong were compiled into "The First Collection of Caohai".

Chen Huacheng (1776～1842. 6.16) was a famous anti-British general in the Opium War. The name is Yezhang and the name is Lianfeng. A native of Tong'an, Fujian (now part of Xiamen). He was born in the army, was accustomed to water, and was good at martial arts. He moved to the general army after being tired. In 1830 (the 10th year of Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty), he served as the admiral of the Jin Fujian Navy and was stationed in Xiamen. He led naval warships to seize and expel opium smuggling ships from Britain and other countries on many occasions. At the beginning of 1840, he was transferred to Jiangnan Water and Land Admiral. Soon after hearing that the British invading army had invaded Dinghai, he did not enter Songjiang Yamen, but rushed to Wusong, the most important seaport in Jiangsu. He actively prepared for war. He mobilized more than 4,000 Qing troops, deployed more than 250 artillery pieces of various types, and built them along the west bank of the Huangpu River Estuary. The defensive position "Tucheng" is 5 kilometers long, and the artillery bunker "Tuniu" is built on top to reinforce the east and west forts. In June 1842, the British army entered the Yangtze River Estuary. On the 16th, the Battle of Wusong broke out. The British army used 7 warships, 5 ships (with more than 200 guns) and two army regiments (deficient) to attack Qing ships in the east and west Toutang and the river. Chen Huacheng was not afraid of the powerful enemy and ordered to bombard the British ships, damaging 4 British ships. When the West Fort was attacked by the British army by land and water, and the defenders retreated one after another, he still led dozens of soldiers to hold on to the position. In the end, he was hit by an artillery shell and died heroically. Wusong Fortress also fell.

Ge Yunfei, Wang Xipeng, and Zheng Guohong were the famous three-town generals who guarded Dinghai and fought bravely against the British during the Opium War.

Ge Yunfei (1789-1841), also known as Pengqi, Lingtai, and Yutian, was a native of Shanyin (now Xiaoshan County), Zhejiang. Born into a military family, his father, Ge Chengsheng, was a martial arts graduate. Ge Yunfei farmed since he was a child. Later, he studied and practiced martial arts under his father's training. But disdain Zhu Zi's chapters and sentences. Later, he visited the West Lake in Hangzhou and "paid homage to the tomb of King Yue, and paid homage to him. His ambition was determined." ② He especially appreciated Yue Fei's two famous sayings: "Civil officials do not love money, but military officials do not hesitate to die." Moreover, he will also The deeds of eleven famous generals from the Han Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty were compiled into "Records of Famous Generals" to encourage myself. At the age of 30, he was awarded the title of "Zhongwu Juren". In the third year of Daoguang's reign (1823), he became a Jinshi. Starting from the fourth year of Daoguang's reign (1824), with the rank of garrison, he successively served in naval camps in Ningbo, Huangyan, Wenzhou, Zhapu, Ruian, Dinghai and Fenghuomen in Fujian, etc. He made many military exploits by arresting "pirates". Five promotions to the general soldier. In the 18th year of Daoguang's reign (1838), he was appointed as the commander-in-chief of Dinghai Town, and soon he was actually awarded the title.

Ge Yunfei lived a very simple life, with "a green cloth handkerchief, short clothes and straw shoes", and "looking at his diet, he only took off millet and dried vegetables"③, and was called "Han Confucian" at that time. He defended the border garrison, often went deep into the barracks, shared the joys and sorrows with the soldiers, and cared deeply for them. It was freezing cold and the soldiers were guarding the border, so they made cotton-padded clothes for them. One day, his family brought him fur clothes from home. He said, "Soldiers are brave enough to endure the frost, how can they bear to be alone in the warmth?" ④ So he still wore linen robes as before. When the soldiers heard about it, they were all impressed. During the bloody battle to defend Dinghai, he "had no time to eat for six days and nights, eating only eight pieces of bread a day." The soldiers also suffered from the difficulty of food supply and could not eat enough. One day, the local elder braved the artillery fire to cook ginseng soup for him to drink. He said: "The soldiers endured hunger and killed thieves, but I can't bear to drink it alone?" *Drinking it, all the troops burst into tears"⑥, and they became more motivated to fight and kill the enemy bravely.

He was very strict in running the army, and his discipline was particularly strict. There was a soldier who took a Yu from the people and was whipped until he bled. In his early years, he was guarding the garrison in central Zhejiang. "When he inspected with orders, those who violated disciplines, even though they were restrained by qualified officials, many of them were under false pretenses, and the troops trembled." ⑦ Because he strictly abided by the "honesty must be fulfilled, rewards and punishments must be clear, and hypocrisy must be true" in running the army. He must be inspected and the labor must be equalized." He was praised as a "good official" by the soldiers.

Although he lived a military career, he loved reading throughout his life, dabbled in the history of his country, occasionally wrote poems, and generously expressed his ambitions. He is the author of "Records of Famous Generals", "Essential Notes on Machinery Manufacturing", "Essential Notes on Pharmaceuticals", "Administration of Naval Apprehension", "Illustrated Description of Dangerous Points in Zhejiang Sea" and dozens of volumes of poems and essays. At that time, people praised him for being "a good writer and an artist, with short, sharp and insightful writings, a love for calligraphy and painting, a humble and restrained scholar, and a man of great pleasure and friendship."⑧

Not long after Ge Yunfei was appointed as the commander-in-chief of Dinghai Town, Zhejiang Province, Daoguang In the nineteenth year (1839), after his father passed away, he returned home. Before leaving, he wrote eighty-seven articles to raise the sea, believing that opium was banned in Guangdong, and foreign barbarians were insidious, fearing that there would be wars that would affect Zhejiang and the Yangtze River, so plans should be made in advance. Sure enough, in less than a year, the British army invaded and occupied Dinghai on June 7, the 20th year of Daoguang's reign (1840).

At that time, Wu Ergong'e, the governor of Zhejiang, discussed with Zhejiang's admiral Zhu Tingbiao how to defend the defense. Wu'er Gong'e learned from the meeting that Ge Yunfei was "competent in his strategy" and that he "had served as an official in the sea and was familiar with oceanic islands." "In July, Ge Yunfei arrived at Zhenhai, and Wuer Gongfu came to ask for advice. Ge Yunfei said to him: "Today's urgent matter is to defend first and then fight." He actively prepared for it and submitted "Destroy." "Twelve Strategies of Yi". Therefore, Wuer Gong'e appointed him to take charge of Zhenhai's military affairs. He guarded Zhaobao and Jinji Mountains with strong troops, installed huge cannons in the pass, built earthen castles on the river banks, and built tree stumps and rafts in the middle of the river and in the alleys to deter the British invasion. "After three days of guarding, the people's hearts will begin to settle down. The "Twelve Policies" will be secretly read and often implemented." ⑩ Soon after, Yilibu was ordered to envoy Zhejiang, and Ge Yunfei asked him to "please recruit retired soldiers first, and lend them to him" In August of the same year, Wang Xipeng was transferred from Wusong to Ningbo and served as the wing commander of the Zhenhai army. Ge Yunfei and he requested to quickly send troops to recover Dinghai, but they were ignored. The imperial envoy Yilibu who compromised and sued for peace refused. Iribu even planned to invite the British plenipotentiary Yilu to come to Zhenhai for negotiations, and asked Ge Yunfei to participate, but Ge Yunfei flatly refused. It was not until January of the 21st year of Daoguang (1841) that Qishan and Yilu negotiated the Chuanbicao Treaty. After the British army occupied Hong Kong, they expressed their willingness to return Dinghai, and Yilibu sent people to contact the British general. . In February, Ge Yunfei, Wang Xipeng, the commander-in-chief of Shouchun Town, and Zheng Guohong, the commander-in-chief of Chuzhou Town, led 3,000 troops and crossed the sea to receive them. During the reception period, Ge Yunfei insisted on retreating from the city first and then releasing the prisoners. Otherwise, he would use military force to force the British troops to withdraw from Dinghai.

After Emperor Daoguang issued an edict to declare war on Britain at the beginning of the first month, he ordered Yilibu to march into the army and "recover Dinghai". However, Yilibu shrank from moving forward and repeatedly asked for compromise with the enemy. Emperor Daoguang severely punished him. He rebuked and reassigned Yuqian, the governor of Jiangsu, as the imperial minister to replace Iribu in charge of Zhejiang's military affairs and be responsible for the frontline command of Zhejiang. On February 7, Yuqian arrived at the naval camp in Zhenzhen, and on March 6 he went to the Dinghai forward position in person. In leap three months, he was appointed governor of Liangjiang.

Dinghai is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with Xiaofengling in the north overlooking the county seat. The ridges are steep and steep, and there is a path near the sea; in the east is Zhushanmen, a coastal city with a narrow harbor and deep water; in the west is Jiu'anmen with overlapping mountains. , it is far away from the sea; in the south is the road head, which is open and unobstructed, and is the main road between sea and land. With Yuqian's consent, Ge Yunfei built a Tucheng from Xiaozhu Mountain to Qingleitou in the east of the city, which is more than 1,430 feet long. He also built Zhenyuan City on Guanshan in the southeast of the city, which is 130 feet long, which is the Guanshan Fort. . In order to strengthen the defense of Dinghai, he requested that forts be built on Xiaofengling and Xiaozhu Mountain to block Jiang Road to prevent illegal crossing. He also built additional forts on Wukui Mountain, Jixiangmen, Daqumen, Maogang, and Hutoujing Islands. They also set up defenses, acting as each other's horns, and Yuqian refused to allow them to do so. Ge Yunfei asked to borrow three years' salary to build the project at his own expense. Yuqian angrily said, "You are holding me hostage!"⑿ He firmly refused. Later, he also requested to block the narrow harbor of Zhushan Gate to prevent boats from passing through, but to no avail. In July of the 21st year of Daoguang's reign (1841), when the British army invaded Xiamen, they thought that Tucheng's garrison was weak, Xiaofengling carried the sea on its back, and there were detours, so he wrote a letter requesting more artillery and camp ships to prepare for a water war. , but still did not attract Yu Qian's attention. Instead, he banned discussion of water wars and ordered the Dinghai camp ships to be escorted across Zhenhai. Ge Yunfei suffered from constraints and knew that he would be defeated if he only defended the enemy, so he vowed to kill the enemy with all his strength and sacrifice himself for the country. In August of the 21st year of Daoguang's reign (1841), twenty-nine British ships gathered in the Huangniu Reef area of ​​the Zhoushan Islands to conduct reconnaissance and determination of the sea surface. The generals of the three towns were originally guarding the city, but when things became urgent, they made a military appointment, stimulated heavy rewards, and guarded key areas separately. Wang Xipeng, the commander-in-chief of Shouchun Town, went out to guard Xiaofengling⒀, Zheng Guohong, the commander-in-chief of Chuzhou Town, guarded the Zhushan Gate, and Ge Yunfei, the commander-in-chief of Dinghai Town, led his troops to guard Tucheng, serving as the enemy's strategic point.

On the afternoon of the 12th, four British warships took advantage of the tide and rushed into Zhushan Gate. Before they entered the inner harbor, Ge Yunfei personally spotted the signs in Bantang Tucheng and directed all the artillery to blast them. The enemy ship had no time to resist, so it exited Jixiang Gate and then went around Daqu Gate. It was repulsed by the guerrilla Zhang Shaoting of Dinghai Town who was guarding Donggang Putu City and led his troops. No Qing army suffered any casualties. The British army broke into Xiaozhu Mountain at night and entered Tucheng. The Qing army fought hard and killed many enemies. At that time, Ge Yunfei found out that the British army had thirty large ships and seventy to eighty small ships, about 20,000 people, and the defenders only had more than 5,500 people. He sent a letter to ask for help. Yuqian suspected that he was exaggerating the enemy's situation, and sent a message to defend the enemy. Looking for help.

At noon on the 13th, four British ships sailed into Zhushan Gate. Ge Yunfei's commander fired a cannon and broke the mast of the British ship. Zheng Guohong led his troops to fire with cannons and actively cooperated with Ge Yunfei's artillery team. The British ship Flee immediately.

On the 14th, the British ships "Modish", "Columbine" and "Vengeance" sailed in with guns and attacked Xiaofengling, firing three to four hundred guns. After the attack, Wang Xipeng led his troops to hide in Shiya and counterattack, without any casualties.

Later, more than 50 British troops drove sampans and landed at Zhumen Mountain. They were repelled by Zheng Guohong and his troops with artillery, killing and wounding many people. In the evening, the British army bypassed the south of Dinghai City and occupied Wukui Mountain.

On the 15th, five British ships anchored in the south of Wukui Mountain, set up tents and built forts. Ge Yunfei took advantage of the fact that the enemy had not gathered, and fired a long-distance artillery attack in Tucheng, destroying the tents. Five tops, annihilated more than ten British troops.

On the 16th, the British ship sailed towards Jixiangmen and attacked Donggangpu, but was repulsed by the defenders' artillery fire. The British army turned to attack Xiaofengling and Zhushan, and landed in small boats in the evening, but were repelled by Wang Xipeng and Zheng Guohong.

At dawn on the 17th, the British army took advantage of the foggy weather and took advantage of the Qing army's hunger and fatigue to attack by ship. Ge Yunfei fired the cannon himself, hitting the gunpowder on the ship and burning it immediately, leaving no trace of the ship. The British army broke the cauldron and drove more than 10,000 fugitives from Fujian and Guangdong into three groups: one from Wukui Mountain to attack head-on; one from the east to Donggangpu; and the other from Xiaofengling in the northwest to launch a general attack on the Qing army. Relying on their superior strength, the British army advanced in divisions. The Qing army was outnumbered and leaned on the cliff to defend. The officers and soldiers fought hard day and night with no rest, food was in short supply, they were hungry and tired, and it rained for days, so their clothes and armor were soaked. It was still an arduous and arduous journey, and the journey was muddy. Their morale was high and they fought back with all their strength. Wang Xipeng led the Shouchun soldiers and was the first to take the lead.

When the British troops rushed up the mountain under the cover of fierce artillery fire, Wang Xipeng raised his arms and shouted, Shouchun soldiers fired all artillery fire, and the British troops were shocked and scattered. The invading army at that time said: "The Chinese came down the mountain to fight. The fire of their matchlock guns and Taiwanese guns made the whole mountain seem to be on fire." ⒁ Shouchun soldiers, who are famous for their bravery and skill in fighting, during the battle to guard Xiaofengling, Dare to fight and kill, very brave. At that time, the British army drove the desperadoes bought from Fujian and Guangzhou to take the lead. They hid behind and fired cold shots, and cooperated with the artillery bombardment to attack in batches. The Shouchun soldiers braved the hail of artillery bullets and tried their best to stop the attack, regardless of their own safety. The front team was killed, and the rear team continued to advance, killing and repelling the British troops several times. However, there were no cannons in the defense of Xiaofengling, and the cannons used by the soldiers were too red to pretend to fight, so they entered the battle with short knives and started fighting with the invading army. Wang Xipeng took the lead, rushing left and right, killing countless enemies. Later, the British army advanced, and his subordinates were also killed one after another. Unfortunately, he was shot and one of his legs was broken, but he was still able to kill several enemy soldiers who were swarming him. In the end, he was hacked to death by the British army.

Zheng Guohong held his position tenaciously until all his guns and guns were exhausted. At that time, some people advised him to surrender Xiaofengling, but he refused. He said: "If Zhushan is not defended, Xiaofeng will not be able to survive on its own. It is a deadly battlefield for military officials, so we will be divided." ⒂ Soon, Xiaofengling fell and Wang Xipeng was killed. The British army then seized the road and attacked Zhushan Gate, making the situation even more critical. Zheng Guohong calmly held the flag and supervised the battle, and led his troops to fight bloody battles with the enemy. Later, he was awarded the seal military academy and rode alone to fight against the enemy. Although he was hit by two cannons and dozens of wounds, he still fought hard with his sword and killed many enemies with his own hands, and died heroically. .

At this time, the British army was advancing towards Tucheng. Ge Yunfei fought back with a 4,000-pound cannon, and the British army was bleeding.

When the eastward-moving British troops entered the southern part of Guanshan Fort and anchored the Donggangpu battleship and Wukuishan artillery team, they fired fierce artillery fire in an attempt to attack Guanshan Fort from three sides. The situation was very critical. Ge Yunfei looked north and prayed to the sky and said to himself: "I am exhausted. I am traveling overseas. I am reading the moon in July. I cannot kill the traitors for the country. Death is not enough to take the blame!" ⒃ While taking the imperial seal, he sent the school to Yuqian and asked to send troops. On the one hand, he led more than 200 soldiers to fight against the enemy. The invading army once recorded this: "When Lieutenant Colonel Adams commanded the 18th Regiment to land... and enter the southern end of the fort near the sea. The Chinese who were retreating along the long embankment quickly gathered under the leadership of their brave General Ge, They put up a very honorable resistance." ⒄ Ge Yunfei moved from Guanshan Fort to fight at Zhushan Gate. The soldiers also fought with the enemy with swords and weapons. After breaking his sword, he pulled out two sabers and rushed into the British army to fight. They fought for two miles and killed countless people. When he arrived at the Zhushan Gate, he just climbed up. Unfortunately, he was attacked by the enemy with a long sword, half of which was cut off. They were surrounded with muskets and attacked, and he suffered more than forty wounds. After the cannon was drilled on his chest and back, he set up the cliff stone of the Zhushan Gate and killed the enemy with his sword in his hand. The corpse was upright and still, with the left eye gleaming as if alive, showing the noble fighting spirit of preferring death to resisting aggression and living in death.

In this Dinghai defense battle, the generals of the three towns led their troops to bravely resist the invasion and fought bloody battles with the enemy for six days and nights. It was truly "the most ferocious battle in more than a year." Even the invaders themselves had to admit that China The troops "acted gallantly." They said: "General Ge, the commander-in-chief of the Han army, was killed in the long column of forts. His staff and our army fought bravely and died at the same time as him. The flag bearer on the high ground chose the most prominent position to stand. While waving the flag, he was not afraid of the shells from the ship that fell around him. Finally, a shell from the Fletcher knocked him down, and another man quickly took his place. "⒅In this defensive battle. , the Qing army burned one British steamship, three large warships, and many sampans, killing and wounding hundreds of invading troops⒆.

Because the Shouchun soldiers led by Wang Xipeng were particularly brave and good at defending Dinghai, they dared to fight hard and killed the most enemies, the British invading army hated the Shouchun soldiers. Therefore, after they occupied Dinghai, they hunted down the Shouchun soldiers and ordered the residents of Dinghai not to hide and cross the river, and carried out bloody revenge wildly. However, the ferocious flames of the invading army were hit hard by the local "Blackwater Party" led by Xu Bao.

In the history of Chongming, there were Tang Yicen, the county magistrate who resisted the Japanese, and Shen Tingyang, the anti-Qing strategist. According to modern historical records, a little-known anti-British martyr emerged—Gong Linzeng.

Gong Linzeng (? - 1842), "Gong Zengling" was named "Gong Zengling" in "Manuscript of Qing History".

He lived during the Jiaqing and Daoguang years of the Qing Dynasty. He was born in the army, and because of his military exploits, he was appointed as the commander-in-chief of Wusong Camp under the banner of Susong Town, and was assigned to the garrison of Wusong Camp. On June 16, the 22nd year of Daoguang (1842), the British invading army marched north from Guangzhou and attacked Wusongkou. Gong Linzeng followed Jiangnan Admiral Chen Huacheng and defended Wusongxi Fort. After two hours of fierce fighting, the defender of the East Fort (General Cui Jirui) abandoned his cannon and fled, leaving the West Fort isolated. Unfortunately, Chen Huacheng died after being shot down by the cannon. Inspired by Chen Huacheng's heroic and fearless spirit, all the soldiers had high morale. Everyone stood firm, brandished their swords, and killed the enemy bravely. More than eighty soldiers shed their last drop of blood. Gong Linzeng was seriously injured and captured by the British army, but he was unyielding. As a result, the British army nailed his limbs to wooden boards and threw him into the sea. Among the military attachés from Chongming who died in Wusong were Zhang Shuyan, the foreign commissioner of the Marine Division, and others. They wrote a tragic page of the anti-British struggle in the Opium War.

After Gong Lingzeng and Zhang Shuyan were martyred, they were enshrined in Qunzhong Temple in Shanghai and Zhongyi Xiaoti Temple in this county. The imperial court granted him a pension, and both Gong and Zhang became hereditary Yunqiwei because of their father's kindness. Gong Zi, Gong Baokang, acted as Chongming garrison under the banner of Susong Town in the 27th year of Daoguang Dynasty; Zhang Zi, Zhang Zaide, served as Nanhui Dusi.

"We joined the army to defend the country, and we have long ignored life and death. What happened today is just death!"

Deng Shichang (1849-1894) was originally named Yongchang, with the courtesy name Zhengqing. A native of Panyu, Guangdong. In 1867, he entered the first session of the driving class of the Mawei Shipbuilding School. He graduated with honors in 1874 and was awarded the fifth-grade military merit by Shen Baozhang, the Minister of Shipbuilding, and was appointed as the shipping assistant of "Chenhang". The following year, he served as the commander of the gunboat "Haidongyun". At that time, Japan sent troops to invade Taiwan. He was ordered to patrol Penghu and Keelung and was promoted to the rank of Thousand General. Later, he was transferred to the "Zhenwei" gunboat commander, and acted as the "Yangwu" clipper commander. He was recommended as a conservative reserve officer and was given the title of Chief of Staff.

In 1880, Li Hongzhang recruited talents for the construction of the Beiyang Navy. Because Deng Shichang was "familiar with management matters and a rare talent in the Navy", he transferred him to the Beiyang subordinates and successively served as "Feiting" ", "Zhennan" mosquito cannon ship pipe belt. In the winter of the same year, the two cruisers "Yangwei" and "Chaoyong" ordered by Beiyang in the UK were completed. More than 200 officers and soldiers of Ding Ruchang Navy went to the UK to pick up the ships, and Deng Shichang accompanied them. It arrived safely at Dagukou in November 1881. This was the first time that the Chinese navy completed the North Atlantic-Mediterranean Sea-Suez Canal-Indian Ocean-Western Pacific route, which greatly enhanced China's international influence. Deng Shichang was imprisoned by the Qing government for his meritorious service in piloting a ship. He was awarded the title of "Boyong Batulu" and appointed as the "Yangwei" ship commander.

In the spring of 1887, Deng Shichang led a team to Britain to receive the four cruisers "Zhiyuan", "Jingyuan", "Jingyuan" and "Laiyuan" ordered by the Qing government from Britain and Germany. He was to return to China at the end of the year . On the way back, Deng Shichang arranged fleet drills with his disciples. Due to his meritorious service in taking over the ship, he was promoted to deputy general, received an additional military rank, and was appointed as the commander of the "Zhiyuan" ship. In 1888, Deng Shichang was released as a general soldier and given the title of admiral. In October of that year, the Beiyang Navy was formally established as an army, and Deng Shichang was promoted to the rank of deputy general of the Chinese Army's Central Battalion. In 1891, Li Hongzhang inspected the Beiyang Navy. Deng Shichang was awarded the title of "Gersa Batulu" for his meritorious service in training.

In the Battle of Dadonggou on September 17, 1894, Deng Shichang commanded the "Zhiyuan" ship to fight bravely. Later, under the siege of Japanese ships, the "Zhiyuan" was injured in many places and the whole ship burst into flames. tilt. Deng Shichang encouraged all the officers and soldiers on the ship: "We served in the army to defend the country, and we have long ignored life and death. What happened today is just death!" "The Japanese ship relies exclusively on Yoshino, and if it sinks this ship, it will be enough to take away its energy." He resolutely The ship rammed into the starboard side of the Japanese battleship "Yoshino" at full speed, determined to perish together with the enemy. The officers and soldiers of the Japanese warship were shocked when they saw this, and concentrated their artillery fire on the "Zhiyuan". Unfortunately, a shell hit the torpedo tube of the "Zhiyuan" ship. The torpedo in the tube exploded, causing the "Zhiyuan" ship to sink. After Deng Shichang fell into the sea, his entourage offered him a lifebuoy to save him, but he refused and said: "I am determined to kill the enemy and serve the country. Now I die in the sea. It is righteous. Why should I survive!" His pet dog "Taiyang" also swam there. Next to him, holding his arm in his mouth to save him, Deng Shichang swore to fight for life or death with the warship, and resolutely put his dog's head into the water. He also sank in the waves, and died heroically for his country along with more than 250 officers and soldiers on the ship.

After Deng Shichang's death, the whole country was shocked. Emperor Guangxu wept and wrote a couplet: "On this day, the world is crying with tears, and there is a man who can strengthen the power of the navy." He also gave Deng Shichang the posthumous title of "Zhuangjie Gong" and the posthumous title of "Prince". "Shaobao" was enshrined in the Zhaozhong Temple of the capital, and the emperor personally wrote a sacrificial inscription and an inscription. Li Hongzhang expressed his merits in his "Report to the People's Liberation Army for Compassion for the Deaths of Members of the Dadonggou Navy", saying: "...and the contributions of Deng Shichang, Liu Buchan and others are also indispensable." The Qing government also gave Deng's mother a large plaque with the words "Teaching Children Properly" made of 1.5 kilograms of gold, and allocated 100,000 taels of silver to the Deng family as a token of compensation. The Deng family used this money to build a tomb for Deng Shichang and the Deng family ancestral hall in Panyu, Guangdong, where he was originally from. The people of Weihai felt their loyalty and built a shrine to Deng Shichang's statue on Chengshan Mountain in 1899 to pay homage to him forever. On December 28, 1996, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy named the new ocean-going comprehensive training ship "Shichang" to commemorate it.

Deng Shichang had three sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Deng Haohong, inherited the official position and served in the Guangdong Navy. He died in 1947; the second son, Deng Haoyang, died young; the third son, Deng Haoqian, was a posthumous son and served in the Navy Department of the Republic of China. He passed away in Wuxi in 1969.

Zhang Wenxuan (?-1895), courtesy name Desan, was born in Hefei, Anhui. The Zhang family and the Li family were closely related by marriage. The Li Hongzhang brothers were supported by the Zhang family in their studies and marriages. Li Hongzhang paid special attention to the Zhang family. In 1871, Zhang Wenxuan was awarded Zhongwu Jinshi and was sent to Liangjiang as a garrison. At that time, Wu Changqing, the commander-in-chief of the Qing Army, was stationed in Jiangpu and Jiangyin, and Zhang Wenxuan was recommended to the camp as a sentry officer.

In the winter of 1880, Lushun was fortified. Li Hongzhang transferred Zhang Wenxuan to lead the pro-army deputy battalion to garrison Lushun and build the Golden Mountain Fort.

In 1887, Weihai was fortified, and Zhang Wenxuan was transferred to Weihai and led two battalions of his own army to station on Liugong Island. After Zhang Wenxuan arrived at the defense, he successively built five forts including Donghong, Huangdao, Qidingshan, Yingmendong, and Nandao, and also built a ground trap cannon in Mayingzi. In the spare time of building the fort, Zhang Wenxuan led his soldiers to practice new land drills, "drill and defend at the same time", making Liugong Island an important coastal defense town. After describing his merits and achievements, he was promoted three times. When he was recorded as the commander-in-chief, he was released and awarded the title of Balutu Yong for his skill and bravery.

On July 25, 1894, Japan provoked the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894 and brought the war to China. The Japanese navy repeatedly raided Liugong Island, but was repelled by the forts commanded by Zhang Wenxuan. From January 30 to February 2, 1895, the Japanese army occupied Weihai Acropolis and the northern and southern forts, and Liugong Island became an isolated island. Zhang Wenxuan called Liu Hanfang of Denglai Qingdao and said: "Liu Gong Island is isolated in the sea. Wen swore to be brave with his team and use their strength first, and then their lives." Since then, Japan has bombarded Liugong Island from both sea and land, launching eight attacks. Zhang Wenxuan led his troops to cooperate with the Beiyang Navy in launching artillery strikes, which caused the Japanese army's plan to land on Liugong Island to go bankrupt. Due to the instigation of some foreign teachers, the subjugation faction within the Beiyang Navy gradually gained the upper hand. Navy Admiral Ding Ruchang would rather die than surrender and committed suicide on the 11th. Zhang Wenxuan knew that the situation was irreversible and decided to die for his country. Before his death, Li Hongzhang wrote in his suicide note: "In this war, there are those who have been fighting for a month without fighting, some who have been fighting for several months without fighting, and some who have been fighting for half a year without fighting until they die. The prime minister should comment on the military successes and failures of the warriors from all over the world. Cowardice cannot be judged by success or failure." So he committed suicide to die.

After the fall of Liugong Island, the army soldiers believed that the navy had surrendered. The army did not surrender and refused to board the "Kangji" ship with the navy. Instead, they put Zhang Wenxuan's coffin on a civilian ship and escorted him back home. . The Qing court gave Zhang Congyou some benefits and granted him the honorary title of Duke Wu Yi because of the death of his admiral in battle. He was given 800 taels of silver, a hereditary Cavalry Commander plus a rank of Yunqi Lieutenant.

Zuo Guogui (1837-1894) ), courtesy name Guanting, from Philadelphia, Shandong. Hui nationality, martial arts background. In 1856, he was attached to Jiangnan Camp and participated in the suppression of the Taiping Uprising. In 1865, he launched a campaign against the Nian Army uprising from Senggelingqin. In 1868, Tianjin Town was supplemented by guerrillas. When the Nian army failed, he was promoted to general for meritorious service and given the title of deputy general. In 1872, he went to Chaoyang, Rehe, to suppress the "horse thieves". For his merits, he was promoted to deputy general first and was rewarded with a general military rank. In 1875, he led his troops from Chongshi, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, to Fengzhou and Kyrgyzstan to investigate and handle cases. He ordered the general to record his name and release him briefly, and gave him the title of Yong Sebaturu. Since then, guest troops have been stationed in Fengtian. In 1880, he was ordered to take command of the Feng army and oversee the affairs of the camp. Because of the seriousness of running the army, he was admitted by General Qingyu and University Scholar Li Hongzhang successively as "diligent and loyal, fruitful and hard-working, knowledgeable about military affairs, and excellent in planning and bravery". After receiving the order, he was recorded as the Admiral and Commander-in-Chief and released simply. In 1889, he was awarded the title of Commander-in-Chief of Gaozhou Town, Guangdong and remained stationed in Fengtian. In the autumn of 1891, for his meritorious service in suppressing the Jindan Taoist uprising in Chaoyang, Rehe, he was awarded a yellow mantle and a top hat. In 1894, on the occasion of her 60th birthday, Empress Dowager Cixi was given a pair of flower feathers.

Zuo Guogui "ruled the army seriously, valued talented scholars, loved talents and bravery, and served those with extraordinary skills and abilities under Luo's command. He did not begrudge rewards for merit, did not lynch punishments, and was willing to serve as a scholar." Although he was a warrior, he was "charitable by nature, especially for local public welfare." The army has been stationed in Fengtian for a long time, and has successively set up "disaster relief porridge factory, Tongshan Hall, shelter, and nursery hall. The county governs the four borders and Jinliang roads, and many precious donations and cheap repairs are made."

In July 1894, North Korea was in an emergency. The Qing government ordered Zuo Guogui to lead troops into the DPRK and stationed in Pyongyang. On July 20, Zuo Baobao led his army from Fengtian, arrived at Jiuliancheng on the 29th, and arrived in Pyongyang on August 6. Also sent to Pyongyang at the same time as Zuo Guogui were four troops from Yijun Ma Yukun, Shengjun Wei Rugui, and Fengsheng Asuo from Fengtian Lianjun Shengzi Camp and Jilin Lianjun, totaling 29 battalions with more than 13,000 people. It is known in history that the four major armies entered the dynasty.

After the four major armies entered the DPRK, the two parties of the Qing emperor and empress had serious differences on offensive and defensive issues. Emperor Guangxu ordered the armies entering the DPRK to "advance under the stars and reach Seoul" and "quickly advance and suppress, and strike preemptively." " However, Li Hongzhang advocated "defining the situation first, and then making progress". If he attacked Khan City, "30,000 soldiers must be added, and we can achieve success by taking steady and cautious steps." On the issue of offense and defense, Zuo Guogui firmly advocated taking the initiative to attack. In early August, he discussed with the generals to go south for suppression in order to cooperate with the troops of Ye Zhichao and Nie Shicheng who had stationed in Asan in advance to attack the Japanese army from the north and south. After receiving the news from Sheng Xuanhuai, he learned that Ye Zhichao's troops in Yashan had been defeated in Chenghuan and retreated north to Pyongyang. Since the North-South attack was lost, the discussion of advancing south was stopped. In late August, Ye Zhichao led the remnants of his troops to Pyongyang. He pretended defeat was victory, falsely reported military exploits, and was appointed president of the armies stationed in Pyongyang. When a defeated general is promoted, "the entire army is shocked." Ye Zhichao was mediocre and incompetent, cowardly and afraid of the enemy. He had no determination to resist the enemy. He had no arrangements for the defense of Pyongyang, and the generals refused to accept orders. In this way, Zuo Baobao, who had long been in authority, became the de facto president of the military forces in Pyongyang.

On September 4, Zuo Guogui sent cavalry detectives to Chengcheon, about 40 kilometers northeast of Pyongyang, and discovered that the Japanese army had split into separate routes to besiege Pyongyang. The troops were scattered, and the Japanese troops on each route were relatively thin. On the 7th, Zuo Guobao gathered more than 7,000 people from the 15th Mabu Battalion, divided into three groups: left, center and right to attack in the direction of South Zhonghe and Huangzhou in Pyongyang. He also sent 3,000 people north to attack in the direction of Wonsan, preparing to concentrate superior forces to attack the enemy. The army marches all the way to gain the effect of defeating each one. This proposition was approved by the generals. "Every commander fought bravely to be the first, and each picked 80% of his troops to go to neutralize." On the evening of the 7th, the troops attacking towards Wonsan had reached Jiangdong County, and on the morning of the 8th, the troops marching south had also set off. At this time, Ye Zhichao suddenly heard that the Japanese army had entered Seongcheon from another route. Pyongyang was in a tight situation and urgently transferred the troops from the north to the south, giving up the advantageous opportunity to attack the enemy. Regarding this point, Japanese military commentator Yoda Jinpachi once believed: "It cannot be judged whether the Qing army's plan to concentrate its forces to attack will be successful or not, but if it is implemented, the action to separate the Japanese army at that time will not be possible at the gate of Pyongyang at the same time." , because it can at least slow down the fall of Pyongyang. At that time, the Japanese army's encirclement and attack movement was extremely dangerous. If the Qing army acted properly and refused to attack one side, they would have the opportunity to defeat them one by one. The Qing general was unable to take such a bold strategy and his army lacked mobility, so he could only see the beginning of its implementation but not its execution. The failure of his attack southward was a real misfortune for the Qing army." It can be seen from these comments that even the Japanese expressed regret that the Qing army failed to take the initiative and lost the advantageous fighter opportunities to defeat the Japanese army.

From September 12th to 14th, the Japanese troops attacking Pyongyang successively reached the outskirts of Pyongyang. The encirclement of Pyongyang was completed on the 14th. A few Qing generals who were greedy for life and fearful of death advocated abandoning the city and fleeing when they saw the Japanese army coming fiercely. Zuo Guigui was very angry and "swore angrily: If you wish to die, you can leave alone, this city is my tomb", resolutely expressing his determination to fight against Pyongyang for survival. That night, Ye Zhichao convened a meeting of the generals and said: "The enemy is taking advantage of the momentum and is approaching with a sharp edge. Our troops are not equipped with the best medicine and the terrain is unfamiliar. It is better to organize all the troops and retreat to Aizhou temporarily to recharge their batteries for the future." Lift". At that time, the generals had mixed opinions, but they only had the most valuable words: "The enemy is coming with an army, and it is time to attack them with surprise, so that they will never return and dare not face the Central Plains again. The imperial court set up machines to raise troops, and spent millions of money every year. Today, if we retreat without fighting, how can we repay the country by attacking North Korea? A man's achievements are made in this one move, and success or failure is irrelevant for the time being." He spoke out openly and strongly held his objections. He once again firmly opposed abandoning the city and escaping, and secretly ordered his own soldiers to monitor Ye Zhichao to prevent him from escaping. "As a result, Ye's prestige has completely fallen to the ground, and his orders are no longer effective."

In order to show his determination to defend Pyongyang, before the battle started, Zuo Baogui "obeyed the return ceremony, took a bath in advance, and vowed to die before the battle. The battle was imminent, and Baogui Lingding's glory was the first for the soldiers. Or persuaded to go to Lingding, To avoid being targeted by the enemy, Jing Gui said: "I serve the court and want the soldiers to know me first, but the common people died for it. Why should I be afraid of the enemy's attention?" The soldiers will not go to Lingding.

On September 15th, Zuo Guigui saw the fall of Peony Terrace and "knew that the situation had collapsed and his ambition was doomed." "Nai Yiyu gave him clothes and crowns, and he climbed up to the Pipi to supervise the battle" and "went back and forth to look at the command." Seeing the danger on the city, the battalion officer Yang wanted to take Bao Gui down to the city to escape. Bao Bai struck him with the palm of his hand and personally fired a cannon to bombard the enemy, "hand-firing thirty-six grenades from the cannon." The subordinates were so excited that they fought desperately and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. In the midst of a fierce battle, a cannonball suddenly flew in and shattered our cannon, "iron-piercing my precious ribs." Precious is wounded and refuses to retreat. He wraps up his wounds and fights again, his clothes stained with blood. Soon, another bullet flew towards him, and Zuo Guigui was hit by the bullet and fell to the ground. "The soldiers looked at him and they were already holed up." "You can still speak when you go to the city, but you will die when you go down to the city." Zuo Guogui was the first senior Qing general to die heroically on the battlefield during the Sino-Japanese War of 1888-1894.

After Zuo Baogui died, Fengjun lost its commander and had no one to command. The Japanese army took advantage of the situation and occupied Xuanwumen. Battalion officer Yang tried to rush out of Xuanwu Gate with Zuo Baizhi's body, but the Japanese army had already entered the city and "crowded the streets. Yang also died in the insurrectionary army." The two men were dead, but their whereabouts were unknown.