Battle of Seonghwan
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Seonghwan was the first major land battle of the First Sino-Japanese War
. It took place on 29 July 1894 at Seonghwan, outside of Cheonan
, Chungcheongnam-do
Korea
between the forces of Meiji Japan and Qing
China. It is sometimes also referred to as the Battle of Asan (Japanese: 牙山作戦 ).
's commission from new Korean government to expel the Chinese Beiyang Army
from Korean territory by force, a detachment of the Japanese First Army
consisting of 4000 men under command of Major General Ōshima Yoshimasa marched south from Seoul
towards the major port city of Asan
.
The Chinese forces stationed at Seonghwan numbered approximately 3880 men under General Yi Zichao, and had anticipated the impending arrival of the Japanese by fortifying their position with trenches, earthworks (including six redoubt
s protected by abatis
), and by flooding surrounding rice fields. However, reinforcements, expected from China, had been lost in the naval Battle of Pungdo
on 25 July 1894.
The Japanese began their attack with a small diversionary force consisting of four companies of infantry and one of engineers attacking Chinese positions on the night of 28 July 1894 from the front, while the main force of nine companies of infantry, one of cavalry and a battalion of artillery outflanked the Chinese defenses by crossing the Ansong River. The battle lasted from approximately 0330 – 0530 hours on the early morning of 28 July 1894. The defenders, after a sharp engagement, were unable to hold Seonghwan, and fled to Asan, ten miles to the southwest, leaving behind a considerable amount of weapons and stores.
The Japanese forces pursued the Chinese to the city of Asan, but the surprise defeat at Seonghwan had a strong impact on Chinese morale, and the Japanese took Asan with relatively little resistance by 1500 hours on 29 July 1894. Surviving Chinese forces fled towards Pyongyang
.
Chinese casualties included 500 killed and wounded against 82 for the Japanese.
were issued by the Emperor of China
and the Emperor of Japan
.
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
. It took place on 29 July 1894 at Seonghwan, outside of Cheonan
Cheonan
Cheonan is a city located in the northeast corner of South Chungcheong, a province of South Korea, and is 83.6 km south of the capital, Seoul...
, Chungcheongnam-do
Chungcheongnam-do
Chungcheongnam-do or Chungnam is a province in the west of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the south-western half of the former Chungcheong Province and remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, thereafter becoming part of South Korea...
Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
between the forces of Meiji Japan and Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
China. It is sometimes also referred to as the Battle of Asan (Japanese: 牙山作戦 ).
The battle
Charged with implementing the Imperial Japanese ArmyImperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
's commission from new Korean government to expel the Chinese Beiyang Army
Beiyang Army
The Beiyang Army was a powerful, Western-style Chinese military force created by the Qing Dynasty government in the late 19th century. It was the centerpiece of a general reconstruction of China's military system. The Beiyang Army played a major role in Chinese politics for at least three decades...
from Korean territory by force, a detachment of the Japanese First Army
Japanese First Army
The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army. It was raised and demobilized on three separate occasions.-History:The Japanese 1st Army was initially raised during the First Sino-Japanese War from September 1, 1894 to May 28, 1895 under the command of General Yamagata Aritomo...
consisting of 4000 men under command of Major General Ōshima Yoshimasa marched south from Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
towards the major port city of Asan
Asan
Asan is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It is located at , bordering the Seoul Metropolitan Area to the north. Asan has a population of approximately 250,000.Asan is known for its hot springs and is a city of spas....
.
The Chinese forces stationed at Seonghwan numbered approximately 3880 men under General Yi Zichao, and had anticipated the impending arrival of the Japanese by fortifying their position with trenches, earthworks (including six redoubt
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
s protected by abatis
Abatis
Abatis, abattis, or abbattis is a term in field fortification for an obstacle formed of the branches of trees laid in a row, with the sharpened tops directed outwards, towards the enemy. The trees are usually interlaced or tied with wire...
), and by flooding surrounding rice fields. However, reinforcements, expected from China, had been lost in the naval Battle of Pungdo
Battle of Pungdo
The Battle of Pungdo or Feng-tao was the first naval battle of the First Sino-Japanese War. It took place on 25 July 1894 offshore of Asan, Chungcheongnam-do Korea between cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy of Meiji Japan and components of the Beiyang Fleet of Qing China.-Background:Both Qing...
on 25 July 1894.
The Japanese began their attack with a small diversionary force consisting of four companies of infantry and one of engineers attacking Chinese positions on the night of 28 July 1894 from the front, while the main force of nine companies of infantry, one of cavalry and a battalion of artillery outflanked the Chinese defenses by crossing the Ansong River. The battle lasted from approximately 0330 – 0530 hours on the early morning of 28 July 1894. The defenders, after a sharp engagement, were unable to hold Seonghwan, and fled to Asan, ten miles to the southwest, leaving behind a considerable amount of weapons and stores.
The Japanese forces pursued the Chinese to the city of Asan, but the surprise defeat at Seonghwan had a strong impact on Chinese morale, and the Japanese took Asan with relatively little resistance by 1500 hours on 29 July 1894. Surviving Chinese forces fled towards Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
.
Chinese casualties included 500 killed and wounded against 82 for the Japanese.
Aftermath of the battle
The defeat of the Chinese forces at Asan broke the possibility of a Chinese encirclement of the Korean capital of Seoul. The victorious Japanese army returned to Seoul on 5 August 1894. Following this battle, formal declarations of warDeclaration of war
A declaration of war is a formal act by which one nation goes to war against another. The declaration is a performative speech act by an authorized party of a national government in order to create a state of war between two or more states.The legality of who is competent to declare war varies...
were issued by the Emperor of China
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
and the Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
.