Battle of Yangcun
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Yangcun was a battle during the march of Eight-Nation Alliance
forces from Tianjin
to Beijing
during the Boxer Rebellion
. The Alliance was victorious over the Chinese forces.
. The army consisted of approximately 20,000 soldiers from the following countries: United States—2,000; Japan–-10,000; Russia—4,000; Britain—3,000; France-–800; Germany—200; Austria and Italy—100.
The Alliance defeated the Chinese army at Beicang
on August 5. The Chinese army retreated approximately 12 miles to Yancun where it took up prepared positions between the east bank of the Hay River
and a railroad embankment. Yancun was the strong point at which the Chinese army hoped to stop the advance of the Alliance army. The country was flat, with little cover for the attackers, except for fields of millet and corn and the 30-foot high railroad embankment gave shelter to the Chinese army.
The Americans and British were in the van of the Alliance column advancing on Yangcun on August 6. The Japanese remained on the west side of the Hay River and would not be part of the battle. The Chinese probably numbered about 10,000 in the vicinity although it is unknown how many were on the battlefield.
A serious problem for Alliance soldiers was the tremendous heat. About 20 percent of the men fell out of the ranks during the march to Yangcun and several cases of death by sunstroke were recorded. Many more men would be incapacitated by the heat during the battle.
The attack began at 11 a.m. and what transpired was more of an endurance contest than a battle. Most of the men had already exhausted the water in their canteens. “There were no wells nor streams of water in the country over which the advance was made. The men were famishing of thirst. They fell by scores with heat exhaustion".
The Americans bore the brunt of the Chinese resistance as they advanced on the strongest Chinese positions behind the railroad embankment. “The plain in front of us was a furnace. Dust rose in thick clouds.” Men collapsed of sunstroke and heat exhaustion. Chinese artillery and rifle fire became “moderately severe” and the Americans, now in open country with no cover, advanced in a rush to dislodge the Chinese. However, as they charged over the embankment they found most of the Chinese positions abandoned. The remainder of the battle consisted of rear-guard actions as the Chinese covered their retreat.
The American advance had been so rapid that the British or the Russian artillery confused the Americans with retreating Chinese and lobbed shells into the 14th Infantry, killing four American soldiers and wounding eleven. The Americans frantically sent out messengers to signal the British and Russians to stop the shelling.
The Battle of Yangcun was over by late afternoon with the victorious but exhausted Alliance soldiers in control of the battlefield. The Chinese army had escaped with few casualties, abandoning strong positions as the Alliance soldiers advanced. American casualties were 9 dead and 64 wounded, but 15 of the wounded would soon die. In addition, two American soldiers died of sunstroke The British had six dead and 38 wounded and one dead of sunstroke. The Russians had seven killed and 20 wounded.
American, Welsh, and Sikh troops were reported to have suffered heavy casualties at this battle.
, the founding father of the Republic of China
and of the Kuomintang
party praised the Boxers for fighting against Western Imperialism. He said the Boxers were courageous and fearless, fighting to the death against the Western armies, Dr. Sun specifically cited the Battle of Yangcun, although apparently referring to a battle earlier in the Boxer Rebellion between the Boxers and the army of the Seymour Expedition.
Eight-Nation Alliance
The Eight-Nation Alliance was an alliance of Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States whose military forces intervened in China to suppress the anti-foreign Boxers and relieve the siege of the diplomatic legations in Beijing .- Events :The...
forces from Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
during the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. The Alliance was victorious over the Chinese forces.
Background
On August 4, 1900 the soldiers of the Eight Nation Alliance left the city of Tianjin to march to Beijing to relieve the Siege of the LegationsSiege of Beijing Legation Quarter
The Siege of the International Legations occurred during the Boxer Rebellion in the Chinese city of Beijing . Nine hundred military personnel and civilians, largely from Europe, Japan, and the United States, and about 2,800 Chinese Christians took refuge in the Beijing Legation Quarter and survived...
. The army consisted of approximately 20,000 soldiers from the following countries: United States—2,000; Japan–-10,000; Russia—4,000; Britain—3,000; France-–800; Germany—200; Austria and Italy—100.
The Alliance defeated the Chinese army at Beicang
Battle of Beicang
The Battle of Beicang , during the Boxer Rebellion, was fought August 5, 1900 between the Eight Nation Alliance and the Chinese army. The Chinese army was forced out of its prepared entrenchments and retreated to Yangcun. The Eight-Nation Alliance army at Beicang consisted of Japanese, Russian,...
on August 5. The Chinese army retreated approximately 12 miles to Yancun where it took up prepared positions between the east bank of the Hay River
Hay River
-Rivers:* Hay River * Hay River , a river in Alberta and Northwest Territories, Canada* Hay River , a river in south-western Australia...
and a railroad embankment. Yancun was the strong point at which the Chinese army hoped to stop the advance of the Alliance army. The country was flat, with little cover for the attackers, except for fields of millet and corn and the 30-foot high railroad embankment gave shelter to the Chinese army.
The Americans and British were in the van of the Alliance column advancing on Yangcun on August 6. The Japanese remained on the west side of the Hay River and would not be part of the battle. The Chinese probably numbered about 10,000 in the vicinity although it is unknown how many were on the battlefield.
A serious problem for Alliance soldiers was the tremendous heat. About 20 percent of the men fell out of the ranks during the march to Yangcun and several cases of death by sunstroke were recorded. Many more men would be incapacitated by the heat during the battle.
The Battle
The Alliance deployed about 5,000 yards from the Chinese positions. The Alliance battle line stretching east from the river consisted of the Russians first, next the British, then the American 14th Infantry, and on the right flank the 9th Infantry supported by the American Marines. The Bengal Lancers anchored the right flank.The attack began at 11 a.m. and what transpired was more of an endurance contest than a battle. Most of the men had already exhausted the water in their canteens. “There were no wells nor streams of water in the country over which the advance was made. The men were famishing of thirst. They fell by scores with heat exhaustion".
The Americans bore the brunt of the Chinese resistance as they advanced on the strongest Chinese positions behind the railroad embankment. “The plain in front of us was a furnace. Dust rose in thick clouds.” Men collapsed of sunstroke and heat exhaustion. Chinese artillery and rifle fire became “moderately severe” and the Americans, now in open country with no cover, advanced in a rush to dislodge the Chinese. However, as they charged over the embankment they found most of the Chinese positions abandoned. The remainder of the battle consisted of rear-guard actions as the Chinese covered their retreat.
The American advance had been so rapid that the British or the Russian artillery confused the Americans with retreating Chinese and lobbed shells into the 14th Infantry, killing four American soldiers and wounding eleven. The Americans frantically sent out messengers to signal the British and Russians to stop the shelling.
The Battle of Yangcun was over by late afternoon with the victorious but exhausted Alliance soldiers in control of the battlefield. The Chinese army had escaped with few casualties, abandoning strong positions as the Alliance soldiers advanced. American casualties were 9 dead and 64 wounded, but 15 of the wounded would soon die. In addition, two American soldiers died of sunstroke The British had six dead and 38 wounded and one dead of sunstroke. The Russians had seven killed and 20 wounded.
American, Welsh, and Sikh troops were reported to have suffered heavy casualties at this battle.
Aftermath
The Alliance had defeated the Chinese at both Beicang and Yangcun. Although still intact and barely damaged, the Chinese army did not challenge the Alliance again and the Alliance soldiers continued their march, mostly unopposed, to Beijing. On August 14, they would force their way into the city, raise the Siege of the Legations and occupy the city and the surrounding countryside, wiping out the last vestiges of the Boxer movement.Legacy
Dr. Sun Yat-senSun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
, the founding father of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
and of the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
party praised the Boxers for fighting against Western Imperialism. He said the Boxers were courageous and fearless, fighting to the death against the Western armies, Dr. Sun specifically cited the Battle of Yangcun, although apparently referring to a battle earlier in the Boxer Rebellion between the Boxers and the army of the Seymour Expedition.
Further reading
- Д.Г.Янчевецкий "У стен недвижного Китая". Санкт-Петербург - Порт-Артур, 1903 (D.G.Yanchevetskiy "Near the Walls of unmoving China", Sankt-Peterburg - Port-Artur, 1903)
- В. Г. Дацышен «Русско-китайская война 1900 года. Поход на Пекин» — СПБ, 1999. ISBN 5-8172-0011-2 (V.G.Datsishen "Russo-chinese war of 1900. March to Beijing", Sankt-Peterburg, 1999)