Uhrshawan Battery
Encyclopedia
Uhrshawan Battery or better known as Tenable Gate of the Sea is a battery emplacements camp in Keelung
, Taiwan
. It was built during Qing Empire's rule of Taiwan, and was the site of fightings between the French and Chinese forces during Sino-French War
. It was the command post of Liu Ming-chuan , who was later appointed by Qing court as the first governor of Taiwan, when he was charged with the defense of Keelung during the war. It has lost its military value under the Japanese regime
, and is currently listed as a class one national historical monument.
The fortification that exists today, however, is not at the seaside. When the Sino-French War
broke out in 1884, Liu Ming-chuan, who was in charge of defense of Keelung
, constructed a battery at the present day location with materials cannibalized from the older fortification, and used it as a major strong point in his defense plan. The battery was put out of action on 5 August 1884 during a bombardment of the Keelung forts by three French warships, and was occupied by the French during the subsequent Keelung Campaign
(October 1884 to April 1885). During the French occupation of Keelung it was renamed Fort La Galissonnière by the invaders, after the French ironclad which had bombarded it in August 1884. The French built a cemetery nearby in which around 500 dead French soldiers and sailors who died during the campaign were buried (most of them victims of cholera and other diseases rather than battle casualties). The cemetery was moved from its original location in the early years of the twentieth century, and in its new location still exists today.
The battery briefly saw action during the Japanese invasion of Taiwan
in 1895. Along with the other coastal fortifications of Keelung, it was bombarded by five Japanese warships during the Battle of Keelung
on 3 June 1895, and was captured by the Japanese Imperial Guards Division with little difficulty.
After Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895, the battery lost its significance as a military base, and fell into disrepair. It was later classified as a class one national historical monument by the Republic of China
government, who took control of Taiwan at the conclusion of World War II
.
Keelung
Keelung City is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei and forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with the Taipei and New Taipei. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is Taiwan's second largest seaport...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. It was built during Qing Empire's rule of Taiwan, and was the site of fightings between the French and Chinese forces during Sino-French War
Sino-French War
The Sino–French War was a limited conflict fought between August 1884 and April 1885 to decide whether France should replace China in control of Tonkin . As the French achieved their war aims, they are usually considered to have won the war...
. It was the command post of Liu Ming-chuan , who was later appointed by Qing court as the first governor of Taiwan, when he was charged with the defense of Keelung during the war. It has lost its military value under the Japanese regime
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
, and is currently listed as a class one national historical monument.
History
The battery was first constructed in 1840 by Yao Ying , disciplinary officer of the Qing garrison in Taiwan. It was originally located by the sea, and was used by the garrison to fend off British assaults during the Opium War. It was part of the Taiwan Seventeen Fortification Plan , which Yao composed and presented to the Qing court.Sino-French War
The Sino–French War was a limited conflict fought between August 1884 and April 1885 to decide whether France should replace China in control of Tonkin . As the French achieved their war aims, they are usually considered to have won the war...
broke out in 1884, Liu Ming-chuan, who was in charge of defense of Keelung
Keelung
Keelung City is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei and forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with the Taipei and New Taipei. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is Taiwan's second largest seaport...
, constructed a battery at the present day location with materials cannibalized from the older fortification, and used it as a major strong point in his defense plan. The battery was put out of action on 5 August 1884 during a bombardment of the Keelung forts by three French warships, and was occupied by the French during the subsequent Keelung Campaign
Keelung Campaign
The Keelung Campaign was a controversial military campaign undertaken by the French in northern Formosa during the Sino-French War. After making a botched attack on Keelung in August 1884, the French landed an expeditionary corps of 2,000 men and captured the port in October 1884...
(October 1884 to April 1885). During the French occupation of Keelung it was renamed Fort La Galissonnière by the invaders, after the French ironclad which had bombarded it in August 1884. The French built a cemetery nearby in which around 500 dead French soldiers and sailors who died during the campaign were buried (most of them victims of cholera and other diseases rather than battle casualties). The cemetery was moved from its original location in the early years of the twentieth century, and in its new location still exists today.
The battery briefly saw action during the Japanese invasion of Taiwan
Japanese invasion of Taiwan (1895)
The Japanese invasion of Taiwan was a conflict between the Empire of Japan and the armed forces of the short-lived Republic of Formosa following the Qing Dynasty's cession of Taiwan to Japan in April 1895 at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War...
in 1895. Along with the other coastal fortifications of Keelung, it was bombarded by five Japanese warships during the Battle of Keelung
Battle of Keelung
The Battle of Keelung was the first important battle of the Japanese invasion of Taiwan . The battle was a Japanese victory.- Background :...
on 3 June 1895, and was captured by the Japanese Imperial Guards Division with little difficulty.
After Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895, the battery lost its significance as a military base, and fell into disrepair. It was later classified as a class one national historical monument by 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...
government, who took control of Taiwan at the conclusion of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.