Deng Shichang (October 4, 1849 - September 17, 1894), formerly known as Yongchang, was a native of Guangfu, Guangdong, a native of Longdaowei Township, Panyu County, Guangzhou Prefecture, Guangdong, a naval general in the late Qing Dynasty, and a national hero.
In the Sino-Japanese First Sino-Japanese War, Deng Shichang, an outstanding patriotic general of the Beiyang Navy, and others fought to the death against the enemy with tenacious perseverance and unyielding spirit.
They used their lives and blood to compose a tragic heroic hymn. In"Meiji Restoration"After that, Japan embarked on the path of modernization, and its economic and military strength gradually increased. Subsequently, Japan began its aggression against Korea. At that time, Korea was a vassal state of China, and China had the responsibility to protect it.
Thus, the Sino-Japanese War broke out. Deng Shichang was one of the earliest naval officers in China, serving as the pipe band of the "Zhiyuan" in the Beiyang Fleet of the Qing Dynasty. He had a strong sense of patriotism and often said to his soldiers: "Man is born to die, but I hope we die as we deserve!"In 1880, at the age of 25, Deng Shichang went to England with Admiral Ding Ruchang to receive the newly purchased ships and sailed at sea for ten months.
This experience has broadened his horizons and introduced him to the world. In 1887, he was again sent to England to receive the four newly acquired ships and returned home. On the way, he did not rely on foreign seamen, monitored and commanded the ships himself, and drilled naval formations all the way, so that the officers and men were tempered and their combat skills improved.
It was after returning to China this time that he was promoted to the "Zhiyuan" ship management belt. On September 15, 1894, the Japanese army stormed Pyongyang with heavy forces, and the Qing Beiyang Fleet reinforced it from the sea.
On the morning of the 17th, the Japanese fleet first hoisted the American flag and sailed towards the Beiyang Fleet, and when it approached, it suddenly changed into a Japanese flag and attacked the Chinese fleet, and a naval battle began, which was the Battle of the Yellow Sea.
The Beiyang Fleet actually put into battle a total of 10 **, another 4 torpedo boats, and 12 enemy ships. Judging from the comparison of forces between the two sides, the ships of the Beiyang Fleet are old and slow, but the capital ships are thickly armored and have a tonnage greater than that of Japanese ships;Although the Beiyang Fleet was superior to the Japanese ships in numbers, the advanced nature of the ships was inferior to the Japanese ships, and the Beiyang Fleet's lack of combat preparation put it in a passive position in battle.
During the battle, the flagship "Dingyuan", which served as the commander, was damaged, and the banner was shot down. Deng Shichang, as the pipe band of the "Zhiyuan", immediately ordered the flag to be raised on his ship to attract enemy ships. Four enemy ships besieged "Zhiyuan", and Deng Shichang commanded without flinching. After the order was given to the front and rear artillery salvos, successive hits were made on the Japanese ships. After about an hour of firefighting, the "Zhiyuan" was shot in several places, seriously damaged below the waterline, and began to enter the water and tilted. Soon, all the shells on the ship were gone.
Deng Shichang realized that the moment of decisive battle had come, and he said to the first mate: "'Yoshino' is a fast ship of the Japanese army, and it is very important to the enemy. If it is sunk, our army will win this battle. Then, he said to his subordinates: "Even if we die, we must show the majesty of the Chinese Navy, and the time has come to serve the country!"”
He ordered: "Rush to 'Yoshino' at full speed!."All the officers and men of the "Zhiyuan" bowed to the direction of the motherland on the deck, vowing to die with the Japanese ship. Subsequently, the "Zhiyuan" rushed to the Japanese ship "Yoshino" at the highest speed.
The Japanese soldiers on board the Yoshino panicked and had to flee in all directions. However, the ship "Zhiyuan" unfortunately hit a torpedo and **, and finally sank. Deng Shichang fell into the sea, and his entourage threw him a lifebuoy, but he resolutely refused. At this point, his dog swam in and bit his braid. Deng Shichang was determined to live and die with **, so he hugged his dog tightly and sank into the sea together at the age of 45.
Of the more than 200 officers and men on the ship, only a dozen or so were rescued. In the First Sino-Japanese War, Deng Shichang and other patriotic officers and soldiers died bravely, and their feats shocked China and foreign countries, were unanimously praised by the government and the opposition, and were also forever remembered by future generations. History