By Mat Toy
FORMOSAN HORSE SURGES NORTH, 7 July 1895
Along the East Coast they came, thousands of
horsemen riding for the Republic of Formosa.
Flying the flag of the Yung Ying Army. Brushing
aside minimal Japanese scouts the tidal wave
of cavalry pushed north on the orders of
Glorious General Jiang Shou-Zu Commander of
the Yung Ying Armies of Formosa. Unstoppable
until they reached the walls of Kei Lang the
counter attack made powerful headway to
isolate the occupied City, preventing all
transport in and out of the landward gates of
the City. A great contrast to the fumbling
retreats of June as undertaken by the hapless
Green Flag Army.
TAM SUI HOLDS, 8 July 1895
On the moonless night of the 8th July Japanese
forces made a concerted effort to storm Tam
Sui. Under cover of darkness naval units closed
the range to several miles offshore and chosen
sappers laid mines in the walls of the
courageous old City. Simultaneously mines
were fired and cannons both on and offshore
opened fire on the City.
Chaos reined as shells exploded through-out
the City. The mines had blasted large holes at
several points around the City and Japanese
troops stormed the openings. However, the
dark night was not to the benefit of the
Japanese and supporting artillery was poorly
aimed. Fighting was fierce in all of the breaches
but supporting naval and land-based fire could
not support accurately enough and many
civilian buildings were set alight as both
Formosan and Japanese troops fought hand to
hand all night.
By mornings light the Japanese assault was
exhausted and though the invaders had
secured some sections of wall and gatehouses
they had failed to penetrate off those tenuous
footholds. The Formosan heavy guns remained
active through out the night and as dawn broke
the Japanese fleet had to move away to open
the range and avoid heavy damage.
FALL OF SIN TEK, 8 July 1895
Another City has fallen bloodlessly to the
Japanese. As soon as a powerful Japanese land
army appeared before the gates of the City, the
leading townsfolk opened the gates and
welcomed in the men of Nippon.
With no Formosan forces visible the City
happily lowered the Tiger flag of the new
Republic and soon the Rising Sun was fluttering
over the town hall.
GREAT POWERS PRESSURE JAPAN, July 1895
Negotiations continue in Japan to amend the
peace treaty signed between Japan and China
concluding their recent war. The Treaty of
Shimonoseki concluded the Sino Japanese War
by China relinquishing control of Korea and
handing Formosa and the Liaodong Peninsula
to Japan.
Russian, French and German delegations are
insistent that the transfer of ownership of Port
Arthur on the Liaodong Peninsula is
unacceptable. Japan has been offered a
financial settlement instead of the transfer of
ownership and pressure is building that they
just accept this outcome.
Russia has also raised
the issue of Formosa and is seeking guarantees
of independence for the new Republic if the
Japanese cannot secure the island quickly.
There is concern that continued fighting on the
island could damage lucrative trade in the East
China Seas.
HEAD HUNTING ALIVE AND WELL, 5 July 1895
A party of Japanese supply coolies heading
west from Ke Lang was ambushed early in the
morning and put to the sword by wild
hilltribesmen. Whilst passing through wooded
terrain the supply convoy and its handful of
guards was ambushed and though some
escaped, eight were beheaded.
Such head-hunting activity has not been seen
in this lowland area for many years, but
perhaps this is the way it is to be now Japan
rules these parts?
TAM SUI IS OVERWHELMED, 9 July 1895
Explosions around the City of Tam Sui heralded
the expected Japanese assault in the early
morning light. Using mountain guns firing over
open sites and fanatical house to house
assaults the Japanese mercilessly pressed into
the City.
The defenders of the City fought over every
house and resisted with barricades, firepower
and hand to hand combat. The fighting was
intense and fires sprang up and raged uncontrolled as whole districts were levelled.
The Japanese wave was unstoppable and after
two hours the Cities defenders were in flight.
Many escaped but many injured, dying and
surrounded were captured. Amongst the dead
were foreign residents, killed in their flattened
homes.
The rising sun flies over a chastened City.
INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS IN THE
MOUNTAINS, 12 July 1895
Foreign dignitaries and ambassadors met in the
heartlands of Formosa to meet the President
and discuss how the Worlds Powers could
support the fledgeling Republic. Tang Jingson
chaired a conference of politicians and men of
wisdom gathered from China, France,
Germany, the USA and Russia to assess how the
Republic could be freed from the Japanese
Aggressors. It was heartwarming to see so
much good will offered to the new Republic
and we expect big actions soon.
THE PRESIDENT FLEES, 15 July 1895
On the morning of the last day of the vibrant
international conference held in the fresh mountain air of central Formosa our beloved
President could not be found. Foreign
dignitaries looked puzzled as Tan Jinsong
seems to have fled the island leaving on a
cryptic letter on the desk of his rooms. The
note advised: “I am a tea pot, I am a tea pot, I
need a pint of brew-dog, lets get out!”
All quite troubling!
CIVIL WAR IN FORMOSA, July 1895
Following the flight of the President fighting
broke out on the streets of Paw-Li. Local
hilltribe militias overpowered Green Flag
troops and ejected them from the City. Though
the disarming of the 3000 or so Green Flag
troops was relatively bloodless, some lives
were lost and some Green Flag officers resisted
the Hilltribesmen. By the end of one night all
Green Flag troops had left the City and trudged
wearily southwards to join their fellows.
FIRST BATTLE OF HENG CHUN, 22 July 1895
Having swept much before them in the north,
the Japanese swung their invasion southwards
in mid July. A major force of Imperial Guard
Division troops was enshipped at Tam Sui and
slipped silently southwards. They landed from
the night of the 19th in the very south of
Formosa and built a force of some 6000 a few
kilometres from the City. Gunnery from the
battlecruisers supporting soon overwhelmed the shore batteries of the City and the
Japanese prepared to attack.
Unfortunately for them they had landed in the
hornets nest of Black Flag Chinese nationalist
resistance. A major army of Black Flag fanatics
held the City and a second army was rapidly
converging on the position from the north.
As the Japanese began their assault they
realised they were caught in a hot position
between the coastal forts, the City garrison and
the advancing northern army of the enemy.
What started as an attack became a frenzied
defence in heavily wooded country. Pressed on
all sides the Japanese commenced a fighting
retreat back to the beaches and escape to their
ships. After a days fighting many Chinese and
Japanese lay dead and almost 2000 Japanese
troops were captured, including many modern
artillery batteries. A major reverse for the
invaders.
FALL OF HENG CHUN, 1 August 1895
Uncowed by their defeat the Japanese fleet
headed north and landed troops to the north
of Tai Nan. The Japanese dug in and drew Black
Flag forces north to face this new threat. Their
confidence buoyed by expectation of
reinforcements form Japan.
Those reinforcements arrived at Heng Chun on
2 August in the shape of the 2nd Infantry
Division under Lieutenant General Nogi. His
forces disembarked more easily this time,
uninterrupted by the now silenced coastal
batteries and immediately marched to assault
Heng Chun. The assault was bloody as the
defenders were now using deployed machine
guns in many parts of the city Walls. Initial
charges at the City gates were defeated by well
placed machine guns, but in the end Japanese
numbers and bravery told.
The City was captured and all defenders killed
or captured. The Japanese were overjoyed to
release almost 1000 prisoners form the
Imperial Guards Division, but of their small
arms or the beloved modern guns, nothing
could be found.
