Battle of Chemulpo Bay

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Varyag and Korietz go into battle.

Date	9 February 1904
Location	off Chemulpo Bay, Korea
Result	Japanese victory

Combatants

Empire of Japan

Russian Empire

Commanders

Uryu Sotokichi

Vsevolod Rudnev

Strength

6 cruisers,
3 torpedo-boats

1 cruiser,
1 gunboat

Casualties

no casualties reported by Japanese, about 30 by Russian sources

37 killed, 73 wounded; both ships scuttled after the battle

Russo-Japanese War
1st Port Arthur –Chemulpo Bay –Yalu River – Nanshan – Telissu – Yellow Sea – Ulsan – 2nd Port Arthur – Motien Pass – Tashihchiao– Hsimucheng– Liaoyang – Shaho – Sandepu – Mukden – Tsushima

The Battle of Chemulpo Bay (Japanese: 仁川沖海戦, Jinsen'oki kaisen, Russian: Бой в заливе Чемульпо) was an early naval battle in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), which took place on 9 February 1904 off the coast of present day Inchon, Korea.

1 Background
2 The Battle
3 Outcome
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Background

The opening stage of the Russo-Japanese War began with a pre-emptive strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the Russian Pacific Fleet based at Port Arthur, Vladivostok and at Chemulpo (now part of Inchon, Korea. Command of the Chemulpo operation was given to Rear Admiral Uryu Sotokichi, with six cruisers and 2500 ground troops.

Chemulpo also had strategic significance, as it was the main port for the Korean capital of Seoul, and was also the main invasion route used previously by Japanese forces in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894. However, Chemulpo, with its wide tidal bore, extensive mudflats, and narrow, winding channels, posed a number of tactical challenges for both attackers and defenders.

The protected cruiser Chiyoda had been based at Chemulpo for the past 10 months, and had been keeping watch on the Russian armoured cruiser Varyag and aging gunboat Korietz, also based at Chemulpo to look after Russian interests.

On the morning of 8 February 1904, the Chiyoda rendezvoused with the Admiral Uryu’s squadron outside the entrance to Chemulpo, and reported that several warships from neutral countries were present in the anchorage, including: HMS Talbot (Great Britain), Pascal (France), Elba (Italy) and USS Vicksburg (USA). Admiral Uryu reasoned that if the Russians remained anchored in the midst of the neutral ships, they could not attack his transports, whereas if the Russians came out to do battle, he had ample force to deal with them. On the other hand, it was against international law to attack the Russians while they were anchored in a neutral port. At the same time he requested the captains of the HMS Talbot, the Pascal and the Elba to shift their anchorage, promising that no attack should be delivered before 4 p.m. An American warship USS Vicksburg was also present, but she was further up the harbour.

[edit] The Battle

Admiral Uryu ordered the cruisers Chiyoda, Takachiho, Asama and his torpedo boats to proceed up the channel with the troopships to commence the debarkation at once, while the cruisers Naniwa, Niitaka and Akashi were held in reserve. 3 torpedo-boats took refuge near Niitaka far board.

At 1800 on 8 February 1904, Japanese troopships anchored at Chemulpo, mooring next to the Russians, and disembarked four battalions of soldiers of the 12th Army Division in an operation that continued into the night. To the amazement of the tense Japanese, the Varyag and Korietz took no action, but continued to air out bunting as if on parade. The disembarkation was complete by 0300 on 9 February 1904, and all Japanese warships and transports withdrew from the harbor except for the Chiyoda.

The latter delivered a letter to the Varyag advising that a state of war now existed between the Empires of Japan and Russia, and giving an ultimatum for the Russians to vacate the harbor by noon. Neutral warships were warned to stay clear of any conflict that might arise. At noon an officer came to Naniwa from the HMS Talbot, to decline the request to change anchorage on the ground that Chemulpo was a neutral port, but the neutral vessels otherwise refused to provide protection or assistance to the Varyag.

Refusing advice to surrender, at 1100 on 9 February 1904, the Varyag attempted to make a break for the open sea.

The Russian Crusier Varayg.

From the "Varayg" logbook:

1110 All hands on deck on "Varyag".
1120 Cruiser goes to open sea. "Korietz" in 1 cable length behind. English and Italian crews cheers Russians, at Italian ship Russian anthem is played.
1125 Battle alarm on "Varyag". Japanese cruisers «Asama», «Naniva», «Takashiho», «Chiyoda», «Akashi» и «Niitaka» in bearing line from Richy island to Northern passage. Japanese Torpedo-boats behind cruisers.
1145 «Asama» opens fire with 8" gun. All Japanese squadron than open fire.
1147 "Varyag" opens fire with starboard guns.
One of the first Japanese shells, that hit cruiser, destroyed starboard wing of front bridge, set fire in chart house and break foreshrouds. Petty navigating officer midshipman count Alexey Nirod was killed, all personnel on rangefinding station #1 were killed or wounded.
Damaged 6" gun #3, all personnel killed or wounded, battery commander midshipman Gubonin was wounded, but refused to go away until he fall. Fire on quarterdeck (was put out by midshipman Chernilovsky-Sokol). With the same shell, that caused fire was damaged guns: 6" #8 and #9, 75mm #21 47mm #27 and #28. With other hits was nearly destroyed main battle top, destroyed rangefinding station #2, damaged guns #31 and #32, fire in lockers on accommodation deck (was put out lively).
1205 After passing traverse of "Yo-dol-mi" island trunk with rudder drive was damaged. At the same time captain Rudnev was shell-shoked in head by fragments of another shell, hitting foremast. Staff-bugler and drummer, who stay astride him was deadly killed, helmsman petty officer Snegirev was badly wounded in back and orderly of captain quartermaster Chibisov was lightly wounded too. Ship from now was steered from steering compartment, but orders was stiffed, so course permanently was corrected with engines. At strong current cruiser steered badly.
1215 Willing to go out of fire range to repair as possible steering drive and put out fires in different places begin to turn with machines, as cruiser steered badly. Near «Yo-dol-mi» island engines on full back.
Cruiser was put in disadvantage position relatively to island when steering drive was broken with rudder at 15-20° on port side.
Distance to enemy shorten to 28-30 cable length, fire strengthens, hits increase.
Near the same time large calibre shell hit port side under water, water gushed into into huge hole, stokehold #3 begins to full with water, which level rised up to furnaces. Chief officer and chief botswain placed patch under the hole, water was pumped all time, its level decreased continuously, but cruiser continue to listing at port side.
With shell passing through officer cabines, which were wrecked, deck was pierced and meal in provision berth was inflamed. Then cot netting at waist under the sick quarters was pierced, wherein fragments get into sick quarters, cots in netting catch fire, which was put out lively. Serious damage forced us to get out of fire range for a more long time, that's why we come to roadstead at full speed, firing with port and stern guns.
Throughout the battle with one shot of 6" gun #XII stern bridge of «Asama» cruiser was destroyed and put afire, «Asama» stop fire for some time. Stern turret on her was apparently damaged, as it not fired up to the end of battle.
1240 With cruiser approached the berth and Japanese fire become dangerous for neitral ships on roadsted, two cruiser pursuing us stop the fire and return to the rest of squadron out of «Yo-dol-mi» island.
1245 Distance to the Japanese so increased, that our fire become ineffective, so we stop it.

The Gunboat Korietz burns after having been scuttled.

Unable to break past the Japanese squadron by mid-afternoon, the Korietz and the badly battered Varyag returned back to Chemulpo harbor at 0115, where both took refuge near the neutral warships. At 1600, the Korietz was scuttled by its crew by blowing up two powder-rooms. At the 1810, holed and on fire, the Varyag rolled over on its port side and sank. Men were dispatched to the Russian transport Sungari, which had remained behind in the harbor during the battle, and set it on fire to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands.

[edit] Outcome

The battle was a military victory for the Japanese. Russian casualties on the Varyag were heavy. Most serious cases among the Russian wounded were treated at the Red Cross hospital at Chemulpo. Russian crews, except badly wounded, returned to Russia on neutral warships and were treated as heroes. "Varyag", not blown up, was raised by Japanese some time later.

[edit] References

Connaughton, Richard (2003). Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear. Cassell. ISBN 0-304-36657-9
Nish, Ian (1985). The Origins of the Russo-Japanese War. Longman. ISBN 0-582-49114-2
Kowner, Rotem (2006). Historical Dictionary of the Russo-Japanese War. Scarecrow. ISBN 0-8108-4927-5
Sedwick, F.R. (1909). The Russo-Japanese War. Macmillan.