Naval Battle of Miyako Bay
Part of Boshin War
The Imperial navy's revolutionary ironclad Kōtetsu was the main target of the Naval Battle of Miyako Bay
Date March 1869 Location Miyako Bay Result Imperial victory
Combatants
Empire of Japan: Kōtetsu Kasuga Hiryū Teibo Yoshun Moshun Chōyō	Ezo Republic: Kaiten Banryū Takao
Commanders
	Arai Ikunosuke
Strength
8 steam warships	3 steam warships
Casualties
3 ships damaged	1 ship scuttled

The Naval Battle of Miyako Bay (宮古湾海戦) was a naval action during the Boshin War in March 1869. The Boshin War (戊辰戦争 Boshin Sensō, literally War of the Year of the Dragon) was fought in 1868-1869 between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the pro-Imperial forces in Japan. ... Download high resolution version (690x652, 94 KB)CSS Stonewall (later Japanese battleship Kotetsu) in the Washington Navy Yard c. ... Kōtetsu (Japanese: 甲鉄, literally Ironclad, later renamed Azuma 東, East) was the first ironclad warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... There are a few places in Japan known as Miyako. ... now. ... Kōtetsu (Japanese: 甲鉄, literally Ironclad, later renamed Azuma 東, East) was the first ironclad warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... The Japanese warship Kasuga (JPN: 春日) was built in 1862 (or possibly 1863) in Great Britain under the name Kiangsu (after the area of Jiangsu in China). ... Teibo (第二丁卯) The Japanese warship Teibo (第二丁卯) was a ship of governmental forces during the Boshin war. ... Moshun (猛春). The Japanese warship Moshun (猛春) was a warship of the Imperial forces during the Boshin war in Japan in 1868. ... Enomoto Takeaki (front, right) and the leaders of his loyalist troops in Hokkaido, 1869. ... Kaiten The Japanese warship Kaiten (回天) was a warship of the troops loyal to the Shogun during the Boshin war in Japan in 1868. ... BanryÅ« The Japanese warship BanryÅ« (蟠龍）was a ship of the Bakufu Navy, and subsequently belonged to the troops loyal to the Shogun during the Boshin war in Japan in 1868. ... The Takao The Takao was a 1,600 tons Japanese frigate (Aviso) of the Imperial Japanese Navy, designed by Emile Bertin and built in Yokosuka, Japan, in 1889. ... The Boshin War (戊辰戦争 Boshin Sensō, literally War of the Year of the Dragon) was fought in 1868-1869 between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the pro-Imperial forces in Japan. ... The Battle of Toba-Fushimi (Japanese:鳥羽・伏見の戦い) occurred between pro-Imperial and Shogunate forces during the Boshin War in Japan. ... Combatants Imperial Army made up of forces from the Matsumoto, Kurohane, Mibu, Iwamurata, Suzaka, Hikone, Ogaki, Utsunomiya, and Kasama domains. ... Combatants Satsuma, ChōshÅ«, Tosa Bakufu, Aizu Commanders Ruler: Meiji Emperor Daimyo Matsudaira Katamori Strength 15,000 combatants 5,000 combatants Casualties unknown unknown The Battle of Aizu (Japanese:会津戦争, lit. ... Combatants Empire of Japan Ezo Republic Commanders Kuroda Kiyotaka Enomoto Takeaki Strength 7,000 combatants 10 steam warships 3,000 combatants 11 steam warships Casualties 770 casualties 1 ship sunk 1 ship destroyed 1,300 killed 400 wounded 1,300 captured 2 ships sunk 3 ships captured 3 ships lost... The Boshin War (戊辰戦争 Boshin Sensō, literally War of the Year of the Dragon) was fought in 1868-1869 between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the pro-Imperial forces in Japan. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

Preparations

The navy of the Imperial forces were progressing north to fight the Bakufu army in Hokkaidō, after having left Tokyo on March 9th, 1869. The Imperial navy reached the harbour of Miyako, north of Sendai, on March 20th. The Imperial fleet had been rapidly constituted around the French-built ironclad Kōtetsu, which had been purchased from the United States. Other Imperial ships were Kasuga, Hiryū, Teibo, Yoshun, Moshun, which had been supplied by the fiefs of Saga, Chōshū and Satsuma to the newly formed government in 1868. There were altogether 8 Imperial ships: the Kōtetsu, the Kasuga, 3 small corvettes and 3 transport ships. For the James Clavell novel, see Shogun or for the TV Miniseries. ... Hokkaidō   (北海道, literal meaning: North Sea Route, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, is the second largest island and largest prefecture of Japan. ... There are a few places in Japan known as Miyako. ... Sendai ) is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku (northeast) region. ... Kōtetsu (Japanese: 甲鉄, literally Ironclad, later renamed Azuma 東, East) was the first ironclad warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... The Japanese warship Kasuga (JPN: 春日) was built in 1862 (or possibly 1863) in Great Britain under the name Kiangsu (after the area of Jiangsu in China). ... Teibo (第二丁卯) The Japanese warship Teibo (第二丁卯) was a ship of governmental forces during the Boshin war. ... Moshun (猛春). The Japanese warship Moshun (猛春) was a warship of the Imperial forces during the Boshin war in Japan in 1868. ... A reconstruction of a Yayoi period building at the Yoshinogari site Saga Prefecture (佐賀県; Saga-ken) is located on Kyushu island, Japan. ... ChōshÅ« may refer to any of the following: Nagato Province ) in Japan ChōshÅ« Domain ) in Japan The wrestler Riki Choshu ) Category: ... Satsuma (薩摩国; -no Kuni) was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima prefecture on the island of Kyushu. ...

Anticipating the arrival of the Imperial ships, the rebels organized a plan to seize the revolutionary new warship Kōtetsu. Kōtetsu (Japanese: 甲鉄, literally Ironclad, later renamed Azuma 東, East) was the first ironclad warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ...

Three warships were dispatched for a surprise attack:

• the Kaiten, flagship of the Bakufu Navy, on which were riding Arai Ikunosuke, the elite Shinsengumi and their leader Hijikata Toshizo, as well as the French Navy officer Henri Nicol. Nicol had been selected for the main attack on the Kaiten because he was a native of Bordeaux, and happened to know well about the characteristics and construction of the revolutionary warship Kōtetsu, built in the same city.
• the warship Banryu, with the elite Yugekitai (遊撃隊) and the French Navy quartermaster Clateau, in charge of cannonry.
• the warship Takao (former Aschwelotte), with the elite Shinkitai (伸木隊) and the French Navy officer Eugène Collache as commander.

The ships encountered bad weather, in which the Takao suffered from engine trouble, and the Banryu was separated. The Baryu eventually returned to Hokkaidō, without joining the battle. Kaiten The Japanese warship Kaiten (回天) was a warship of the troops loyal to the Shogun during the Boshin war in Japan in 1868. ... The Shinsengumi (Japanese: 新選組 or 新撰組) were a special police force of the late shogunate period. ... Hijikata Toshizō Statue at Takahata Fudo, Hino, Tokyo Hijikata Toshizō (土方歳三)(May 31, 1835—June 20, 1869) was the deputy leader of Shinsengumi, a small-built and talented Japanese military leader who resisted the Meiji Restoration. ... Henri Paul Hipolito Nicol was an officer of the French Navy in the 19th century. ... New city flag (traditional tri-crescent) City coat of arms Motto: The fleur-de-lis alone rules over the moon, the waves, the castle, and the lion Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région Aquitaine Département Gironde (33) Intercommunality Urban Community of Bordeaux Mayor... BanryÅ« The Japanese warship BanryÅ« (蟠龍）was a ship of the Bakufu Navy, and subsequently belonged to the troops loyal to the Shogun during the Boshin war in Japan in 1868. ... Quartermaster is a term usually referring to a military unit which specializes in supplying and provisioning troops, or to an individual who does the same. ... The wreckage of the Takao, pursued by steamships of the Imperial Navy. ... Eugène Collache in samurai attire. ...

Action

The warship Kaiten was the key actor in the battle.

To create surprise, the Kaiten planned to enter Miyako harbour with an American flag. Unable to achieve more than 3 knots due to engine trouble, the Takao trailed behind, and the Kaiten first joined battle. Image File history File links KaitenMaru. ... Image File history File links KaitenMaru. ... Kaiten The Japanese warship Kaiten (回天) was a warship of the troops loyal to the Shogun during the Boshin war in Japan in 1868. ...

The Kaiten approached the enemy ships and raised the Bakufu flag seconds before boarding the Kōtetsu. She rammed her prow into the side of the Kōtetsu, and started firing her guns. Her deck however proved higher than that of the Kōtetsu by close to three meters, forcing the samurais to jump one by one in a trickle. The first surprise passed, the Kōtetsu managed to repel the attack with a Gatling gun, with huge loss on the attacking side. Most of the attacking samurais perished, Nicol was hit by two bullets, and the Japanese commander was killed and his position taken over by Admiral Arai Ikunosuke. In the action, Kaiten damaged three enemy warships, but finally chose to disengage. For the James Clavell novel, see Shogun or for the TV Miniseries. ... A 1865 Gatling gun. ...

The wreckage of the Takao, pursued by steamships of the Imperial Navy.

The Kaiten steamed out of Miyako Bay pursued by the Imperial fleet (which unfortunately had been warming up the machines even before the attack started), just as the Takao was entering it. The Kaiten eventually escaped to Hokkaidō, but the Takao was too slow to distance the pursuers. She was beached at little distance from Miyako Bay, so that her crew could escape inland, and was scuttled by explosion. The 40 crew, 30 samurai, and the French officer Eugène Collache managed to flee for a few days, but decided finally to surrender. They were brought to Tokyo for imprisonment and trial. Although the fate of the Japanese rebels is unknown, Collache was finally pardoned and was put on a ship back to France.

Conclusion

This battle was a desperate attempt by the Bakufu armies to neutralize the powerful Kōtetsu. It was the first case of an "abordage" (boarding) maneuver in Japan. The attempt ended in failure, but was probably worthwhile, as the loss of the Takao was rather marginal. The Imperial Navy continued north unimpeded, where she supported the landing and combat of thousands of pro-Imperial troops in the Battle of Hakodate. Combatants Empire of Japan Ezo Republic Commanders Kuroda Kiyotaka Enomoto Takeaki Strength 7,000 combatants 10 steam warships 3,000 combatants 11 steam warships Casualties 770 casualties 1 ship sunk 1 ship destroyed 1,300 killed 400 wounded 1,300 captured 2 ships sunk 3 ships captured 3 ships lost...

See also

References

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External links