Confucius (Chinese: 孔夫子; pinyin: Kǒngfūzǐ; Wade–Giles: K'ung Fu Tzu) was an early armed riverboat of the Qing dynasty, and one of the earliest modern vessels of China.
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Confucius |
| Owner | Thomas Hunt & Co. |
| Out of service | 1855 |
 Qing Empire | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Confucius |
| Acquired | 1855 |
| Fate | Unknown |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Steamer |
| Displacement | 430 long tons (437 t) |
| Length | 50.29 m (165 ft 0 in) |
| Beam | 7.31 m (24 ft 0 in) |
| Draught | 2.74 m (9 ft 0 in) |
| Complement | 40[note 1] |
| Armament | 3 guns |
Confucius was purchased in July or August 1855, funded by shipping merchants in Shanghai as a response to an increase in piracy due to the Taiping Rebellion. She was transferred to Shanghai's Pirate Suppression Bureau, where she was used as an armed patrol vessel.[1] During her service as a patrol vessel, she was commanded by an American sailor called Gough, and American sailor Frederick Townsend Ward served as the ship's executive officer.[2][3][4] Ward would later distinguish himself in battles and assigned the commander of the Ever Victorious Army.[4]
Thereafter, Confucius became part of the Army. In 1860, she took part in the recapture of Songjiang from Taiping rebels.[5] In 1862, she took part in recapturing Ningbo, where she was commanded by Albert Édouard Le Brethon de Caligny.[6] Later that year, she took part in the Battle of Cixi, where Ward was killed in action.[7] Confucius brought Ward's body back to Shanghai.[8]
After the war, Confucius was transferred to Li Hongzhang's fleet in Jiangsu. There, the ship was renamed Tien Ping (Chinese: 天平; pinyin: Tiānpíng), after the model of the steam engine on board. She then returned to patrol duties, and her further fate is unknown.[1]
Notes edit
- ^ The "Ever-Victorious Army" (2010) lists 40 men in 1862, while China at War: An Encyclopedia (2012) notes in 1860 Confucius had at least 83 Filipino sailors who participated in one attack.
Citations edit
- ^ a b Chen 2013, p. 4.
- ^ Carr 1995, p. 30.
- ^ Abend 1947, p. 68.
- ^ a b Tang 2018.
- ^ Li 2012, p. 479.
- ^ Wilson 2010, p. 98.
- ^ Abend 1947, p. 212.
- ^ Abend 1947, p. 232.
References edit
- Abend, Hallett (1947). The God from the West. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday.
- Carr, Caleb (1995). The Devil Soldier. Random House. ISBN 9780679761280.
- Chen, Yue (2013). Zhōngguójūnjiàntúzhì 1855-1911 中國軍艦圖誌1855-1911 [Album of Chinese Warships 1855-1911] (in Chinese). Hong Kong: The Commercial Press (Hong Kong). ISBN 9789620703614.
- Li, Xiaobing (2012). China at War: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9789620703614.
- Tang, Long (21 February 2018). "China's American Imperial General". HistoryNet. HistoryNet. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
- Wilson, Andrew (2010). The 'Ever-Victorious Army'. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108024075.