Li Hongzhang And The Establishment And Garrison Of Huai Army (1883-1894)

In 1862,the Huai Army was founded by Li Hongzhang,which has been a powerful armed force of Qing government since the Xiang Army was dismissed.During the Tongzhi and Guangxu periods,it was mainly stationed in Zhili of northern and along the Yangtze of southern.The Sino-French War started,and Li Hongzhang attempted to mobilize his army along the riverside to Guangxi for getting command of the war.His proposal was failed.After that,Li made his subordinate Pan Dingxin succeeded to be the Guangxi Xunfu,who lost his position for the defeat at Zhennanguan,and the Huai Army in Guangxi was dismissed.In the war,the Huai Army mainly stationed in Beiyang and along the Yangtze,and part of them went to Taiwan with Liu Mingchuan.After the war,the Huai Army in Taiwan and along the riverside was out of Le Hongzhang’ s control by military restructuring.Meanwhile,with the personnel changing and the defense tactics adjusting,forces like Suigong,Yi and Songwu etc were under command of Li,gradually being part of the Huai Army.Under the background of building up the Navy,Li Hongzhang focused on running Beiyang.He adopted the strategy of pincer movement,taking Liaodong and Shandong Peninsula as defense of land and water,constructed military ports and artillery batteries,and mobilized his army to various seaports in garrison.Under the demand of the Board of Revenue of cutting the forces and salaries,Li Hongzhang did all he can to keep the Huai Army in Beiyang safe with some reducing of the government payments.As Governor-General of Zhili,Li accelerated the construction of Lian Army to enhance its combat effectiveness and settle his old officers of the Huai Army.During Jiashen and Jiawu period,Li Hongzhang was in fully control of the forces in Beiyang,basically completed the defense system of Beiyang.The situation before the Sino-Japanese War was that Qing and Yi Army stationed in Lvshun,Songwu Army in Kiautschou Bay,Ming Army was mobilized to Dalian Bay,Suigong Army to Weihaiwei,and Sheng Army stayed in Tianjin as backup.