Bien Hoa attack and defense war

The Rebel Army Captured Bien Hoa

In Bien Hoa, Quan Co Tran Van Khanh and Suat Doi Nguyen Van Khien (from Minh Linh district, Quang Tri ) brought troops and elephants to Binh Phu village and met Phan Yen's Deputy Commander Gia Tien Chiem there. They asked and found out that the rebel army was very strong. Acting Governor Vu Huu Quynh and Judge Le Van Le saw that the situation was getting worse, so they did not let Tran Van Khanh go to Phan Yen province anymore but organized a defense at the ferry in Dong village, Binh Dong commune. They also sent the Deputy Commander of Bien Hung, Ngo Van Hoa, to bring troops and boats and about 60 soldiers to the Nha Be River junction to block the road.

On the other hand, the two people informed Binh Thuan and Dinh Tuong provinces to send troops to rescue. Thuan-Khanh Governor Hoang Quoc Dieu received the news that Phan Yen province had fallen at the hour of Ty [23 to 1 a.m.] on the night of May 23, the 14th year of Minh Mang (1833). Hoang Quoc Dieu sent the Commander Le Van Nghia (from Le Thuy district, Quang Binh province) with 300 troops to Bien Hoa to rescue.

Before the rescue troops arrived, Nguyen Huu Khoi ordered the Central Army Deputy General Le Dac Luc and the Navy Chief General Luu Hang Tin to attack Bien Hoa. On the 24th, the rebel army, estimated at more than 300 men, followed both water and land routes to attack Binh Dong ferry. Commander Tran Van Khanh had more than 150 soldiers, along with Phan Yen's Deputy Commander Gia Tien Chiem, to attack, and also sent the Elephant Corps Commander Nguyen Van Khien to bring 5 elephants to attack. Unexpectedly, Nguyen Van Khien turned traitor and sent elephants to attack the court army. The Bien Hoa army was in chaos. The forces at Nha Be intersection were unknown where they had retreated. The rebel army flooded into Bien Hoa provincial capital. Acting Governor Vu Huu Quynh heard that Khien turned traitor, so he beheaded his second son, who was also an elephant soldier. The commanders of the 2nd and 3rd Elephant Corps of Bien Hoa were also imprisoned. The soldiers guarding Bien Hoa were few, and the elephant soldiers had no fighting spirit. That night, the Bien Hoa Governor Vu Huu Quynh and Judge Le Van Le abandoned the provincial capital, brought 17 elephants and retreated to Thuan Bien station to wait for reinforcements from Binh Thuan province.

On the 25th, the rebels completely controlled Bien Hoa provincial capital. Le Dac Luc declared himself the Governor, and Nguyen Huu Du the Deputy Governor. The capture of Bien Hoa gave the rebels the opportunity to strengthen their forces. The Hoi Luong team in Bien Hoa also surrendered.

Waterway and road from Phan Yen to Bien Hoa

PHOTO: AUTHOR'S DOCUMENTS

BINH THUAN INSTITUTE JOINS THE WAR

At the hour of Mui [1-3 pm] on the 27th, the reinforcements of Binh Thuan province led by Commander Le Van Nghia and 145 soldiers arrived at Thuan Bien station. There were still 155 soldiers led by Deputy Commander Nguyen Van Ly following behind (in reality, some escaped, only more than 290 people arrived). When the Imperial envoys from the capital to Cochinchina, Pham Duy Trinh and Nguyen Duc Tiem, arrived at Thuan Bien station, they saw officials from Bien Hoa and Phan Yen provinces gathered there. Among them were also Governor Vu Huu Quynh, Judge Le Van Le, Commander Ho Kim Truyen, Judge Nguyen Chuong Dat, Commander Nguyen Que... The reinforcements of Binh Thuan province led by Commander Le Van Nghia, Deputy Commander Nguyen Van Ly, more than 300 soldiers and 17 elephants were also stationed there.

On the 28th, Bien Hoa Governor Vu Huu Quynh and Binh Thuan Commander Le Van Nghia brought troops and elephants to station at Bien Long station, the district capital of Phuoc An district, Bien Hoa province. There was also a public rice warehouse here. On June 3, the next reinforcement force from Binh Thuan province led by Ton That Gia also arrived, increasing the number of Binh Thuan reinforcements to 542 people. Acting Bien Hoa Governor Vu Huu Quynh also recruited a number of local soldiers, arranged troops to garrison in various places, and divided people to go to the communes to comfort the people. The people of Phuoc An district were finally at peace.

On the night of the 7th, Vu Huu Quynh brought 40 soldiers under his command, along with Binh Thuan Commander Le Van Nghia and Ton That Gia, and 500 soldiers, leaving Bien Long station. At dawn on the 9th, the Binh Thuan - Bien Hoa army advanced to Phuoc Loc commune, the district capital of Long Thanh district. At that time, Cai Co Tran Minh Thien of the rebel army set up two forts to defend Long Thanh. The Binh Thuan - Bien Hoa army defeated the rebel army, beheaded Tran Minh Thien and many commanders and Bien Hung soldiers who had followed the rebel army, captured 54 men - most of them former Bien Hung soldiers, seized a pear boat and many weapons. The Binh Thuan - Bien Hoa army took advantage of the victory to advance to the provincial capital.

The rebel force in Bien Hoa was estimated at more than 200 people, 6 elephants and 2 warships anchored at the provincial capital's river wharf (some others remained on the shore). At the hour of Mui [1-3 pm] on the 10th, the Binh Thuan - Bien Hoa army entered the provincial capital. The rebel commander was Le Dac Luc, and the deputy commander Nguyen Huu Du had fled first. Bien Hoa province returned to the control of the royal court. (to be continued)

(Excerpt from the book Phan Yen Thanh Binh Muoi Ky - Panorama of the Uprising by Le Van Khoi , just published by Ho Chi Minh City General Publishing House)