Kamimura Hikonojō

Infobox Military Person
name= Baron Kamimura Hikonojō
lived=1 May 1849 - 8 August 1916 [Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy ]
placeofbirth=Kagoshima, Satsuma domain Japan
placeofdeath=Tokyo, Japan


caption= Japanese Admiral Baron Kamimura Hikonojō
nickname=
allegiance=Empire of Japan
branch=navy|Empire of Japan
serviceyears=1871–1914
rank=Admiral
commands="Maya", "Chōkai", "Akitsushima"
IJN 2nd Fleet, IJN 1st Fleet
unit=
battles=Boshin War
First Sino-Japanese War
oBattle of the Yalu River (1894)
Russo-Japanese War
oBattle off Ulsan
oBattle of Tsushima
awards=
family=
laterwork=Supreme War Council

Baron nihongo|Kamimura Hikonojō|上村彦之丞|Kamimura Hikonojō|extra=1 May 1849 – 8 August 1916 was an early admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy later commanding the IJN 2nd Fleet during the Russo-Japanese War, most notably at the Battle off Ulsan and Tsushima.

Biography

Born to a "samurai" family in the Satsuma han domain (present day Kagoshima prefecture), Kamimura served as a foot soldier during the Boshin War. After the Imperial government was established in 1871, Kamimura became one of the first cadets of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, later earning a commission as an ensign following his graduation in 1879.

Serving as a junior officer aboard various ships throughout the 1880s, Kamimura’s first command was the gunboat "Maya" in 1891; he later captained the gunboat "Chōkai" in 1893.

After the outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War the following year, Kamimura was given command of the new cruiser "Akitsushima" winning distinction at the Battle of the Yalu River on 17 September 1894. [Paine, The Sino-Japanese War ] In his heyday, he was known throughout Imperial Navy as gruff and bold combat leader in the old "samurai" tradition.

In the years following the war, Kamimura held a series of posts in the Navy Ministry as well as staff and fleet commands until his promotion to vice admiral in 1903. He visited Great Britain aboard the battleship "Asahi" from 1 February 1899 to 22 May 1900, during which time he became a rear admiral.

Placed in command of the IJN 2nd Fleet following the first months of the Russo-Japanese War, Kamimura was ordered to contain the Russian cruiser squadron based in Vladivostok. After the Russians escaped and sank Japanese troopships in the Sea of Japan (April and June 1904), he became the object of widespread popular dissatisfaction, with a mob attacking his Tokyo residence, and newspapers hinting that he should commit suicide. He vindicated himself in action by sinking the "Rurik" and damaging the "Gromoboi" and "Rossia" on 14 August 1904 at the Battle off Ulsan, and regained his popularity both within the government and the Japanese public. Commanding from the cruiser "Izumo", Kamimura later led the IJN 2nd Fleet during the Battle of Tsushima on 27 May 1905.

Appointed commander of the Yokosuka Naval Base in 1905, Kamimura was placed in command of the IJN 1st Fleet in 1909. Previously made a "danshaku" (baron) under the " kazoku " peerage system only two years before, Kamimura was made a full admiral on 1 December 1910. Becoming a member of the Supreme War Council the following year, Kamimura entered the reserve list on 1 May 1914, before his death in 1916.

His grave is at the temple of Myohon-ji in Kamakura.

Promotions

*1877, June 8 - Midshipman ("Shoi-Kohosei")
*1879, September 19 - Acting Sub-Lieutenant ("Shōi")
*1881, December 17 - Sub-Lieutenant ("Chūi")
*1884, April 8 - Lieutenant ("Taii")
*1890, September 17 - Lieutenant-Commander ("Shōsa")
*1894, December 7 - Captain ("Taisa")
*1899, September 26 - Rear Admiral ("Shosho")
*1903, September 5 - Vice Admiral ("Chujo")
*1910, December 1 - Admiral ("Taisho")

References

Books

* cite book
last = Andidora
first = Ronald
year = 2000
title = Iron Admirals: Naval Leadership in the Twentieth Century
publisher = Greenwood Press
location =
isbn = 0-313-31266-4
* cite book
last = Dupuy
first = Trevor N.
year = 1992
title = Encyclopedia of Military Biography
publisher = I B Tauris & Co Ltd
location =
isbn = 1-85043-569-3
* cite book
last = Paine
first = S.C.M.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 2001
title = The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895: Perception, Power, and Primacy
publisher = Cambridge University Press
location =Cambridge, MA
isbn = 0-521-61745-6
* cite book
last = Schencking
first = J. Charles
year = 2005
title = Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868-1922
publisher = Stanford University Press
location =
isbn = 0-8047-4977-9
* cite book
last = Warner
first = Denis
coauthors = Warner, Peggy
year = 1974
title = The Tide at Sunrise: A History of the Russo-Japanese War', 1904-1905
publisher = Charterhouse
location = AISN B000OLLNGA
id =

Notes

External links

* [http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/px04.htm#a001 Kamimura Hikonojo] at the Imperial Japanese Navy website