북접농민군의 충주 황산 집결과 괴산 전투

Assembling of the Bukjob-Peasant Army at Whangsan and Battle of Goesan in 1894

On September 18, 1894 of the lunar calendar, Hae-wol Choi si-hyung(海月 崔時亨, 1827-1898) ordered all of the followers to armed uprising. The Donghak leaders of Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do decided to assemble the Donghak-Peasant Army at Whangsan(黃山). The Whangsan Army formed main forces of the Bukjob-Peasant Army. Their first attack objective was the Japanese Quartermaster Corps in Anbo(安保). The base of Japanese army in Anbo was burnt down at dawn on September 27, 1894. It was one of the serious event in the Sino-Japanese war within Joseon territory. On October 16, the Bukjob-Peasant Army marched from Whangsan to Goesan. They blocked by expeditionary forces sent by the Japanese Quartermaster Corps at Gaheung(可興). It was one of the most fierce battle between the Bukjob-Peasant Army and the Japanese troops. The other post of Bukjob-Peasant Army attacked the Japanese army at the different direction. Finally, the Bukjob-Peasant Army gained their root and Goesan was kept in Bukjob-Peasant territory. The following day, The Bukjob-Peasant Army kept their march to Boeun(報恩) where tens of thousands of Donhak followers gathered in. The Donghak leaders deployed their forces in the several county. They were building up their military power, so that they could wait and train until the order of the next fighting trim. The ultimate intension of Bukjob-Peasant Army was to expel the Japanese invading army from the Joseon Dynasty.