Sarhuda
Encyclopedia
Šarhūda, known also under the Chinese transcription of his name, Shaerhuda , (1599–1659) was a Manchu military commander during the early Qing Dynasty
, active both before and after the Manchus' seizing control of the entire China.
Sarhuda was a member of the Guwalgiya
clan of the Suwan (蘇完) Manchu tribe living in the Hurka River
Valley.
Along with his father he joined Nurhaci
-led Manchu forces; they were assigned to the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner
.
Sarhuda fought both in the Manchus' campaigns against the Ming
and in the operations to expand the Manchu control over the native tribes of what today is Heilongjiang
Province.
When the Manchus led by Dorgon
crossed the Great Wall of China
in 1644, Sarhuda commanded the vanguard division, which entered Beijing and later pursued the ousted usurper Li Zicheng to Dongguan, Shaanxi. Later on, he fought against the loyalist Ming forces in the provinces of Jiangsu
, Zhejiang
, Shandong
and Jiangxi
. In recognition of his services, he was promoted the position of deputy lieutenant-general of the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner
, and granted the hereditary rank of baron
(男) of the first class.
In February 1652 Sarhuda was appointed the commander of the troops of the newly created garrison at Ninguta, which was at the time the main Manchu garrison not just in the Hurka Valley
, but in the entire Manchuria north of the Willow Palisade
. In June 1653, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general (昂邦章京, Angbang-zhangjing; Manchu: amban-jianggin) of Ninguta.
In 1658 Sarhuda conducted a campaign against the Russian Cossacks led by Onufriy Stepanov
, who had been extracting tribute from the natives of the middle Amur valley. Sarhuda's fleet of some 40 (or 45) boats, manned by Manchu soldiers and a Korea
n contingent led by General Shin Ryu
, totaling about 1400 people,
descended the Hurka and the Sungari, and on the 10th day of the 6th month of the Chinese calendar
(i.e., some time in July) encountered Onufriy Stepanov
's 11-boat fleet with over 400 Cossacks aboard near the fall of Sungari into the Amur. The Russian ships retreated some 30 li down the Amur, when the artillery battle between the two fleets began.
Sarhuda's and Shin Ryu's Manchu-Korean force killed Stepanov and destroyed most of his force; out of 11 Russian ships, 7 was burned, 3 captured by the Manchu-Korean force, and 1, although first captured, was recaptured by some Russian survivors of the battle, who used it to get away. Ten Russians were taken prisoners, and around a hundred Ducher
women, which had been kept by the Cossacks aboard their ships, were released. The Manchus also captured over 300 flintlock
small arms
. Despite the Koreans' requests to share the captured weapons (which were a novelty in this region at the time) with them, Sarhuda did not give them any.
This victory was said to have cleared the Amur Valley from major Russian presence until 1669, which the Russians built Albazin
much farther upstream (and much closer to their bases in the Transbaikalia).
Sarhuda died the following year (1659), and was canonised as Xiangzhuang (襄壯). Sarhuda's son, Bahai (巴海), inherited his father's rank and replaced him as the commander of the Ninguta garrison; he also campaigned against the Russians.
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, active both before and after the Manchus' seizing control of the entire China.
Sarhuda was a member of the Guwalgiya
Guwalgiya
Guwalgiya was one of the most powerful Manchu clans. Kangxi's administrator Oboi came from this clan....
clan of the Suwan (蘇完) Manchu tribe living in the Hurka River
Mudanjiang River
The Mudan River or Mudanjiang River .is a river in Heilongjiang province in China. It is a right tributary of the Sungari River.Its modern Chinese name can be translated as the "Peony River"...
Valley.
Along with his father he joined Nurhaci
Nurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
-led Manchu forces; they were assigned to the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner
Eight Banners
The Eight Banners were administrative divisions into which all Manchu families were placed. They provided the basic framework for the Manchu military organization...
.
Sarhuda fought both in the Manchus' campaigns against the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and in the operations to expand the Manchu control over the native tribes of what today is Heilongjiang
Heilongjiang
For the river known in Mandarin as Heilong Jiang, see Amur River' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. "Heilongjiang" literally means Black Dragon River, which is the Chinese name for the Amur. The one-character abbreviation is 黑...
Province.
When the Manchus led by Dorgon
Dorgon
Dorgon , also known as Hošoi Mergen Cin Wang, the Prince Rui , was one of the most influential Manchu princes in the early Qing Dynasty. He laid the groundwork for the Manchu rule of China.-Early life:Dorgon was born in Yenden, Manchuria , China...
crossed the Great Wall of China
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups...
in 1644, Sarhuda commanded the vanguard division, which entered Beijing and later pursued the ousted usurper Li Zicheng to Dongguan, Shaanxi. Later on, he fought against the loyalist Ming forces in the provinces of Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
and Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
. In recognition of his services, he was promoted the position of deputy lieutenant-general of the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner
Eight Banners
The Eight Banners were administrative divisions into which all Manchu families were placed. They provided the basic framework for the Manchu military organization...
, and granted the hereditary rank of baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
(男) of the first class.
In February 1652 Sarhuda was appointed the commander of the troops of the newly created garrison at Ninguta, which was at the time the main Manchu garrison not just in the Hurka Valley
Mudanjiang River
The Mudan River or Mudanjiang River .is a river in Heilongjiang province in China. It is a right tributary of the Sungari River.Its modern Chinese name can be translated as the "Peony River"...
, but in the entire Manchuria north of the Willow Palisade
Willow Palisade
Willow Palisade was a system of ditches and embankments planted with willows intended to restrict movement into Manchuria, built by the Qing Dynasty during the later 17th century...
. In June 1653, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general (昂邦章京, Angbang-zhangjing; Manchu: amban-jianggin) of Ninguta.
In 1658 Sarhuda conducted a campaign against the Russian Cossacks led by Onufriy Stepanov
Onufriy Stepanov
Onufriy Stepanov was a Siberian Cossack and explorer of the Amur River. For background see Russian–Manchu border conflicts....
, who had been extracting tribute from the natives of the middle Amur valley. Sarhuda's fleet of some 40 (or 45) boats, manned by Manchu soldiers and a Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n contingent led by General Shin Ryu
Shin Ryu
Shin Ryu was a general of the Joseon Dynasty. He was born into a yangban family of the Pyeongsan Shin lineage in modern-day Chilgok County, Gyeongsangbuk-do, near where his shrine now stands in Yangmok-myeon. He passed the military gwageo in 1645, and went on to hold various state positions...
, totaling about 1400 people,
descended the Hurka and the Sungari, and on the 10th day of the 6th month of the Chinese calendar
Chinese calendar
The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well...
(i.e., some time in July) encountered Onufriy Stepanov
Onufriy Stepanov
Onufriy Stepanov was a Siberian Cossack and explorer of the Amur River. For background see Russian–Manchu border conflicts....
's 11-boat fleet with over 400 Cossacks aboard near the fall of Sungari into the Amur. The Russian ships retreated some 30 li down the Amur, when the artillery battle between the two fleets began.
Sarhuda's and Shin Ryu's Manchu-Korean force killed Stepanov and destroyed most of his force; out of 11 Russian ships, 7 was burned, 3 captured by the Manchu-Korean force, and 1, although first captured, was recaptured by some Russian survivors of the battle, who used it to get away. Ten Russians were taken prisoners, and around a hundred Ducher
Duchers
The Duchers was the Russian name of the people populating the shores of the middle course of the Amur River, approximately from the mouth of the Zeya down to the mouth of the Ussury, and possibly even somewhat further downstream...
women, which had been kept by the Cossacks aboard their ships, were released. The Manchus also captured over 300 flintlock
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
. Despite the Koreans' requests to share the captured weapons (which were a novelty in this region at the time) with them, Sarhuda did not give them any.
This victory was said to have cleared the Amur Valley from major Russian presence until 1669, which the Russians built Albazin
Albazin
Albazino is a village in Skovorodinsky District of Amur Oblast, Russia, noted as the site of Albazin , the first Russian settlement on the Amur River....
much farther upstream (and much closer to their bases in the Transbaikalia).
Sarhuda died the following year (1659), and was canonised as Xiangzhuang (襄壯). Sarhuda's son, Bahai (巴海), inherited his father's rank and replaced him as the commander of the Ninguta garrison; he also campaigned against the Russians.