Legendary National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc

In 1858, the French colonialists invaded our country. Nguyen Trung Truc participated in the battle to protect Chi Hoa fort under the command of Commander Truong Dinh. In June 1861, he commanded the insurgent forces in Tan An, protecting the Go Cong area, Ben Luc area, along the Vam Co Dong river.

On December 10, 1861, Nguyen Trung Truc's army achieved a resounding victory, burning the Espérance ship on the Nhut Tao River. After that, a series of attacks on enemy ships broke out in Ben Luc, Tra River... After the Nhut Tao victory, Nguyen Trung Truc was appointed Quan Co by the Hue court.

In 1867, King Tu Duc appointed Nguyen Trung Truc as Thanh Thu Uy of Ha Tien. Before he could return to his post, Ha Tien was invaded by the French. He did not follow the court's orders and returned to Hon Chong to find a way to continue fighting the enemy. On June 16, 1868, he commanded the insurgents to attack Kien Giang fort. Almost all of the French in the fort were destroyed.

 

People burn incense to pay tribute to the merits of National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc.

A week later, on June 21, 1868, the French troops recaptured the fort, pursued and destroyed Nguyen Trung Truc's insurgents. Due to the small force and strong enemy forces, the insurgents retreated to Hon Chong, then to Phu Quoc. On September 19, 1868, the French troops moved to Phu Quoc, attacking Ham Ninh. The insurgents retreated into the forest.

The French received reinforcements and continued their attack. At the same time, Nguyen Trung Truc's wife died of illness, his newborn child also died, and his mother was captured by the enemy. The people were brutally oppressed by the French, who forced them to show them the way to the base to destroy the insurgents. Because of his filial piety, patriotism, and love for the people, Nguyen Trung Truc was captured by the enemy.

The enemy brought Nguyen Trung Truc to Saigon, using all means of intimidation and enticement, but he did not waver and boldly told them: "When the West has uprooted all the grass in the South, then there will be no more Southerners fighting the West." Unable to persuade Nguyen Trung Truc, on October 27, 1868, the enemy brought him to Rach Gia and beheaded him. National hero Nguyen Trung Truc passed away but left behind a shining example of loyalty, indomitability, filial piety, patriotism, and love for the people. The people will forever remember, worship, and admire him.

During his military career, the hero Nguyen Trung Truc left behind for posterity many glorious feats. The most notable were the burning of the French ship Espérance in 1861 and the capture of Kien Giang fort in 1868.

According to recorded documents, on December 10, 1861, upon receiving news that Nguyen Trung Truc's insurgents were active, the Espérance was ordered to patrol Nhat Tao canal. Nguyen Trung Truc's insurgents used a diversionary tactic to lure the enemy deeper into the canal. The angry ship commander ordered the small canoe on the ship to be dropped. Several soldiers holding spears swam on Cai River to hunt for the insurgents in the direction of the gong sound. The insurgents beat the boat gong to lure the enemy canoe further and further away from the ship. The remaining French on the ship thought that the army had gone far away, but they were still on guard, so they sent 10 soldiers to the canal bank to keep watch.

At that time, five thatched-roof boats appeared on the bank of the Nhut Tao canal, drifting downstream. The bandits on the ship thought that the local merchant boats were carrying goods to Cho Lon, so the merchant boats leisurely approached the ship's side. When the five boats stopped close to the side of the ship, the deputy commander leaned over to take the licenses from the boats and handed them over. Instead of handing over the papers, Nguyen Trung Truc's soldiers quickly stabbed him in the side. He screamed and fell into the river. At this time, the group of soldiers cheered and jumped onto the ship under the command of Nguyen Trung Truc. The bandits were so frightened that they couldn't react in time, and the soldiers set fire to the ship. After the battle, 17 soldiers on the ship were killed.

Regarding the feat of capturing Kien Giang fort in 1868, documents recorded that to attack the fort, Nguyen Trung Truc's insurgents gathered in Ta Nien 2 days before. At around 4:00 a.m. on June 16, 1868, following Nguyen Trung Truc's orders, the insurgents quietly crossed the Cai Lon River and landed near the fort to prepare for the attack. At this time, the sky was still dark, a light rain poured down as if to support the insurgents. Nguyen Trung Truc took the lead and used a machete to kill two guards. After his command, the brave soldiers rushed into the fort. The French soldiers died like flies, many of them died right on their beds. A few of the sober ones returned fire, but did not have time to reload a second time. The Ma Ta soldiers were almost silent because they had been mobilized by the insurgents in advance, the provincial chief Chanh Phen was killed right on the battlefield.

As a result of capturing Kien Giang fort, Nguyen Trung Truc's army killed 5 French officers, 67 soldiers, and captured over 100 guns. The camp was on fire at night.

Two days later, the French colonialists heard the rumor that Kien Giang had fallen. From Vinh Long, a French lieutenant colonel and his traitors came to suppress the insurgents. Nguyen Trung Truc arranged the battle along the waterway from Nui Sap to Tan Hoi and Phi Thong today. After 3 days of fighting with unequal forces, to preserve the insurgents, Nguyen Trung Truc ordered a retreat to Hon Chong and then to Phu Quoc.

By June 21, 1868, the enemy had recaptured Kien Giang fort. Although they controlled the fort for only 6 days, the French colonialists admitted that the battle of Kien Giang fort was “a tragic event” whose inevitable consequences damaged their reputation.

NGUYEN MINH

*(According to documents of the Department of Culture and Sports and the Protection Board of Historical and Cultural Relics of Nguyen Trung Truc Tomb and Communal House)

Source: https://www.baokiengiang.vn/le-hoi/huyen-thoai-anh-hung-dan-toc-nguyen-trung-truc-22436.html