Admiral Baron Kamimura Hikonojo

KAMIMURA, Hikonojo. Born Satsuma, later Kagoshima Prefecture; as young samurai footsoldier fought at Toba-Fushimi in Boshin war (1868); shortly after establishment of new imperial government entered naval academy (1871); commissioned ensign (1879); had series of sea billets as junior officer; commanded gunboat Maya (1891-93) and Chokai (1893-94); in Sino-Japanese War, commanded new cruiser Akitsushima, which formed part of the flying squadron at battle of Yalu (September 1894); captain (1894); various navy ministry, staff, and fleet posts (1895-1903); vice admiral (1903); in Russo-Japanese War, commanded second fleet, assigned task of containing Russian cruisers at Vladivostok; after Russians sank Japanese troopships in the Sea of Japan (April and June 1904), became object of widespread popular dissatisfaction, a mob attacking his Tokyo residence and newspapers hinting that he should commit suicide; vindicated himself in action at Ulsan, his ships sinking the Rurik and damaging Gromoboi and Rossiya (August 14, 1904); at Battle of Tsushima, forcefully led second fleet from flagship, cruiser Idzumo (May 27-28, 1905); after war commanded Yokosuka naval base (1905-09) and first fleet (1909-11); made baron (1907) and admiral (1910); named to largely honorary supreme war council (1911-14); into reserve (1914); in his heyday known throughout navy as gruff and bold combat leader in the old samurai tradition.