Battle of Chemulpo Bay The Battle of Chemulpo Bay ( " Jinsen ' oki kaisen " ) was an early naval battle in the Russo - Japanese War ( 1904 – 1905 ) , which took place on 9 February 1904 , off the coast of present - day Incheon , Korea . Background . The opening stage of the Russo - Japanese War began with a pre - emptive strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the Russian Pacific Fleet spread among Port Arthur , Vladivostok , and Chemulpo Bay ( now part of Incheon , Korea ) . Command of the Chemulpo operation was given to Rear Admiral Uryu Sotokichi , with six cruiser s , three to eight torpedo boats ( depending on sources ) , the aviso ( dispatch boat ) " Chihaya " , three transports and 2 , 500 ground troops . Chemulpo also had strategic significance , as it was the main port for the Korean capital of Seoul , and was also the main invasion route used previously by Japanese forces in the First Sino - Japanese War of 1894 . However , Chemulpo , with its wide tidal bore , extensive mudflats , and narrow , winding channels , posed a number of tactical challenges for both attackers and defenders . The Japanese protected cruiser had been based at Chemulpo for the past 10 months , and had been keeping watch on the Russian protected cruiser and the aging gunboat , also based at Chemulpo to look after Russian interests . After the Russian transport " Sungari " arrived at Chemulpo on 7 February 1904 , reporting the sighting of a large Japanese force approaching , the gunboat " Korietz " was ordered to Port Arthur to report and request instructions . In the early morning of 8 February , " Korietz " spotted " Chiyoda " outside the Chemulpo roadstead , and mistaking it for a fellow Russian ship , loaded its guns for a salute . On closing in , the crew of " Korietz " realized their mistake and in the ensuing confusion the guns were discharged . " Chiyoda " responded by launching a torpedo . Both sides missed , but this was the first actual exchange of fire in the Russo - Japanese War , and it is highly unclear which side actually opened fire first . " Korietz " retreated back to Chemulpo harbor . Later in the morning of 8 February 1904 , " Chiyoda " rendezvoused with the Admiral Uryu ’ s squadron outside the entrance to Chemulpo , and reported that several warships from neutral countries were present in the anchorage , including : ( Great Britain ) , " Pascal " ( France ) , and " Elba " ( Italy ) . An American warship — the gunboat — was also present , but she was further up the harbor . Admiral Uryu reasoned that if the Russians remained anchored in the midst of the neutral ships , they could not attack his transports , whereas if the Russians came out to do battle , he had ample force to deal with them . On the other hand , it was against international law to attack the Russians while they were anchored in a neutral port . Admiral Uryu sent a message requesting that the captains of HMS " Talbot " , " Pascal " and " Elba " to shift their anchorage , promising that no attack should be delivered before 16 : 00 . The battle . Admiral Uryu ordered the cruisers " Chiyoda " , , and his torpedo boat s to proceed up the channel with the troopship s to commence the debarkation at once , while the cruisers , and were held in reserve . Three torpedo - boats took refuge near " Niitaka " far board . At 18 : 00 on 8 February , Japanese troopships anchored at Chemulpo , mooring next to the Russians , and disembarked four battalions of soldiers of the IJA 12th Division in an operation that continued into the night . To the amazement of the tense Japanese , The Russians aboard " Varyag " and " Korietz " took no action , but continued to air out bunting as if on parade . The troop disembarkation was complete by 03 : 00 on 9 February , and all Japanese warships and transports withdrew from the harbor except for the " Chiyoda " . The latter delivered a letter to the " Varyag " and neutral vessels , including the British cruiser " Talbot " , the French cruiser " Pascal " , the Italian cruiser " Elba " , and the U . S . gunboat USS " Vicksburg " and collier . HIS IMPERIAL JAPANESE MAJESTY ' S SHIP NANIWA < br > Chemulpo Roadstead , February 8 . 1904 . Sir : I have the honor to notify you that as hostilities exist between the Empire of Japan and the Empire of Russia at present I shall attack the men - of - war of the Government of Russia , stationed at present in the port of Chemulpo , with the force under my command , in case of the refusal of the Russian senior naval officer present at Chemulpo to my demand to leave the port of Chemulpo before the noon of the 9th of February , 1904 , and I respectfully request you to keep away from the scene of action in the port so that no danger from the action would come to the ship under your command . The above - mentioned attack will not take place before 4 o ' clock p . m . of the 9th of February , 1904 , to give time to put into practice the above - mentioned request . If there are any transports or merchant vessels of your nationality in the port of Chemulpo at present , I request you to communicate to them the above notification . I have the honor to be , sir , your most obedient servant , S . URIU A conference was quickly convened on the " Talbot " by Captain Vsevolod Rudnev and the captains of neutral warships ( except USS " Vicksburg " ) , and it was decided that the Russians would fight their way out . At noon , Captain Denis Bagly of HMS " Talbot " came to " Naniwa " with a letter signed by all of the neutral captains except for the captain of USS " Vicksburg " , W . A . Marshall , declining the request to change anchorage , on the grounds that Chemulpo was a neutral port . Outgunned and outnumbered , and refusing advice from the neutral captains to surrender , at 11 : 00 on 9 February , Captain Vsevolod Rudnev of the " Varyag " attempted to make a break for the open sea . From the " Varyag " logbook : Although the Russian logbook records damage to " Asama " , Japanese records indicate that she took no damage . Unable to break past the Japanese squadron by mid - afternoon , " Korietz " and the badly battered " Varyag " returned to Chemulpo harbor at 13 : 15 , where both took refuge near the neutral warships . At 16 : 00 , " Korietz " was scuttled by her crew by blowing up two powder - rooms . Fragments of the blown - up ship landed dangerously close to neutral vessels . Fearing a greater explosion with potential casualties , the captains of the neutral warships present urged Rudnev not to blow up " Varyag " in a similar manner . At 18 : 10 , scuttled by her crew , " Varyag " rolled over on her port side and sank . Crewmen from " Varyag " were dispatched to the Russian transport " Sungari " , which had remained behind in the harbor during the battle , and set her on fire to prevent her from falling into Japanese hands . Outcome . The Battle of Chemulpo was a military victory for the Japanese . Russian casualties on the " Varyag " were heavy . All of " Varyag " s twelve guns , all of her 12 - pounders , and all of her 3 - pounders were out of action , she took 5 serious hits at or below the waterline . Her upper works and ventilators were riddled , and her crew had put out at least five serious fires . Of her crew with a nominal strength of 580 , 33 were killed and 97 wounded . Most serious cases among the Russian wounded were treated at the Red Cross hospital at Chemulpo . The Russian crews — except for the badly wounded — returned to Russia on neutral warships and were treated as heroes . Although severely damaged , " Varyag " — not blown up — was later raised by Japanese and incorporated into the Imperial Japanese Navy as the training ship .