Chen Huacheng, a native of Tongan, Xiamen, Fujian Province, was made a loyal monarch after his death. He was born in the army, accumulated military exploits, and was appointed as General Wei Zhen. According to the old practice, prefects and company commanders cannot be officials in their birthplace. Because no one except Chen Huacheng can shoulder the heavy responsibility of maritime defense, the emperor made an exception and appointed him as the prefect of Xiamen. In the year of Daoguang Gengxu (A.D. 1840), the British army invaded the eastern part of Zhejiang, and the imperial court ordered the coastal areas to be on strict alert, specially transferring Chen Huacheng to Jiangsu. Just arrived six days ago, I heard that Zhoushan fell, and immediately led the army to Wusongkou, carefully checked and estimated the dangerous terrain, and set up a tent next to Xibao to live. For three years, I have never undressed and slept peacefully. He treats soldiers generously and richly, but he is very frugal in his daily life. If someone offered him wine and meat, he would definitely refuse. At that time, there was a ballad: "All officers and men suck the marrow of the people, and Chen Gong drinks Wusong water."
Every time the tide rises, Chen Huacheng will definitely climb the gap. He warned the soldiers: "You should have a good rest at ordinary times, and you don't need to come to the military camp all the time. But if there is an alarm and you don't respond, you must use punishment according to law, unforgiven. " He and the magistrate Niu reviewed the army on a large scale and saw that most of the soldiers in the nearby area were thin, while the soldiers in the barracks in Shangjiang area were strong. Niu said, "Can these Shangjiang people be pioneers?" Chen Huacheng said: "The soldiers living nearby should be worried about their families, and I have convinced them that they have no intention of betraying them. Foreign soldiers may be difficult to rely on. " When the war came, those soldiers from other places ran away first.
In April of the year of Daoguang Renyin (AD 1842), Zhapu fell. Chen Huacheng encouraged soldiers more and enlightened them with a sense of honor. At that time, there was a commotion in other cities. As for Chenhuacheng near Wusong, he still lives a quiet life as before. In May, a large number of British ships gathered, and Chen Huacheng boarded the battery to defend, never slackening from morning till night. On the eighth day, from Shi Mao (5: 00 a.m. to 7: 00 a.m.) to Shi Si (9: 00 a.m. to 1 1: 00 a.m.), more than 1000 shells were fired, injuring 5 enemy ships and 2 steam ships. Seeing that the tide was gone, the British army wanted to retreat, just as Niu Zhifu led the troops out of the city. The British saw it from the mast and put the gun on the mast to attack. Niu Zhifu quickly called Wang Zhiyuan, the commander-in-chief of Xuzhou, who was guarding the north of Xiaosha, but Wang Zhiyuan had escaped. Niu Zhifu scared many soldiers to escape. The British attacked again. Chen Huacheng was helpless, but he fired dozens of shells himself. He was seriously injured. The shell broke his foot and the bullet went through his chest. He fell to the ground and bled to death at the age of 76. When the people heard that Chen Huacheng had died in battle, they were frightened: "Our Great Wall has fallen!" Men, women and children cried and ran to tell each other. British leaders entered the city and boarded zhenhai tower for drinking. Someone said in Chinese: "This battle is the most dangerous! As long as there are two Chenhua cities, how can this city be captured? " The British leader smiled.
There is a Wu Jinshi in Taihu Lake named Liu Guobiao, who is appreciated by Chen Huacheng. I followed him in the army, endured the pain, and hid in the reeds with Chen Huacheng's body on my back. Ten days later, he told the Jiading county magistrate about it, transported the body into Jiading city by car and buried it in the temple of Emperor Wu. Chen Huacheng looks exactly the same as when he was alive. Later, the matter was reported to the court, and the emperor issued a letter to the special hall, granting an official position that can be kept together for generations. Chen Huacheng, a native of Songjiang, cried very sadly. The poems written were compiled into a book entitled "Taking Wang Baoshan's Books for Loyalty and Righteousness" and sent to Chen Huacheng. I deliberately extracted the main content and copied the excellent works in the poem. There is a cloud in the poem: "It is difficult to support a single tree, and the general was shocked when he died. Dan Xin predicted that one day he would look in the mirror and worry about seeing ghosts during the day. People die when they die, and scholars forget their lives when they see righteousness. Angry waves excite the reed flowers at night, and the rain flags are ringing. "