NGO QUANG HUY (1835-1889)

Ngo Quang Huy was born in 1835 in An Lac village, Thai Lac district (presently in Trung Trac commune, Van Lam district) in an educated family, which had relatives working as high-level mandarins in the court. He was smart, at the age of 17, he passed a bachelor degree in 1852.

In 1882, Henri Rivère fought against Tonkin. At the end of 1883 the court signed a treaty with France (the Treaty of Harmand) to continue the concessions of French colonialism. He and his brother Ngo Quang Chuoc recruited soldiers to join Nguyen Thien Thuat's insurgents. On 12/11/1883, the insurgents attacked Hai Duong province, but the forces were still weak so they had to retreat. When Nguyen Thien Thuat went to China, he came back to his hometown to wait for the chance.

In 1885, he together with Nguyen Cao, Ta Hien to build the forces of Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Bac Ninh provinces but failed. In July 1885, Nguyen Thien Thuat returned to the country and awarded the title of General. Ngo Quang Huy, along with Nguyen Huu Duc, helped Nguyen Thien Thuat to take the remaining forces of Dong Que's insurgent army to develop Bai Say insurgents on a higher scale. He considered the propaganda among people of anti-French necessary, so he gathered a number of students to denounce the crime of the French invaders and the king and mandarins of Nguyen dynasty and called people to join in the Bai Say insurgents at the meetings of villages.

Ngo Quang Huy was assigned to take charge of military administration by King Ham Nghi and the northern Hung Yen, northern Hai Duong and southern Bac Ninh by Nguyen Thien Thuat and considered as the second leader of the Bai Say insurgents by people.

Ngo Quang Huy was not only a prominent general in the Bai Say insurgents but also one of the leaders of the Can Vuong movement in Tonkin.

On November 12, 1888, Ngo Quang Huy joined the forces with General Nguyen Thien Thuat to fight the Lieu Trung battle and killed Nguyen Huu Hao.

In March 1889, the insurgents attacked southern Bac Ninh, northern Hai Duong, northern Hung Yen, Thai Nguyen, Vinh Phuc and Son Tay. They won many big battles in Me Dau (Van Lam), Dai Dong, Que Vo, Tu Son (Bac Ninh), Kim Anh, Phuc Yen (Vinh Phuc). The French mobilized forces to encircle them, the insurgents suffered from heavy losses. He and Ngo Quang Chuoc ran to Lang Thuong. He died on April 1, 1889 (in lunar calendar).