A battery was set up in the harbor in 1874 and during the Sino-French war of 1884, Chinese forces used the base in their campaign to rout the enemy.
清同治十二年（西元一八七四年）船政大臣沈葆楨巡台時，在此築砲台以鞏固國防。光緒十年（西元一八八四年）中法之役，我國即以此為攻守要塞。