Formerly called Katangkha (Chinese: 茄苳腳; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ka-tang-kha).,[1] Jiadong Township was originally the residence of the Makatao people of Pingpu tribe.

The first colonists that began arriving into Jiadong were ethnic Hakkas from northeastern Guangdong, establishing the town and ultimately assimilating the local native Makatao aborigines.

The battle took place on the 11 October 1895, and ended in a Japanese victory and a defeat for the Republic of Formosa.

In 1895 the township was described by James W. Davidson as a village "surrounded by a low stone wall loop-holed for rifle fire".

The township comprises 12 villages: Changlong, Datong, Fenglong, Jiadong, Laijia, Liugen, Qiangyuan, Shiguang, Wanjian, Wenfeng, Yanwen and Yuguang.