The Opium War: Part 1

Battle of the Bogue

by Milton Soong

Canton was now going to be the target of British operations. Elliot was prepared to first capture the Bogue forts by land and sea. The area around the Bogus consisted of many fortified islands and very narrow waterways between them (see map 2). The islands formed a double gauntlet, first Chuenpi and Big Taikok, then Anunghoi and Little Taikok. Most of these islands contained fortified watch towers. There was a big iron chain boom that ran across the water from Anunghoi to a rock between the Wangtongs. The chain boom was a common Chinese tactic to block off a waterway. To the west there was no chain, but there were many unchartered reefs and shallow bottoms which made advances in that direction a risky business.

On January 7, 1840, the Chinese had their fleets collected in Anson's Day, confident of victory. Their optimism proved to be wrong. For most of the Bogue forts gave no mutual support, the guns of one fort could not even reach the next fort. Worse yet, most of the guns on the forts were fixed in place, they could neither pivot nor change their elevation. In addition, because of their inferior gunpowder, the guns had an extremely short range.

Bremer planned a combined attack on the outer forts. His fleet lay off Boat Island. The land forces were loaded on longboats. By nine o'clock in the morning, 1,500 men had landed without opposition at a sandy cove an the south side 6 of Chuenpi. Meanwhile, the NEMESIS was moved into range to attack the Chuenpi watch tower.

Major Pratt [8] of the 26th, commander of the landing force, led his men to the top of a ridge just east of the Chuenpi towers at about 10:00AM. On the far side of a small valley lay the fortified tower. In the valley itself stood several wood and earth stockades. The Chinese defenders began shouting as the British advanced and soon began pouring down volleys of fire from matchlocks and gingals.

The Marines and seamen led the charge down the valley with artillery in support. The sepoys and a unit of Manila invalids supported the assault by turning the Chinese flanks. At about the same moment, the NEMESIS and QUEEN began their bombardment of the watchtower. The Chinese returned the fire but scared no hits, while nearly all British shots hit the tower. In a few minutes the tower was silent, the British ships ceased fire and the Marines scrambled up the wall, hoisting the Union Jack above the tower.

After the Chuenpi tower had fallen, the NEMESIS hurried upstream to support the attack on the lower fort, a few hundred feet away. With her shallow draft the steamer closed in an the attack with such speed that it frightened many veteran sailors of the China station. NEMESIS came within a 'biscuit throw' of the wills and poured in a murderous hail of grapeshot and cannister. After this blast of anti-personnel fire, the fort fell silent.

At Big Taikok the 25 guns of the tower were silenced by a pounding of broadsides from a range of only 200 yards, then the landing boats went in. A group of about 30 Chinese manning a gun were encountered and scattered, then the British withdrew after taking a few prisoners. There had been surprisingly few casualties among the landing parties, nobody was killed and only a few dozen were wounded.

The last engagement of the day was fought by none other thin the NEMESIS. There were about 15 war junks, shielded by a sand bar, in Anson's Bay. The shallow water prevented the approach of most men-of-war, but NEMESIS went right in to within a few hundred yards and opened up with shot and shell. When the junks began to return the fire, NEMESIS fired a Congreve rocket at the Chinese. By a stroke of luck, the rocket hit the bridge of one of the junks and penetrated to its magazine before exploding. The junk vanished in a great roar, scattering wreckage in all directions. The British were so stunned by this dramatic spectacle that they compared it to the destruction of L'ORIENT in Aboukir Bay, 43 years previously.

After the battle around the Bogue, Chishan was obliged to negotiate. Terms were drafted on January 20 which became known as the Convention of Chuenpi.

The Convention covered only a few points that Palmerston had insisted upon. The island of Hong Kong was to be ceded, an indemnity of $6,000,000 was to be paid over a period of six years, and the two countries were to resume trade on an equal basis. For a few moments all was well in Canton, but the Convention of Chuenpi proved to be a lost cause. Emperor Tao-kuang thought that the Chinese yielded too much, and Palmerston felt that the English gained too little.

The British were now the masters of the Bogue, most of the Chinese resistance had been broken, and the island of Hong Kong was formally occupied. Chishan was adament again since the Emperor's decree had just reached his. More fighting was needed to convince the High Commissioner to carry out the terms of the Convention.

On February 26, a new attack was delivered. The British fleet started a bombardment on the forts of Wangtong and Anunghoi with the support of landing parties consisting of Marines, bluejackets and 500 sepoys of the 37th. The Chinese did not offer much opposition, most of thee were crammed in the trenches begging for mercy. The continued defeat hid sapped the morale of the Chinese. The gallant Admiral Kuan was killed in the defense of the Anunghoi fort, by a bayonet thrust through the chest.

Chishan now had no alternative but to comply with the British, and a short truce was declared. The precarious peace did not list long, and both sides were prepared to resume fighting. Elliot was recalled for his failure to carry out Palmerston's terms, and a new plenipotentiary was appointed in his place. Another expedition against the Chinese was needed to gain a settlement sort favorable to the British.

The Opium War Part 1

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© Copyright 2004 by Milton Soong.
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