Battle of Chapoo

Battle of Chapoo
Part of First Opium War
Joss House, Chapoo. Death of Col. Tomlinson
Date 18 May 1842 Location Chapoo, Zhejiang, China Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom British East India Company	Qing Dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Hugh Gough William Parker	Changxi
Strength
8 ships,[1] 2,220 land troops[2]	8,000–10,000 troops[3]
Casualties and losses
13 killed,[4] 42 wounded[5]	1,200–1,500 casualties[6] 14 junks captured[7]

The Battle of Chapoo (乍浦之戰) was fought between British and Chinese forces in Chapoo (now written Zhapu), China, on 18 May 1842 during the First Opium War.

Battle

Before the attack, the British commander, Major General Hugh Gough divided his forces into three: a column of infantry on the left (863 men) and right (969 men), with artillery in the centre. Gough accompanied the right column, which landed first on May 16th. The remaining troops moved round to the rear of the enemy thereby cutting their communications with Chapoo. Meanwhile, the accompanying steamers began a bombardment of the city's defences. In Gough's own words: "The enemy were completely taken by surprise; as usual, they were unprepared for anything except a frontal attack. They gave way on all sides and took to flight, with the exception of a body of some 300 Tartar troops who seized a small joss-house, and held it with indomitable pluck and perseverance."^[8] Multiple assaults proved necessary to capture the joss-house with casualties suffered on both sides; eventually it fell and after each of the gates had been captured, the city fell to the British.

"Tartar" was a term used to refer to ethnic Manchu Bannermen. The Manchu commander Hailing in Zhenjiang received a report from Zhapu that Manchu soldiers were slaughtered on June 18.^[9] Mass suicide was committed by the Manchus and their families.^[10]

Aftermath

When hostilities ceased, Chinese official Yilibu returned sixteen kidnapped British soldiers to Gough in "recognition of his courtesy in releasing the Chinese captured at Chapoo". The British did not remain in Chapoo long; they destroyed the city's arsenals and captured its ordnance before moving on to attack Woosung.^[11]

Gallery

• 

  Map of the battle

• 

  Engagement at the Joss House

• 

  Close of the attack on Chapoo

References

1. Bulletins & Other Intelligence (1842), p. 918–920
2. Rait (1903) p. 263
3. Bulletins & Other Intelligence (1842), p. 916
4. Rait (1903), p. 265
5. Rait (1903), p. 265
6. Rait (1903) p. 265
7. Bulletins & Other Intelligence (1842), p. 918
8. Rait 1903, p. 264.
9. http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/elliott/files/elliott_bannerman_and_townsman.pdf p. 51
10. https://archive.org/stream/cu31924088002120#page/n307/mode/2up
11. Rait 1903, p. 266.

Bibliography

• Rait, Robert S. (1903). The Life and Campaigns of Hugh, First Viscount Gough, Field-Marshal 1.

• Bulletins and Other State Intelligence. Compiled and arranged from the official documents published in the London Gazette. London: F. Watts. 1841.

Coordinates: 30°36′22″N 121°05′46″E / 30.606°N 121.096°E