Battle of Chapu

The Battle of Chapu was fought between British and Qing forces at Chapu (present-day Zhapu) on the northern shore of Hangzhou Bay during the First Opium War.

Battle of Chapu
Part of the First Opium War
Map of the battle of Chapu
Date 18 May 1842 Location Zhapu, Zhejiang, China Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom British East India Company	Qing China
Commanders and leaders
Hugh Gough William Parker Nicholas Tomlinson †	Changxi
Strength
8 ships 2,220 land troops	8,000–10,000 troops
Casualties and losses
13 killed 42 wounded	1,200–1,500 casualties 14 junks captured

Battle of Chapu
Traditional Chinese	乍浦之戰
Simplified Chinese	乍浦之战
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhàpǔ zhī Zhàn

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 16. The remaining troops moved round to the rear of the enemy thereby cutting their communications with Zhapu. 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."

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. Not without cost and Gough lost one of his most accomplished field commanders Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Tomlinson who was killed personally leading a breaching party of the 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment of Foot.

Aftermath

The British did not remain in Zhapu long. They captured the city's ordnance and destroyed its arsenals before moving on to attack Wusong.

Hailing, the Manchu commander at Zhenjiang, received the report of Zhapu's surrender on June 18. The Manchus committed mass suicide while the Han Chinese discussed the situation with the British. 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".

Gallery

• 
  Engagement at the joss house
• 
  Joss House, Chapoo. Death of Col. Tomlinson
• 
  Close of the attack on Chapu

References

Bibliography

• Bulletins of State Intelligence. Westminster: F. Watts. 1842.
• Rait, Robert S. (1903). The Life and Campaigns of Hugh, First Viscount Gough, Field-Marshal. Volume 1. Westminster: Archibald Constable.