Battle of Taku Forts (1858)

First Battle of Taku Forts
Part of the Second Opium War

Map of the Peiho River forts, showing British and French ships
Date20 May 1858
Location38°58′29.50″N 117°42′43.80″E / 38.9748611°N 117.7121667°E / 38.9748611; 117.7121667
Result Anglo-French victory
Belligerents
 United Kingdom
 France
Qing China
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom Michael Seymour
Second French Empire Charles Rigault de Genouilly
Tan Ting-siang
Strength
British:
1,032[1]
French:
700 (land force)[1]
unknown
Casualties and losses
British:
5 killed
16 wounded[1]
French:
6 killed
61 wounded[1]
unknown

The First Battle of Taku Forts (Chinese: 第一次大沽口之戰) was the first attack of the Anglo-French alliance against the Taku Forts along the Hai River in Tianjin, China, on 20 May 1858, during the Second Opium War.

The British and French sent a squadron of gunboats, under Rear-Admiral Admiral Michael Seymour, to attack China's Taku Forts. The battle ended as an allied success. However, the first phase of the Second Opium War would end with the Treaties of Tianjin and the forts were returned to the hands of the Qing Army, leading to the Second Battle of Taku Forts in 1859.

  1. ^ a b c d Bulletins and Other State Intelligence for the Year 1858. Part 3. London: Harrison and Sons. 1860. pp. 2869–2874.