Battle of Ty-ho Bay

Battle of Ty-ho Bay

A model of an eight gun pirate junk.
DateAugust 4, 1855
Location
Off Tai O, Hong Kong
Result Anglo-American victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom United Kingdom
 United States		 Chinese Pirates
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom William Fellowes
United States William McCluney		 Unknown
Strength
1 steamer
1 sloop
1 screw frigate
~6 armed boats
sailors and marines		 36 war-junks
Casualties and losses
9 killed
~6 wounded		 ~500 killed or wounded
~1,000 captured
20 war-junks sunk
  • Seven captured merchant ships were liberated by the British and Americans during the battle, two sustained heavy damage and were burned.
Location of Tai O within Hong Kong.
Kuhlan Monument (centre) in Hong Kong Cemetery, commemorating the battle. The obelisk on the left is the Fronde Memorial. The one on the right is the HMS Vestal Memorial, commemorating officers and crew of HMS Vestal who died between 1844 and 1847.

The Battle of Ty-ho Bay was a significant naval engagement in 1855 involving the United Kingdom and United States against Chinese pirates. The action off Tai O, Hong Kong was to rescue captured merchant vessels, held by a fleet of armed war-junks. British and American forces defeated the pirates in one of the last major battles between Chinese pirate fleets and western navies. It was also one of the first joint operations undertaken by British and American forces.[1]

  1. ^ Wombwell, pg. 114