Battle of the Tiger's Mouth

This article is about the battle between the Portuguese and pirates. For the battles in the Opium Wars, see Battle of the Bogue and Battle of the Bogue (1856).
Battle of the Tiger's Mouth
Part of Piracy in Asia

An illustration of the battle by a Portuguese cartographer
DateSeptember 1809 - January 1810
Location
Humen, Pearl River Delta
Result Portuguese victory
Belligerents
Portugal Red Flag Fleet
Commanders and leaders
José Pinto e Sousa Cheung Po Tsai  Surrendered
Strength
1 frigate
5 brigs
1 lorcha		 300–700 junks
Casualties and losses
Light Heavy

The Battle of the Tiger's Mouth (Chinese: 虎門之戰; Portuguese: Batalha da Boca do Tigre) was a series of engagements between a Portuguese flotilla stationed in Macau, and the Red Flag Fleet of the Chinese pirate Ching Shih, led by her second-in-command, Cheung Po Tsai - known to the Portuguese as Cam Pau Sai or Quan Apon Chay. Between September 1809 and January 1810, the Red Flag Fleet suffered several defeats at the hands of the Portuguese fleet led by José Pinto Alcoforado e Sousa, within the Humen Strait - known to the Portuguese as the Boca do Tigre - until finally surrendering formally in February 1810. After her fleet surrendered, Ching Shih surrendered herself to the Qing government in exchange for a general pardon, putting an end to her career of piracy.