Battle of Taku Forts (1860)

Third Battle of Taku Forts
Part of the Second Opium War
Interior of the north fort after its capture
Date 12–21 August 1860 Location Taku Forts, Tianjin, China Result Franco-British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  France	Qing China
Commanders and leaders
James Hope Grant Charles Cousin-Montauban	Governor Hengfu
Strength
British: 10,000 infantry 1,000 cavalry French: 6,700	5,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry ~45 artillery pieces, 4 forts
Casualties and losses
British: 14 killed, 48 wounded French: 158	100+ killed, ~300 wounded, ~2,100 captured, 45 artillery pieces captured

The Third Battle of Taku Forts was an engagement of the Second Opium War, part of the British and French 1860 expedition to China. It took place at the Taku Forts (also called Peiho Forts) near Tanggu District (Wade-Giles: Pei Tang-Ho), approximately 60 kilometers (36 mi.) southeast of the city of Tianjin (Tientsin).

The aim of the allied French-British expedition was to compel the Chinese government at Peking to observe the trade treaties signed between their governments at Tiajian (Tientsin) in 1858, which included allowing the British to continue the opium trade in China. Lt-Gen. Sir Hope Grant was the British commander with Lt-Gen. Charles Cousin-Montauban, Comte de Palikao in charge of the French. The force consisted of about 400 men: 200 British and 200 French. Hundreds of Qing Army troops garrisoned the Taku Forts, at least forty-five artillery pieces were among the Chinese defenders.

A year earlier, a similar attempt had been made to steam up the river but the Qing forces had made a barrier across the river resulting in the Battle of Taku Forts (1859) that was a disaster for the Anglo French force.

Following that humiliation, Captain Fisher of the Corps of Royal Engineers and three British ships, "Cruiser", "Forester" and "Starling" were left behind to survey the area, on land as well as along the coast. The reports would determine the strategy for the next attempt. The conclusion of the Indian Mutiny had also released troops to reinforce the Hong Kong station.

Not wanting to have a repeat of the 1859 disaster, on 30 July 1860 the Anglo-French army began landing at Beitang 10 miles (16 km) to the north of the Forts. A few days later a reconnaissance force moved towards the Taku Forts for close observation, two British soldiers were wounded by bullets from a Chinese jingal. The whole force was ashore by 7 August and a few days later on 12 August, the allied force advanced.

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