Battle of Zhangjiawan

Battle of Zhangjiawan (Chinese: 張家灣戰役) or Battle of Chang-kia-wan was fought by British and French forces against China at the town of Zhangjiawan (to the east of Tongzhou) during the Second Opium War on the morning of 18 September 1860.

Battle

The combined Anglo-French force which had recently occupied Tianjin engaged a Chinese army numbering some 30,000-strong at Zhangjiawan. British cavalry won a battle against Mongolian cavalry, French infantry crushed the defence of Chinese troops, and British-French artillery inflicting massive losses on the Chinese Qing army.

Aftermath

Since infantry was the worst part of the Qing army, the Qing commander-in-chief Sengge Rinchen decided to use his cavalry against the Anglo-French forces. The Battle of Palikao took place three days later.

References

Further reading

• Walrond, Theodore, ed. (1872). Letters and Journals of James, Eighth Earl of Elgin. London: John Murray. pp. 355–358.