Talk:Battle of Amoy

Another account

"Soon after the capture of Canton, the British forces, 'consisting of two 74s and seven other ships of war, four steamers, twenty-three transports, and two other vessels, carrying in all 3,500 troops, under the joint command of Sir Hugh Gough and Admiral Parker, moved northward up the China coast for the purpose of subduing the nation.' Four days after leaving Canton the whole flotilla dropped anchor in the harbor of Amoy, Aug. 25th, 1841. The British forces had not been unexpected, and extensive preparations had been made for their reception.

"'Every island and protecting headland overlooking the harbor had been occupied and armed, and a continuous line of stone wall more than a mile long, with embrasures roofed by large slabs covered with earth to protect the guns, had been built, and batteries and bastions erected at well-chosen points.' The broadsides of the ships had little effect on these stone walls.

"Twenty-four thousand rounds from the two 74s, 'besides the discharge from frigates and steamers,' failed to make any apparent impression on the fortifications. And it was not until the troops landed and drove out the garrison that the forts were taken.

"Lack of discipline on the part of the Chinese, as was everywhere manifested in this unfortunate and unjust war, caused them to lose the battle, and on the 27th of August, 1841, the city fell into the hands of the British. 'All the arms and public stores, consisting of powder, wall-pieces, gingals, matchlocks, shields, uniforms, bows, arrows, spears and other articles found in great quantities were destroyed; 500 cannon were found in the forts.' The Chinese forces were estimated to be 8,000 troops and 26 war junks, one two-decker, built on the foreign model and carrying 30 guns. Leaving a detachment of 550 troops on the Island of Kolongsu, and three vessels in the harbor to guard the city, the flotilla left for Chusan. The British did not lose a man, and the Chinese not more than fifty, in the conflict."

Pitcher (1893), p. 32–3. — LlywelynII 13:17, 15 November 2016 (UTC)

A third

Ouchterlony (1844), pp. 173ff, which includes another account of minimal Chinese losses and notes at least six Brits were lost. Also explains the abandonment of the city and has an account of how the Chinese spirited out almost the entire treasury of silver bullion under the nose of the British. — LlywelynII 18:17, 15 November 2016 (UTC)