A British assault on Dinghai during the First Opium War, capturing a fortified Chinese city at minimal cost and seizing hundreds of weapons.
Key Facts
- Date
- 1 October 1841
- British killed
- 2 soldiers
- British wounded
- 28 soldiers
- Iron guns captured
- 100 guns
- Brass cannon captured
- 36 cannon
- Gingalls captured
- 540 weapons
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the First Opium War, Britain sought to extend its military pressure on China by seizing strategically positioned island territories. The Chusan (Zhoushan) archipelago, with its fortified capital Dinghai and population of 30,000, represented a significant Chinese stronghold on the east coast and became a renewed target for British naval and land forces.
On 1 October 1841, British forces including the 55th Foot conducted a brief seaborne assault on the fortified city of Dinghai. The Chinese defenders, commanded by Keo, were overwhelmed by superior British firepower. The city fell quickly, with British forces suffering only 2 killed and 28 wounded while capturing 100 iron guns, 36 brass cannon, and 540 gingalls.
The fall of Dinghai delivered a substantial haul of Chinese weaponry to British hands and demonstrated the marked military imbalance between the two forces. The second capture reinforced British dominance over key coastal positions in the ongoing conflict, adding pressure on the Qing government as the First Opium War continued toward its eventual resolution.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Keo.