Battle of Shanghai (1861)

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Battle of Shanghai (1861)
Part of Taiping Rebellion
Date July 1861–November 1862 Location Shanghai western, southern and Pudong Result Qing Dynasty victory, Territorial changes Southeast China
Belligerents
Qing Dynasty  United Kingdom French Empire	Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Governor of Jiangsu Li Hongzhang Lieutenant General Cheng Xuechi Lieutenant General Huang Esen(綠營 黃翼昇) Major general Pan Dingxin(潘鼎新) Major general Guo Songlin(郭松林) Brigadier Liu Mingchuan James Hope Auguste Léopold Protet† Frederick Townsend Ward Edward Forrester	Li Xiucheng Colonel General Tan Shaoguang(譚紹光) Lieutenant General Li Ronfar(李容髮, 16 years boy) Lieutenant General G Qingyun(吉慶元) Lieutenant GeneralChen Kunshu Major general Chen Binwen(陳炳文) Brigadier Gau Yonkwan(郜永寬)
Strength
40,000 Green Standard Army 20,000 Why Army 3,000 Ever Victorious Army 4,000 3,000	120,000 Taipings (Former 200,000, but 80,000 came back and aid Nanjing on fighting)
Casualties and losses
10,000 deaths; French admiral Protet death, arrested Edward Forrester Admiral James Hope wounded Cheng Xuechi‘s chest wounded	25,000 deaths; Li Xiucheng leg wounded by cannon. Chen Binwen, Gau Yonkwan both wounded by shoot

The Battle of Shanghai(太平軍二攻上海) (June 1861–July 1862) was a major engagement of the Taiping Rebellion. It was the second battle to take place in Shanghai during this war and the first to occur after 1860. In this battle, British and French troops in China used modern cannon artillery on a large scale for the first time. Cannon fire inflicted heavy casualties on the Taiping forces and Taiping commander Li Xiucheng's left leg was wounded by a shot fired from a cannon.

In June 1860, Lai Wenguang led among 20,000 Taiping army had been first time offensive Shanghai and occupied it for 5 months, but withdrew at last.

Commanding over 600,000 Taiping troops, Li Xiucheng was in control of Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces by early 1861. He aimed to capture the large but isolated city of Shanghai, one of the most important cities under the Qing government, which was also home to an international port.

Before the battle, Li Xiucheng asked UK and France to maintain neutrality, which they promised.

By June 11, 1861, the Taiping Army was able to allocate five armies under two fronts, amongst other units. Under the command of Li Xiucheng fought the Tan SauGuan Army, Li Ronfar Army, G Qingyun Army, Chen Kunshu Army and the Chen Binwen Army.

Commander of the Green Standard Army was Huang Esen, whereas chief commander was Shanghai's mayor Wu Shu (道台 吳煦). The Why Army was under control of Li Hongzhang.

The battle started with Taiping's Lieutenant General Li Ronfar leading 20,000 men in Pudong. They arrived by thousands of boats. When Li Ronfar occupied the whole of Pudong, Shanghai asked the English and French Army for help. The American Frederick Townsend Ward, who had trained 2,000 Philippines and Chinese soldiers, entered the battle in October of Chinese calendar fighting against Taiping's Army.

When the fighting started in Pudong, Li Ronfar suggested a cease fire over Christmas for 15 days. However, after Christmas, the government of Shanghai asked Beijing for assistance in December of the Chinese calendar. Beijing decided to send the Huai Army with its 20,000 soldiers to reinforce Shanghai immediately.

On April 10 1862 of the Chinese calendar, Li Hongzhang was formally promoted to governor of Jiangsu. Five days later, the Why Army first attacked Shanghai.

At the same time, the mayor of the Jinshan District commanded 5,000 Green Standard Army to surround and attack Taicang city which was then occupied by Taiping. Li Xiucheng commanded 100,000 Taiping to release Taicang on April 19 of Chinese calendar. Li Hongzhang ordered the mayor of Jinshan District to withdraw soon, but the mayor refused to do so. As a result, all 5,000 Green Standard Army were killed by Taiping.

On April 29, the Taiping Army used their full strength and Major general Chen Binwen occupied Jiading (嘉定) again. Jiading's troop of Qing withdraw to Shanghai. Then the Taiping Army prepared to attack Songjiang from Jiading (Northwest Shanghai). Li Hongzhang ordered major general Cheng Xuechi should combat against Chen Binwen.

On May 1, Li Ronfar's surrendered to the Why Army in Nanhui District. When Li Hongzhang ordered brigadier Liu Mingchuan to accept their surrender, it made Li Ronfar very angry and he ordered Lieutenant General G Qingyun to raise a series of attacks against Liu Mingchuan in Nanhui District. However, Liu won these combats. It forced Li Ronfar to withdraw from Pudong on May 10 and over Taiping occupied Pudong 9 months. Thus, the Qing government recovered control of eastern and southern Shanghai.

On May 8 1862, Why Army vice commander Cheng Xuechi began to attack Taiping and wanted to recover Songjiang from Taiping occupation. After 13 days of combat, the Why Army won Songjiang and Taiping's Army had to withdraw.

Taiping's Army had reached 80,000 soldiers and raised a second attack for the recovery of Shanghai. Chief commander of the city was Tan. The battle began in September 1862 of Chinese calendar.

Major General Guo Songlin (郭松林) of the Huai Army command this combat. Taiping's commander Chen Binwen (陳炳文) command this attack, but Cheng Xuechi destroyed all of Taiping's 20 camps (one camp accommodating 500 Taiping soldiers) and it forced Chen Binwen to retreat to 四江口 (?) and meet his upper commander Tan Sau-guan (chief commander) prepare the latest recovery combat.

On September 12 1862, Tan SauGuan commanded 70,000 Taiping Army from Taicang and Kunshan and raised attack Qing again.Taiping Army attack very fast, once upon distance target Qingpu District, Shanghai near only 5 km and surrounded 20,000 Qing‘s forces.

Qing‘s fleet commander Huang Esen raise first wave against from river,it made Taiping retreat a little but did not defeat Taiping, up next the Ever Victorious Army come to reinforce Qing that still no large process, And Taiping forces use this time to build many floating bridges.

Li Hongzhang present come here to oversee this tough combat and orders these generals(Cheng, Guo, and Liu Mingchuan )must defeated Tan and release surrounded by Taiping on northern coast in time.

Until September 21 1862,At last day, Cheng Xuechi command only 6,000 Huai Army united Qing‘s navy, pass 8 times attacks Taiping from 8 o‘clock to 14 o‘clock again and again, finally cut off Taiping Army back path, and Huai Army were surrounded on northern beach dare to outside and also attack Taiping,they destroyed over 30,000 Taiping Army even it made Cheng wounded at chest seriously by gun fire.

This merit promoted Cheng be Lieutenant General.captain general Tan with Brigadier Gau Yonkwan(郜永寬) retreated to Suzhou and prepare defend battle, Taiping gave up to attack Shanghai forever.

The Taiping forces launched four offensives against the defenders. On the fourth offensive, Hong Xiuquan ordered the offensive to be halted and the forces to withdraw, thus ending the battle with the combined forces of the Qing government, British and French being victorious.

Hong Rengan was very opposed to this battle, Hong thought Shanghai was not a military problem.

• Teng Yuan-chung. "Americans and The Taiping Rebellion".1988 ISBN 6695386307
• Tiān Guó Zhi(天國志)