BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN CHINA, 1842-1900
Chinese War of 1840-1842--Canton--China, 1857-1860--Taku
Forts--Pekin--China, 1900--Pekin, 1900.
CHINA, 1840 (WITH THE DRAGON).
This distinction was conferred on the regiments which participated
in the first China War, under Sir Hugh (afterwards Lord) Gough, and
is borne by the
Royal Irish.
Cameronians.
Border Regiment.
Royal Berkshires.
North Staffords.
2nd Queen's Own Sappers and Miners.
62nd Punjabis.
66th Punjabis.
74th Punjabis.
The first China War, generally known as the "Opium War," while not
entailing any very severe fighting, cost us many hundred lives,
owing to the neglect of the most elementary precautions on the part
of the officials who were responsible for the fitting out of the
expedition. The actual _casus belli_ was the refusal of the Chinese
Government to permit the importation of opium into the Empire.
British merchants had been in the habit of importing the drug from
India, and large fortunes had been amassed in this trade. When
the edict was issued, there were large stocks of the drug in the
warehouses of our fellow-countrymen, and its seizure entailed, it
is said, a loss of £3,000,000. The British Commissioner on the spot
insisted on the right of disposing of the opium, but the Chinese
authorities put this beyond a doubt by destroying the forbidden
article. We then demanded compensation, which was refused, and
a force was despatched from India to enforce satisfaction and
pecuniary compensation. This consisted of the 18th (Royal Irish),
the 26th (Cameronians), and the 49th (Royal Berkshires), with a
battalion of Bengal infantry, composed of volunteers from the whole
of the Bengal army. Chusan was occupied with but little loss, and
the Viceroy of the province sued for peace. Terms were arranged,
the Chinese ceding Hong-Kong and paying an indemnity of 6,000,000
dollars. Grave doubts were felt as to the permanence of this
arrangement, and our troops occupied certain points in the country.
No efforts were made to provide them with suitable clothing or
food, and the mortality was appalling, the Cameronians losing no
less than 286 men between July 1, 1840, and January 1, 1841.
Early in 1841, weary of the vacillation of the Chinese, the
British Government sent out considerable reinforcements, and
Lieutenant-General Sir Hugh Gough was placed in supreme command.
His little army was thus composed:
First Brigade--Major-General Lord Saltoun: 26th (Cameronians),
98th (North Staffords), and Bengal Volunteers.
Second Brigade--Major-General Schoedde: 55th (Border Regiment),
2nd (now the 62nd), 6th (now the 66th), and 37th Regiments of
Madras Native Infantry.
Third Brigade--Major-General Bartley: 18th (Royal Irish), 49th
(Royal Berkshires), and 14th (now the 74th) Madras Infantry.
Early in May, 1841, the forts at the entrance of the Canton River
were bombarded and captured. The fleet then passed up the river,
and on May 24 Canton itself was taken, after slight resistance, our
losses being 14 killed and 91 of all ranks wounded. In the month of
August Amoy was occupied, and in October Chusan was reoccupied, our
losses being an officer and 19 men killed and wounded.
The winter of 1841-42 was spent in fruitless negotiation, and with
the opening of the spring Sir Hugh Gough recommenced operations.
In March, 1842, Ningpo was taken, and in the month of May Chapoo
was captured, after a sharp fight, in which our losses were 6
officers and 51 of all ranks killed and wounded. In the month of
July the fleet pushed up the Yangtse Kiang River, with a view of
showing the Chinese that we could and we would reach the very heart
of their country. A more determined resistance was met with at
Ching-Kiang-Foo, which was carried with a loss of 13 officers and
111 of all ranks. This broke the back of the war-party. Emissaries
came in suing for peace. The fresh terms included a war indemnity
of 21,000,000 dollars and the opening of a number of ports to free
and unrestricted trade.
LIST OF CASUALTIES.
+----------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|18th Roy. Irish | 2 | 6 | 8 | 73 |
|26th Camer'ians | 2 | 2 | 6 | 24 |
|49th R. Berks | 1 | 8 | 7 | 49 |
|55th Borders | 1 | 3 | 5 | 40 |
|98th N. Staffs | - | - | 13 | 1 |
|62nd Punjabis | - | 3 | 1 | 8 |
|66th Punjabis | - | 1 | 1 | 11 |
|74th Punjabis | - | 1 | 1 | 13 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
The little army was well rewarded for its arduous services,
and the following list of honours conferred for the China War
of 1840-1842 effectually dispels the legend that the lavish
distribution of rewards for military services is a product of
the later Victorian era. Sir Hugh Gough was created a Baronet,
the three Brigadiers received the Knighthood of the Bath, three
officers were made Aides-de-Camp to Queen Victoria, twenty-nine
received the Companionship of the Bath, eight were made Brevet
Lieutenant-Colonels, and thirteen received the Brevet of Major. The
young Queen was graciously pleased to allow the East India Company
to strike a medal commemorative of the campaign, and officers and
men of her regiments were authorized to wear this decoration. At
the same time Her Majesty expressed her opinion that in future
medals should only be granted by the Sovereign, and that it should
not be left to a company of "merchant venturers" trading to the
East Indies to issue decorations to her soldiers.
CANTON (1858).
This distinction was conferred on the 59th Foot (now the East
Lancashire Regiment) for its services when holding the city of
Canton during the second Chinese War of 1857-1860.
The terms of the treaty entered into after the war of 1842 had
never been faithfully observed by the Chinese. At last the seizure
of a vessel called the _Arrow_, flying the British flag, compelled
us to demand reparation. This was contemptuously refused, and in
the early spring of 1857 a force was despatched from England to
enforce respect to our flag. The outbreak of the Indian Mutiny
necessitated the diversion of the regiments from China to India,
so the punishment was delayed. General Straubenzee was then in
command of the troops in China, which consisted of the 59th (East
Lancashires), four battalions of sepoys, and a couple of battalions
of Royal Marine Light Infantry.
Sir Michael Seymour, the naval Commander-in-Chief, who was in
supreme command of the naval and military forces, was acting in
conjunction with a French brigade, and it was deemed advisable
to seize Canton with the available forces, rather than allow
the Chinese to strengthen its defences, and so increase the
difficulties of capture.
In the month of January, 1858, the Admiral, after consultation
with General Straubenzee, determined to attempt the capture of
Canton. The force at his disposal consisted of the 59th (East
Lancashires), two strong battalions of Royal Marines, and a brigade
of bluejackets numbering 1,800 men. This force was placed under
the command of Major-General Straubenzee. The Chinese showed
considerable determination, but the energy and gallantry of our
bluejackets carried all before them, and Canton was occupied,
with a total loss of 2 officers and 14 men killed, 4 officers and
112 men wounded, the 59th (East Lancashires) contributing to the
casualty list 2 officers and 2 men killed, 1 officer and 17 men
wounded.
CHINA (1857-1860).
This distinction was conferred on the regiments which took part
in the operations in China during the years 1857-1860, and is now
borne by the following corps of the Indian Army:
7th Rajputs.
10th Jats.
11th Rajputs.
15th Sikhs.
22nd Punjabis.
27th Punjabis.
105th Mahratta L.I.
The necessity for putting forth our whole strength in the
suppression of the rebellion in India led, as I have said on p.
321, to a temporary cessation of the military operations in China.
Lord Elgin, who had been deputed by the Home Government to carry
through the negotiations, was naturally anxious to do so without
the effusion of blood. He had a considerable naval force at his
disposal, and a number of native troops had been sent from India,
more with a view of removing them from the sphere of temptation
than with the intention of their carrying out serious military
operations.
In 1858 the Chinese Commissioners agreed to our demands that the
treaty of peace between the two nations should be concluded at
Pekin; but on realizing that Lord Elgin was determined to carry
out this clause, every obstacle was thrown in his way. Finally,
when Sir Frederick Bruce attempted to pass up the Peiho River, he
was fired on, and three of our gunboats sunk. The Indian Mutiny
was now at an end, and Sir Hope Grant, who as a cavalry leader
had gained great distinction in its suppression, was nominated to
the chief command of the China Expeditionary Force. Sir Hope had
a double claim to this distinction, for he had acted as Brigade
Major to Lord Saltoun in the war of 1840-42. It was very evident
from the tone of the correspondence of the Chinese Commissioners
that all memory of the defeats they had experienced in the war
of 1840-1842 had been effaced. Our Envoys were treated with
supercilious disdain, and we were gravely warned of the dangers we
were incurring in thus treating the Celestial Empire. In reply to
our ultimatum they wrote:
"The contents of the letter of the English Envoy fills us with the
greatest astonishment, and the demand for an indemnity is against
all decorum. The language in which the English letter is couched is
too insubordinate and extravagant even to be discussed. In future
the British Ambassador must not be so wanting in decorum, or he
will give cause for serious trouble."
In face of such language as this, it was evident that nothing short
of a sharp lesson inflicted at the capital itself would teach this
irrepressible people the power of our arms, and preparations were
at once made for the final advance of the troops, under Sir Hope
Grant.
CASUALTIES DURING THE OPERATIONS IN CHINA, 1858-1861.
+-----------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+-----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|7th Rajputs | - | - | - | - |
|10th Jats | - | - | - | - |
|15th Sikhs | - | - | - | - |
|22nd Punjabis | - | - | - | - |
|27th Punjabis | - | - | - | - |
|105th Mahr. L.I. | - | - | - | - |
+-----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
NOTE.--I have been unable to ascertain the losses of the Sepoy
battalions during the occupation of the Chinese Ports, 1857-62.
CHINESE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE OF 1860.
The army, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Hope Grant,
which was to act in conjunction with a French force, numbered some
16,000 all told, and was brigaded as under:
Cavalry Brigade--Brigadier-General Pattle (King's Dragoon
Guards): King's Dragoon Guards, 11th Probyn's Lancers, 19th
Fane's Horse.
First Infantry Division--Major-General Sir John Mitchell, K.C.B.
First Brigade--Brigadier-General Staveley, C.B.: The Royal Scots,
31st (East Surrey Regiment), and 15th Ludhiana Sikhs.
Second Brigade--Brigadier-General Sutton: 2nd (Queen's), 60th
(King's Royal Rifles), and 23rd Sikh Pioneers.
Second Division--Major-General Sir Robert Napier, K.C.B.
Third Brigade--Brigadier-General Jephson: The Buffs, 44th (Essex
Regiment), and 20th Brownlow's Punjabis.
Fourth Brigade--Brigadier-General Reeves: 67th (Hampshires), 99th
(Wiltshires), and 19th Punjabis.
To each infantry division a field battery was attached, and a troop
of horse artillery acted with General Pattle's cavalry brigade.
At the immediate disposal of the Commander-in-Chief were three
field and two mountain batteries, a battalion of Sikhs, a company
of Royal Engineers, under that fine soldier the late Sir Gerald
Graham, who had recently gained the Victoria Cross for a series of
acts of gallantry in the Crimea, and with him were two companies of
the Madras Sappers and Miners.
The 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) were left to garrison Hong-Kong,
whilst other points on the coast were occupied by native troops
from Bengal and Madras.
TAKU FORTS (AUGUST 12, 1860).
This battle honour was awarded to the regiments which assaulted the
Taku Forts at the commencement of the second phase of the Chinese
War of 1860:
King's Own Dragoon Guards.
Royal Scots.
Queen's.
Buffs.
East Surrey.
Essex.
King's Royal Rifles.
Hampshire.
11th Probyn's Horse.
19th Fane's Horse.
2nd Queen's Own Sappers and Miners.
20th Brownlow's Punjabis.
23rd Pioneers.
Early in June, 1860, the force, under Sir Hope Grant, disembarked
in Talien-Wan Bay, where the 99th (Wiltshire) and the 19th Punjabis
were left to hold the base, whilst preparations were made for the
advance on Pekin. The first objective was the capture of the Taku
Forts, at the entrance of the Peiho River--the forts which had
inflicted such a serious blow to our prestige in the previous year.
On August 20 these were carried by storm by Napier's division,
the colours of the 44th and the 67th being almost simultaneously
placed on the ramparts by Lieutenants Rogers and Chaplin of those
regiments. Both of these officers received the Victoria Cross for
their heroism, both having been badly wounded in their gallant dash
for the prize of honour.
CASUALTIES AT THE STORMING OF THE TAKU FORTS.
+------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Royal Artillery | - | 2 | - | 15 |
|2nd Queen's | - | - | - | - |
|3rd Buffs | - | - | - | 2 |
|31st E. Surrey | - | - | - | - |
|44th Essex | - | 2 | 10 | 50 |
|Royal Marine L.I. | - | 5 | 1 | 24 |
|67th Hampshire | - | 8 | 6 | 63 |
+------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
PEKIN (OCTOBER 12, 1860).
This battle honour is borne by the regiments which accompanied
General Sir Hope Grant to Pekin during the second Chinese War of
1860:
King's Dragoon Guards.
Royal Scots.
Queen's R.W. Surrey.
King's Royal Rifles.
Hampshire.
Wiltshire.
11th K.E.O. Lancers (Probyn's Horse).
19th Lancers (Fane's Horse).
2nd Q.O. Sappers and Miners.
20th Brownlow's Punjabis.
23rd Pioneers.
After the fall of the Taku Forts, the Chinese Envoys made every
effort to induce Sir Hope Grant to forgo his march on the capital,
but both the English and the French commanders felt this was a
point that could not be waived. In the course of the negotiations
some members of the Staff were seized by the Chinese, and, after
undergoing the most brutal torture, were foully murdered. Such
conduct merely emphasized the necessity for the occupation of the
capital, and on October 5 the allied armies entered Pekin, having
experienced but slight opposition during the advance, the survivors
of the little band who had been so treacherously captured having
been previously released.
OTHER CASUALTIES IN ACTION DURING THE MARCH TO PEKIN.
+-----------------------+-----------+-----------+
| |_Officers._| _Men._ |
| _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | K. | W. | K. | W. |
+-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|K. Drag. Gds. | - | 1 | 1 | 10 |
|2nd Queen's. | - | - | 1 | 2 |
|3rd Buffs | - | - | - | 3 |
|11th Probyn L. | - | 2 | 4 | 16 |
|19th Fane's H. | - | 2 | 3 | 24 |
|20th Brownlow's Punjs. | - | - | 2 | 6 |
|23rd Pioneers | - | 1 | 1 | 8 |
+-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
CHINA, 1900.
This distinction is borne by the regiments which took part in the
expedition to China in the year 1900, under the command of General
Sir Alfred Gaselee, in conjunction with the allied army, which
was entrusted to the supreme command of Field-Marshal the Count
Waldersee, a German officer of distinction.
15th Cavalry.
33rd Q.O. Light Cavalry.
2nd Q.O. Light Infantry.
1st K.E.O. Sappers and Min.
2nd Q.O. Sappers and Min.
3rd Sappers and Miners.
6th Jat. Light Infantry.
14th Sikhs.
20th Brownlow's Punjabis.
34th Pioneers.
57th Wilde's Rifles.
61st Pioneers.
63rd Light Infantry.
88th Carnatic Infantry.
91st Punjabis.
98th Infantry.
122nd Rajputana Infantry.
130th Baluchis.
4th Gurkhas.
Anti-dynastic and anti-Christian troubles had been rife in China
for some time previous to the Boxer Rising of 1900. Little is
really known of the Boxers, except that they formed a secret
society, having as their object the extermination of all Christians
and the overthrow of the existing dynasty. The murder of some
English missionaries in the neighbourhood of the capital and a
general sense of insecurity led the various foreign Ministers in
Pekin to call up a mixed force of Marines and bluejackets from the
allied fleets in Chinese waters for the defence of the Embassies.
This step was replied to by the Chinese by the murder of the German
Minister and a general attack on the Embassies, which for a period
of eight weeks were exposed to one of the closest sieges of modern
times. Thanks to the gallantry of the British Minister, Major Sir
Claude Macdonald--a soldier who had served his apprenticeship
in that excellent regiment the Highland Light Infantry, and who
was unanimously nominated to the supreme command of the little
garrison, numbering only 400 officers and men--the Legations,
though hard pressed, were enabled to hold out until assistance
arrived.
In June, 1900, on learning of the precarious situation of the
Legations, Admiral Seymour, commanding our fleet in Chinese waters,
and the senior of the foreign Admirals, essayed to march to their
relief with a mixed force of 2,000 seamen and Marines from the
various fleets. His little force included Americans, Austrians,
French, German, Italian, and Russians, as well as our own men, our
contingent numbering close on half the total. The Admiral found
his force too small to cope with the hordes of Boxers, and he was
compelled to make a stand at Tientsin. In the meantime the European
Powers, together with Japan, were hastily despatching troops for
the double relief of the Legations and of the Admiral. On June 16
the allied fleets bombarded and seized the Taku Forts, as well
as the Chinese flotilla, the torpedo-boats built by the Germans
for the Chinese fleet being gallantly cut out from under the guns
of the forts by a young English Lieutenant, Roger Keyes. By the
beginning of August the Indian brigades, under Sir Alfred Gaselee,
reached the mouth of the Peiho, and after a series of small
engagements pushed its way up to Pekin, and on August 14 the relief
of the beleaguered Legations was accomplished.
PEKIN, 1900.
This honour was awarded to the regiments which accompanied General
Sir Alfred Gaselee to the relief of the beleaguered Embassies in
Pekin, when besieged by Chinese during the Boxer Rising of 1900:
Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
1st Duke of York's Own Lancers.
7th Rajputs.
51st Sikhs.
24th Punjabis.
I have given on p. 344 the names of the regiments which are
entitled to bear the distinction "China, 1900," on their colours
and appointments. It is difficult to fathom the reasoning which has
denied this distinction to the regiments which accompanied General
Gaselee to Pekin. As well deny a regiment the honour "Sevastopol"
because it had been already granted one for the Alma. Sir Alfred
Gaselee's task was no easy one. The relieving force was composed of
many nationalities, and international jealousies were not unknown.
Some of the allied commanders were desirous of delaying the advance
until the arrival of the whole of their contingents. Gaselee and
General Chaffee, the chief of the American contingents, set their
faces against this. The lives of women and children were at stake,
and the English General let it be distinctly understood that he was
going to march on a certain day, whatever the others might decide.
The Americans and the Japanese were one with him. On August 14 the
relieving force started.
+---------------+--------+-------+
|_International_| _Men._ |_Guns._|
| _Force._ | | |
+---------------+--------+-------+
|Japanese | 10,000 | 24 |
|Russians | 4,000 | 16 |
|British | 3,000 | 12 |
|U.S.A. | 2,000 | 6 |
|French | 800 | 12 |
|Germans | 20 | - |
|Austrians | 100 | - |
+---------------+--------+-------+
+----------------------+-------+
| _British Force._ | _Men._|
+----------------------+-------+
|Royal Welsh Fusiliers | 300 |
|1st Bengal Lancers | 400 |
|7th Rajputs | 500 |
|24th Punjabis | 300 |
|51st Sikhs | 500 |
|Chinese Regiment | 100 |
|Hong-Kong Regiment | 100 |
|Naval Brigade | 300 |
+----------------------+-------+
Little resistance was met with, and on August 20 General Gaselee
had the satisfaction of learning that, thanks to his decision,
the lives of the beleaguered garrison of the Legations had been
saved. The force he took with him was dangerously small, but he
had been compelled to leave a strong detachment, under Generals
O'Moore Creagh and Lorne Campbell, to guard his long line of
communications, as well as to leave garrisons at Hong-Kong and
Shanghai, where there was a considerable amount of anti-Christian
feeling. Originally his brigades had been organized as under:
First Brigade--Brigadier-General Sir Norman Stewart: 7th Rajputs,
24th Punjabis, 51st Sikhs, and 126th Baluchis.
Second Brigade--Brigadier-General O'Moore Creagh, V.C.: 2nd
Queen's Own Light Infantry, 14th Sikhs, 1st Battalion 4th
Gurkhas, and 130th (Prince of Wales's Own) Baluchis.
Lines of Communications--Brigadier-General Lorne Campbell: 63rd
Palamcottah Light Infantry and 122nd Rajputana Infantry.
Divisional Troops: 1st Bengal Lancers, 61st Pioneers, and two
batteries of artillery.
Sir Norman Stewart, as the second senior officer, and as the one
who had the widest experience of war, was selected by General
Gaselee to command the brigade which was to have the honour of
relieving the garrisons.