Betrayal by Tonkin Usurpers - Imperial Army: Crush Insurrectionists, Restore Order
September 1854 – November 1854
In September Qing forces were occupied in suppressing revolts in an arc from Guiyang down to Nanning and also at Nanchang and the important industrial center of Wuchang on the Yangtze. These movements appeared on the map to be a complex and artful dance, but in fact had the military purpose of covering as much territory as possible and moving to cut off anticipated escape routes of the Taiping Devils.
In mid-September the leading commanders in the Southwest were fixed in place, and others were inactive, limiting the Qing response so with the small garrisons needing to take a greater role there were stalemates in addition to victories, and in Beihai the garrison fled the region, but the rebel mixed band was too weak to claim the town, which urgently clamored for reinforcement. As this was the main assembly area for the Tonkin expedition, it provided some embarrassment for SouthWest Army Group.
In mid-September an insulting diplomatic response was received from Tonkin, stating that no agreement could be reached until China stopped threatening their nation. Although the response was expected, the sharp and derogatory tone and resulting magnitude of the affront and Tonkin’s dishonor was nonetheless a shock and the language embarrassing to even discuss, so was not publicized and was often spoken of directly only in hushed tones and indirectly.
The Imperial government prepared to declare Tonkin to be a tributary in a state of insurrection against the Imperial authority, and submitted to the Emperor a memorial along with the terms of a formal Proclamation to be timed for mid-October, which time was deemed to be auspicious and strategically favorable. Some strategic moves were initiated. Zuo Zongtang in Gansu Province commanding Kunlun Army was ordered to take his musket-armed Regular division (i.e., Warband) and travel south to Kunming where he would assume command of the new modern Banner forming there, under overall authority of command of Her Chyun, who himself would be receiving reinforcements of two modern Regular Banners from the Yangtze District (in exchange for a Traditional Banner under his command) as well as supplemental artillery and supply wagons from Manchuria by sea.
In early October the Taiping were mostly cleared away, and more troops started to arrive in position against Tonkin. In late October the remnants in the Yangtze area that had besieged Changsha were wiped out or captured by the Mongolian cavalry banner and the Taiping riders in west Hunan were pursued west into the mountains. The band that in Beihai briefly seized the town and then slipped east to Zhanjiang, heading for Canton, but was caught by pursuers and local troops. Jiang Zhou Tengso remained fixed in Sonia through the month of October.
Except for specific military garrisons, other than in Yunnan and the range of Taiping rebellion few regions had any garrison, so great was the expectation of tranquil and harmonious order (above the level of the usual incidents of criminality and mischief that are the work of at best a handful of miscreants at one time). The Devil bandits of the Taiping traveled in dedicated bands of hundreds or more and with their stealth and evasion took opportunities to enter and raid rich and peaceful regions. Establishing a garrison in each region would be a formidable expense and commitment of manpower and was thought unnecessary. Instead, the Secretariat of War commenced in October a program of Provincial Protection by commissioning formation of 6 musket Levy brigades, one musket Levy division, and two Cavalry brigades. These would be used to garrison the most strategic cities and respond to incursions, focusing on the provinces bordering those with Taiping loyalists.
It had been found that being able to deliver initial volleys of musketry was critical to the performance of brigade-sized units, especially levies, against the fierce Taiping, since traditional spear/sword/bow troops faced being overrun at the first onset, the musket armed brigades were intended to take the field, while the traditional garrison brigades would remain behind town walls unless supporting other units. Traditional divisions and full banners faced the same tactical situation but did not lose due it because they substantially outnumbered rebel bands.
International news in early October reported Japanese road building (in late November it would be mass transportation, and later sewers, which must mean many wagons for those roads, and the waste of many horses to be cleared away), while Austria and Prussia continued to strengthen their relationship and Russia continued to emit flurries of state bonds in repeated offerings over the course of the year. This suggested fiscal challenges, and the use of the funds was evident in road building and outpost construction in the regions north of China’s frontiers.
In late October the British triggered an economic crisis, but China took no notice. China’s economic development comprised a second Korean fishery and another tea field, to be followed in December by a third Korean fishery – these only produced a single measure of fish apiece, but did provide useful variety in diet and materials for preserved foods that were eagerly consumed by the population as an alternative to the rice which was limited in quantity.
In Late October the Proclamation of Insurrection and War was issued. National Morale had steadied at 73, only to fall to 72 in early November despite further victories against the several Taiping bands in the south and the west. The invasion orders were issued at the beginning of November, and may be seen in the attached map: Tonkin Invasion Plans Early November 1854.
The strategy was simply for SouthEast Army Group to seize military control and overwhelm the defenders with great and converging force, the focus being on seizure of Hanoi. This would be attempted by an amphibious landing near Hanoi, well behind the main identified enemy corps entrenched at Lang Son. SouthWest Army Group had detached some units in support and Zhou Tengso would conduct a parallel attack against the Taiping rebels in Louang Phrabang and then turn east against Tonkin and end as an occupation force in Thanh Hoa once its defenders left to rescue Hanoi or were defeated in place.
SEArmyGroup’s invasion plan consisted of 5 Forces that were expected to arrive at their objectives in Tonkin in the following order:
Late November:
1. Amphibious landing on the coast near Hanoi by a the newly raised Shanghai modern Banner. It was not ordered to assault the capital if defended; it would serve just to place it under siege and tempt forces from other regions to abandon their positions and march to its rescue.
2. A Mixed brigade and some bandits would march from Nanning into Caobang and attempt to seize Military Control.
Early December:
3. After sweeping through Sonia and engaging any Taiping that might enter in flight from Zhou Tseng’s attack on Louang Phrabang, Zuo Zongfang’s regular division reinforced with an artillery regiment would arrive at Hanoi to assist the landing force already there. The new regular banner being raised in Kunming would follow when fully organized.
4. Yuan Shuai Her Chyun would link the Force of cavalry and 3 attached artillery regiments as well as two supply trains he had assembled with the column consisting of the Fanatical Banner and its additional artillery regiment and advance as a single force into Langson to engage the defenders. This force would total 13,000 fierce foot, 5500 horse, and 72 guns.
5. At the same time, the traditional Kwangsi Banner, having rested after its long march to the region of war and defeating the Taiping on arrival, would also advance into Langson. This would bring the total forces entering Langson in early December to over 30,000 men and 96 guns.
Langson would be quickly crushed and then Hanoi would fall while Caobang and Thanh Hoa were also secured and rebels hunted down. Military occupation would eventually dispose Tonkin to accept vassal status, if the legal means existed to accomplish that, or face direct re-annexation by China as the final option.
My apologies for typos, I find Fastone tricky - one false step in editing can ruin the image
As matters actually unfolded, the landing near Hanoi was successful but 10,000 old-style Tonkin infantry appeared in the open field to contest the region on the 13th. The luck of the battle was strongly against the Qing Force, so it lost 2716 men to the Tonkin 2306, but nonetheless exerted all efforts and drove back the Tonkin defenders away from the city and claimed the capital for the Emperor. Its force was spent, however, its cohesion lost and troops fatigued – they anxiously awaited reinforcement, for the countryside was controlled by swarms of Tonkin troops already recovering from their defeat. The Imperial Banner retired into the city and the men were told they must hold at all costs and sacrifice their lives or be dishonor their ancestors and themselves before the Emperor and the nation.
Zhou Tengso’s effort to penetrate the rough jungle terrain held by the Taiping in Sonia had not been successful. He was unable to engage and his troops fell back to Sonia, exhausted, and was then fixed in place in Sonia – unable to assist Hanoi. Zhou Zongtang’s army was en route but 11 days away, 4 days behind schedule.
Her Chyun’s maneuver to the north had not eventuated as planned, the eager Fanatics forging ahead and due to arrive in Langson on November 25, the Kwangsi Banner due on November 27, and Her Chyun’s column, slowed with transport, was unable to link up with the Fanatics. Even in Fair weather the climate was Harsh, and the struggling column would be due in Langson only on December 12. Rather than arrive piecemeal, Her directed the forces to halt, regroup and recover while still in Beihai, postponing the attack on Langson.
The nearest troops able to relieve Hanoi were the bandits and mixed brigade in Caobang, whose enterprising commander headed immediately toward Hanoi when called – a journey of 5 days. Of course, the first to learn of the results of the Battle of Hanoi were the naval forces offshore. Dispatch boats were sent to summon detachments in Hainan to be landed in Hanoi as soon as possible. The new Banner raised in Kunming was no ready to march by the southern route through Sonia on Hanoi, but it would take a month to arrive.
Tension was high in Hanoi, for the enemy outside were fresh if not as numerous as the defenders, but the Tonkin army delayed and then melted away as Qing reinforcements started to arrive to establish full control, including construction of a depot and an attempt to commence the pacification expeditions necessary to raise Imperial penetration and reduce Tonkin to proper vassal status. After arrival, Zuo Zongtang then took the fresher troops and though inactive started on a march south to Thanh Hoa due to arrive in December. Langson enjoyed its respite – the garrison simply waited. Zhou Tengso, fixed in Sonia, commenced pacification. Guanwen, resting at his base and hearing the first reports, considered moving to the coast and taking naval transport for a landing in Tonkin, but abandoned that bold and politically disharmonious idea when news came that Hanoi had been secured. With the relief of Hanoi, it seemed clear at the end of November that the elimination of the Tonkin forces in Langson and Thanh Hoa was only a matter of time.
In December the Taiping in Louang Phrabang were overrun by Kunming’s Regular Banner as it marched through on its way to Hanoi. Zhou Tengso in Sonia and Zuo Zongtang were both fixed in place, giving some opportunity to recuperate but leaving Thanh Hoa undisturbed. In Hue, down the coast, Annamite hordes were reputed to be “liberating” the area–what it meant was not clear. Farther north, Her Chyun organized and rested his 44,000 men and 112 cannon in early December and launched a further invasion on December 16 as one cohesive force due to arrive in January. Meanwhile, Tonkin troops believed to be those from Hanoi arrived in Caobang and expelled the Qing detachment there.
In Hanoi, the French ambassador informed Zhou Zongtang that France was assuming control of Tonkin’s customs, an action for which he and the Qing civil representatives were unprepared. As the disloyal government of Tonkin had departed and no longer held authority, the legal status of the diplomatic note to Tonkin and its relevance to the empire were unclear. They therefore forwarded the formal notice to the Forbidden City for guidance.