Capture of the French Folly Fort

Capture of French Folly Fort
Part of the Second Opium War
Start of the action, showing the steamers Barracouta and Coromandel
Date 6 November 1856 Location Pearl River, Guangdong, China Coordinates: 23°6′48″N 113°16′53″E / 23.11333°N 113.28139°E / 23.11333; 113.28139 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Qing China
Commanders and leaders
Michael Seymour	Ye Mingchen
Strength
2 steamers 14 small boats1	23 junks[1]
Casualties and losses
1 killed 4 wounded[2]	Unknown
1 Comprising 2 launchers, 2 barges, 3 pinnaces, 6 cutters, and 1 gig[2]

The Capture of the French Folly Fort by British forces in China occurred on 6 November 1856 during the Second Opium War. The British dispersed 23 Chinese war junks and captured the French Folly Fort in the Pearl River near the city of Canton (Guangzhou) in the Guangdong province. The battle lasted nearly an hour. The British consul Harry Parkes described the Chinese as putting up "a very hot resistance" and the engagement as "exceeding creditable to the bravery not only of our men, but of the Chinese also."^[1]

Gallery

• 

  Map of the battle

• 

  End of the action, showing the explosion of the junks

• 

  Barracouta and a pinnace from the Calcutta engaging junks

• 

  A battle at French Folly Fort by a Chinese painter

Notes

References

• Bulletins and Other State Intelligence for the Year 1857. Part 1. London: Harrison and Sons. 1859.
• Papers Relating to the Proceedings of Her Majesty's Naval Forces at Canton. London: Harrison and Sons. 1857.