In the East in the middle of the 19th century, a huge storm was brewing. The Qing Dynasty, the once glorious East Asian empire, faced unprecedented challenges from the Western powers. The Anglo-French coalition forces, with their advanced ** and powerful fleets, aggressively approached this ancient land. Their goal was Dagukou, the capital's main road to the sea, and if it was lost, it would mean that the gateway to the entire north would be opened, and the capital would be exposed to the guns of foreign enemies.
Just when the British and French forces were confidently preparing to launch a full-scale attack on Dagukou, they did not expect that what awaited them would be a well-prepared defensive battle - a battle that would completely rewrite the history of the Sino-Spanish War was about to begin.
This battle was not only an ordinary military victory, it marked a heroic counterattack by the Qing Dynasty against the foreign powers, and the military talent and leadership of Seng Lingqin were fully demonstrated. But what's the story behind this victory? How did Sanglingqin plan and implement all this under so many adverse conditions? How did this battle profoundly affect the subsequent Sino-foreign relations?
Dagukou's strategic reorganization.
In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, the defeat at the Battle of Dagukou shook the entire imperial court, and Emperor Xianfeng felt an unprecedented threat, knowing that if the enemy was allowed to invade Beijing and Tianjin easily, the foundation of the country would not be protected. At such a critical juncture, Seng Lingqin was entrusted with an important task, and as the minister of the Imperial Mission, his main duty was to comprehensively rectify the military defense of Dagukou, which was a glorious and arduous task.
After taking over, Seng Lingqin did not slack off in the slightest and immediately began a series of military reforms and defensive reinforcement work. He knew very well that Dagukou, as the gateway to Beijing and Tianjin, would directly threaten the security of the capital once it was lost. Therefore, he first set about strengthening the deployment of firepower at Dagukou, and decided to build new batteries on the east and west banks of Shuanggang, and the location of these batteries was selected on higher ground to maximize the range and power of the artillery.
The double increase in firepower and strength.
Under the command of Seng Lingqin, the military defense works at Dagukou were carried out quickly and effectively. He has a clear plan and strict requirements for the build-up of firepower and troops. Thirteen newly built batteries, each carefully selected for their strategic location, were designed to maximize control and deterrence of possible maritime invasions. These batteries were built on the high ground on the east and west shores of the two ports, allowing them to support each other and form a staggered network of firepower, which greatly improved the effectiveness of the defense.
The configuration of the heavy artillery shows the importance that Seng Lingqin attaches to the superiority of firepower. Among these thirteen batteries, cannons weighing 12,000 jin and 10,000 jin were specially equipped, and these heavy guns had a long range and great power, enough to inflict a fatal blow on enemy ships. In order to ensure that these heavy artillery pieces can give full play to their combat effectiveness, Seng Lingqin also specially transferred experienced artillery from the capital and surrounding areas to conduct targeted operation training to ensure that these heavy artillery pieces can be accurately operated in wartime and effectively strike at the enemy.
At the same time, the original forts have also been rebuilt and reinforced, which have suffered varying degrees of damage in previous battles, and through this repair and reinforcement, not only their original defensive functions have been restored, but their structures have also been optimized, and more heavy guns have been added, making each battery a powerful point of fire. This reinforcement was not just physical, but also included retraining the defenders to ensure that they were proficient in the use of the newly configured heavy artillery, as well as for effective defense and counterattack on the batteries.
The strengthening of the army is also an area of focus for Seng Lingqin. He increased the number of defenders of the fort from 1,600 to 3,000, a decision that greatly strengthened the defenders at Dagukou. Not only did these defenders increase in number, but they were rigorously selected and trained, and each soldier was given clear duties and tasks to ensure that orders could be carried out effectively in battle, forming close synergy with the artillery on the batteries.
In addition, Seng Lingqin also specially dispatched 5,000 Eight Banners Horse Team outside the Guanwai as a mobile force. The addition of this cavalry contingent not only enhanced the flexibility and mobility of the Dagu Pass defensive line, but also greatly improved the ability to react quickly and meet possible landing operations. These cavalrymen were well trained and were able to quickly deploy to key positions to effectively block and counterattack the enemy, with the fire support provided by the defenders of the battery.
The strategy and victory of the Second Battle of Dagukou.
In the tense atmosphere of the Second Battle of Dagukou, Monk Greenqin's military command ability was fully demonstrated. As the threat of the Anglo-French forces to Dagukou loomed, the monk adopted a cautious and decisive strategy to try to avoid direct conflict through diplomatic means, and he sent an envoy to the Anglo-French army to land at Beitang, hoping to reduce the direct conflict. However, the commander of the Anglo-French forces rejected this proposal and insisted on entering the river directly through the mouth of Dagu, a move that was undoubtedly a clear provocation to the Qing army.
In the face of this provocation, Monk Grinchen did not hesitate, knowing that the efforts for peace had failed, and that the only way to defend the country was to defend it by military means. At the critical moment when the war was about to break out, the monk king decisively ordered the artillery to be fired, and ordered the batteries at the mouth of Dagu to shoot at the fleet of the British and French forces. This order was quickly carried out, and the batteries at the mouth of Dagu began to launch a heavy artillery bombardment of the approaching enemy ships.
In his command, Monk Grinqin showed not only decisiveness, but also tactical cleverness. In particular, he instructed the artillery to adjust their gun positions and concentrate their fire on the enemy's flagship. This tactic is very sensible, because the flagship is not only the command center of the enemy team, but also a symbol of morale. The monk planned to disrupt the enemy's chain of command by sinking the flagship, while inflicting a major blow on the morale of the enemy army.
As the battle progressed, the artillery fire at Dagukou accurately and fiercely hit the flagship of the Anglo-French forces. Under several rounds of intensive shelling, the enemy's flagship received serious damage and eventually sank. The sinking of the flagship caused a huge shock to the Anglo-French forces, and the enemy commander Heb was seriously wounded in the engagement, which further exacerbated the confusion and panic of the enemy forces.
This series of measures by Seng Lingqin shows that he is well versed in the art of war, especially the tactical idea of "capturing the thief and capturing the king first". By concentrating his firepower to crush the enemy's core, he succeeded in disrupting the enemy's command structure, leaving the Anglo-French forces in a difficult position when they thought they could easily break through the Dagukou defensive line.
Despite the wounding of the commander of the enemy forces, the Anglo-French forces also tried to reverse the defeat by sending marines to force a landing. However, the defenders of Dagukou showed stubborn resistance under the command of Seng Lingqin. The defenders used the reinforced batteries and the pre-prepared defenses to effectively block the enemy, making every attack of the enemy pay a heavy price.
Front-line command and morale boost.
At the critical moment of the Second Battle of Dagukou, Seng Lingqin showed extraordinary leadership and courage. When the battle entered the most intense stage, the monk king did not choose to command in the rear, but decided to go to the front line and personally direct the battle. Dressed in battle armor, he led 2,000 elite Mongol cavalry, a team of elite cavalry selected from the Eight Banners outside the Guanwai, who not only had extraordinary riding skills, but also had developed an unrivaled fighting ability in years of border battles.
The arrival of Monk Lingqin was like a shot in the arm into the hearts of the defenders. The sight of their leaders charging with them greatly stimulated their enthusiasm and courage to fight. Under the leadership of the monk king, the soldiers of the Qing army stood tall to meet the enemy and swore to defend every inch of land in Dagukou. This unprecedented determination and courage allowed the Qing army to show amazing combat effectiveness in battle.
Under the command of Monk Grinqin, the Mongol cavalry showed their might. They used their mobility to shuttle back and forth between the battery and the enemy troops, and carried out surprise attacks on the enemy troops trying to approach the battery, effectively blocking the enemy's advance route. This mobile strike tactic greatly interfered with the offensive plans of the Anglo-French forces, making it difficult for them to effectively organize an attack on the battery.
At the same time, the artillery of the Qing army also exerted its ultimate combat effectiveness under the command of Seng Lingqin. With the help of previously strengthened and repaired batteries, as well as the reconfigured heavy artillery of the Monk Greenqin, they delivered accurate strikes against the fleet and landing force of the Anglo-French forces. Every round of artillery shells was fired, causing the enemy to suffer huge losses, and the sound of artillery constantly echoed on the battlefield, which became the main theme of this battle.
In such a high-pressure environment, the morale of the Anglo-French forces began to waver. They did not expect such stubborn resistance from the Qing army, especially when they saw the leader of the Qing army, Seng Greenqin, personally lead the cavalry charge, and the hearts of many British and French soldiers were filled with fear. They began to realize that the decision to attack Dagukou might have been a bad choice.
In the end, under the heroic command of Seng Lingqin and the stubborn resistance of the Qing officers and soldiers, the British and French forces were forced to retreat. In this battle, the Qing army held the mouth of Dagu and defended the safety of the capital.
The impact and significance of the battle.
The victory in this battle was not only a successful test of the Qing Dynasty's defense system, but also a huge boost to the morale and national defense strength of the Qing army. Before the war, many people were skeptical about the combat effectiveness of the Qing army, believing that it would be difficult for the Qing army to resist in the face of the advanced ** and well-trained armies of the Western powers. However, through the skillful layout and command of Seng Lingqin, the Qing army not only successfully resisted the attack of the British and French forces, but also achieved an overwhelming victory on both land and water, which was undoubtedly a major affirmation of the Qing army's own strength, and also greatly improved the morale and self-confidence of the Qing army and the entire country.
The outcome of the campaign was truly astounding. From the first firing at 3 p.m., after nearly a night of fierce fighting, to the end of the battle at midnight the next day, the British and French forces paid a heavy price. Specifically, the Anglo-French forces totaled 94 killed, 369 wounded, 4 ships sunk, 5 seriously wounded, and 2 ships captured. Such huge losses were unacceptable to the Anglo-French forces, especially when they finally failed to capture Dagukou, but were completely routed by the Qing army on both land and water, and were forced to retreat all the way to Hangzhou Bay, and their military and political blows were doubled.
In comparison, the Qing army had only 32 men in this battle**, and such losses were insignificant in the military conflict at that time. This exchange ratio of more than 1:10 not only shows the strength and courage of the Qing army against foreign invaders at home, but also shows the superb skills of Seng Lingqin in tactical arrangement and command and dispatch. Through a well-designed defensive system and a nimble response to the battlefield, the monk succeeded in translating the technical and numerical superiority of the Anglo-French forces into their disadvantage, resulting in a significant victory.
Manuscript of Qing History