Atlas of Battles

battle, nineteenth century

Battle of the Pearl River Forts

Battle of the Pearl River Forts was a battle fought on 16 November 1856 at Pearl River, in what is now China; it lasted 8 days. It was part of Second Opium War, which ran from 1856 to 1860. The recorded result: American victory.

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The attack on the Barrier Forts near Canton, China, by the American squadron on November 21, 1856 - consisting of the U.S. sloops of war Portsmouth and Levant with the officers and crew of the steam f
The attack on the Barrier Forts near Canton, China, by the American squadron on November 21, 1856 - consisting of the U.S. sloops of war Portsmouth and Levant with the officers and crew of the steam f. A. Poinsett; John Henry Bufford (1810–1870), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought16 November 1856lasted 8 days
WherePearl River, China23.109N, 113.380E
OutcomeAmerican victory
BelligerentsUnited StatesagainstQing China
Part ofSecond Opium War1856 to 1860

Where it sits in Second Opium War

Battle of Canton, 1856Capture of the French Folly Fort, 1856Battle of the Bogue, 1856Battle of the Pearl River Forts, 1856Battle of Macao Fort, 1857Battle of Escape Creek, 1857Battle of Fatshan Creek, 1857Battle of Canton, 1857Battle of Taku Forts, 1858Battle of Taku Forts, 1859Battle of Taku Forts, 1860Battle of Zhangjiawan, 1860Battle of Palikao, 186018561860Battle of the Pearl River Forts, 1856
13 placed engagements of Second Opium War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date16 November 1856
to 24 November 1856
PlacePearl River, China
23.109N, 113.380E
KindBattle, nineteenth century
Strength50 marines; 237 sailors (on land); 1 steam frigate (unengaged); 2 sloops5,000 (garrison force); 3,000 (non-garrison force)
Casualties and losses10 killed; 22 wounded; 2 sloops damaged250–500 killed or wounded; 176 guns lost; 4 forts captured
Commanders
Battle of the Pearl River FortsBattle of the Pearl River FortsBattle of WhampoaCapture of the French Folly FortBattle of First BarBattle of GuangzhouSecond Battle of GuangzhouBattle of First BarBattle of GuangzhouShenzhenZhuhaiMacauQingyuanJiangmenHeyuanHong Kong100 km23.109N, 113.380E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1856

Battle of the Pearl River Forts is one of 3,507 engagements of the 19th century in the atlas and one of 339 in present-day People's Republic of China.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q4872985, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of the Barrier Forts, revision 1373598880, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.