FRENCH ACTIVITIES IN INDO-CHINA & THE SINO-FRENCH WAR OF 1885
The French military involvement in the Indo-China region began to become a serious issue in 1858. In that year the French with support from some Spanish naval units from the Philippines captured Tourane. Early in 1859 by the French also successfully stormed Saigon, which became the French base of operations. The French and Spanish were few in number and were soon besieged and even blockaded by 20,000 Annamese under General Nguyen Tn Phuong,. The siege lasted until February 1861 when reinforcements under Admiral Charner reached Saigon. Several pitched battles were fought with the Annamese being defeated. A revolt against the Annamese king Tu-duc in Tong-king in 1862 convinced him to cede three provinces of Cochin-China to France. The French conducted several punitive raids on other key Annamese towns to keep the Annamese off balanced.
In. 1863 France established her protectorate over Cambodia. In 1867 the three provinces of Cochin-China left to Annam were annexed. French intervention in Tong-king, which began with the expedition of Gamier to Hanoi in 1873, resulted in a tedious war with treaties of 1883 and 1884 placing both Annam and Tong-king under the protectorate of France.
The Tong-king administration wanted the adventurer (Filibuster) Dupuis to leave the country. They asked the French in Saigon to send troops to help expel Dupuis. They sent Gamier with a detachment was sent to Hanoi but failed to expel Dupuis due to unexpected circumstances. Gamier, feeling that the Tong-king government was dealing unfairly with his troops (supplies and other support) attacked and captured the citadel (actually aided by Dupuis) in November 1873. Having secured his position, Gamier sent to Saigon for reinforcements. Trying to maintain the initiative and not let the Tong-king troops consolidate, he sent small raiding parties against the five other important fortresses in the delta including Hung-yen, Phu-Ly, Hai-Duong, Nirih-Binh and NamDinh. The Tong-king requested support from the "hei qi jun" ("seven star black flag") army under Lu-Vinh-Phuoc. He marched with a large force to the scene of action. Within a few days the Black Flags had recaptured several villages near Hanoi. Gamier returned quickly after capturing Nam-Dinh, and launched a sortie from the citadel. The attack was repulsed and forced the French to withdraw from the Red River Delta and consolidate in Hanoi. The French lost about 200 soldiers, including commander by the name of Francis Garnier and his second in command. In 1875, "black flag army" continued to engage the French around Hanoi.
The French administration in Saigon, having no desire to be plunged into a war, sent Philastre, to take command of the French forces in Tong-king. The situation remained in status quo until 1882. Again French High Command in Saigon sent a small force under Rivire to open up the route to Yun-nan by the Song-Koi. Hanoi authorities again proved unsupportive with resulted in Rivire stormed and carried the citadel of Hanoi, and tried to expand control over the area around Hanoi by capturing Nam-Dinh, Hai-Duong, and other towns in the delta. Once again these victories resulted in a counter-attack by Black Flags units around Hanoi. In May 1883, Rivire hurried back from Nam-Dinh on news of the dangerous attacks. Rivire lead a sortie against the Black Flags, and was killed.
As in 1875, the French pulled out of several exposed towns but kept garrisons in Nam-Dinh and Hai-Phong. Hanoi itself was besieged by the Black Flags. The French reinforced the Hanoi positions but were unable to break the siege. In early 1883 the French under Bouet launched an attack to break the siege. The objective was to capture Son-Tay. The village of Vong was fortified and held by The Black Flags and Tong-king troops. On May 19th 1883, at the western outskirts of Hanoi, theFrench were repulsed after suffering considerable loss, inflicting a casualty of 30 French officers and 200 soldiers.
In the lower delta the French were more successful and captured Hai-Duong and Phu-Binh. Meanwhile, in order to put more effective pressure upon the court of Hue, Courbet, proceeded with a naval force to the Hue river. They found that, though King Tu Duc was dead, his policy of resistance was maintained, and therefore stormed Hue in July-August 1883. After a feeble defense it was taken, and the French concluded a treaty with the new king in which recognized the French protectorate with the king withdrawing Annamese troops serving against the French in Tong-king.
In late summer 1883, Bouet again attacked the series of fortified towns toward Son-Tay but once again was repulsed by a fierce defense. But this time the French did capture and level the fortified post of Palan. The Chinese ambassador warned that, since Chinese troops formed part of the garrison, he should consider an attack on Son-Tay as a declaration of war. The French sent more reinforcements and attacked a third time from Hanoi toward Son-Tay. On December 16, 1883, after some desperate fighting, Son-Tay fell to the French.
During early 1884 the French secured their control over the lower delta. Throughout the campaign Chinese regulars fought against the French so in an undeclared war with China. Treaties in May and June 1884 were aimed at keeping peace between France and China. However neither agreement resulted in halting warfare in the Tong-king region.
In Vietnam, French launched a two prong attack at Manchu Qing Army and "black flag army" in May of 1884. About 6000 French attacked Manchu Qing Army and "black flag army". The "Black flag army" resisted the French for five days and exited Shan-xi area of Vietnam. The "black flag army", with soldiers from Yao-zu, Zhuang-zu and Han-ethnic people, would fight against the French in Huaide & Danfeng area of northern Vietnam.
On the sea, France launched a sudden attack at Keelung of Taiwan, and occupied the battery at one time. On August 5, 1884, Admiral Courbet's fleet bombarded Keelung and occupied the port. In Vietnam, the western prong of the French Army was hindered by the "black flag army", while the eastern prong pushed the Manchu Qing Army towards the Chinese border. In late 1884, at the western prong, the "black flag army", in cooperation with Manchu Qing Army, surrounded about 1000 French in Xuanhua city. Additionally, the "black flag army" ambushed a French relief army of about 500 men from Hanoi via buried powder in the path of French army.
In June a large French force under Colonel Dugenne was sent to occupy Lang-Son. They advanced, however, to Bac-Le, near Lang-Son, when they suddenly came upon a Chinese garrison in camp and ordered them to leave. The Chinese refused to leave and the French commander attacked. An engagement escalated into a pitched battle, the Chinese broke the French lines, and repulsed them with severe losses. The rainy season began which limited Chinese chances to follow up their victory. Despite the heavy rain, the French under Colonel Donnier attacked the Chinese garrison at Chu, near Lang-kep, was completely successful. In a follow up battle fought near Chu, he again defeated the Chinese inflicting 3000 killed, while suffering only 110 casualties. In other skirmishes which followed the French were generally victorious, but they were unable to exploit their victories.
In mid-July of 1884, 12 French warships and 9 auxiliary ships sailed into Mawei-gang Port in Fuzhou of Fujian Province. Though being equipped with seven batteries, Manchu government allowed the French to moor side by side for 40 days without taking any action. In the morning of Aug 23rd, French consul at Fuzhou suddenly notified Manchu China of a war declaration. Meantime, French warships, within one hour, sank 11 Manchu warships and 19 merchant ships, in addition to the shipyard. Manchu China hence officially declared war on France.
After this exploit the French fleet left the mainland and continued its reprisals on the coast of Formosa. by capturing the port of Kelung on October 4th. A similar attempt on the neighboring port of Tamsui was un-successful, the landing party was repulsed with severe loss. The attempt was not renewed, and the fleet thereafter confined itself to a semi-blockade of the island, which was prolonged into 1885.
By Dec of 1884, an eastern French prong occupied Mt Liangshan and advanced toward Zhennanguan Pass, at the Sino-Vietnamese border. The Chinese sent a blocking force which occupied the Zhennanguan Pass and other key border crossing points in the area. Over 50,000 Minority peoples joined the Chinese armies. On the early morning of March 23rd 1885, French attacked the Zhennanguan Pass. On March 25th, after two days and two nights fighting, the Chinese under Feng Zicai secured the Pass. The French lost at least 1500 men. The Chinese continued their advance and re-captured Mt Liangshan.
In January 1885 numerous French reinforcements arrived and the Commander ordered an advance towards Lang-Son. This campaign lasted until March 23 1885. It involved early French advances but the overwhelming Black Flags and Chinese regular forces continued to press their counter-attacks until the French defensive positions collapsed. On March 22-23, the French finally lost a major fight near Lang-Son. The French attempted a fighting withdrawal but this failed and the retreat turned into a rout. The Chinese momentum carried them through Lang-Son and onto two other fortified towns.
While General Feng Zicai chased the French to the east, Black Flag army defeated the French at Lin-tao to the west and advanced toward Hanoi. By March of 1885, the French navy had control of the Penghu archipelago and northwestern Taiwan's Danshui River. Taking advantage of two victories on east and west sides in Vietnam, the Chinese ordered a cease fire on April 7th. In June of 1885, China signed a peace treaty with the French and ordered that all troops to return to inside of China. Manchu China subsequently made Taiwan into a province. With French Army defeated, the people in Paris mounted an anti-war protest and the current French Cabinet collapsed.
THREE SCENARIOS FOR THE SINO-FRENCH WAR OR 1880s
FOOCHOW NAVAL BATTLE: August 1884
1884The Chinese navy of recently built ships was utterly destroyed while at anchor by the forces of France in a brief battle lasting a little over thirty minutes.. This is a good what if scenario based on a better prepared Chinese fleet. Ships involved:
France: Volta (flag) (1323t) , La Galissonniere (4585t) , Triomphante (4585t) , Duguay-Trouin (3479t) , Villars (2363t) d'Estaing (2363t) , Aspic (465t) , Lynx (465t), Vipere (465t) , Bayard (5,915t) , 2 x (torpedo launch.
China:Yang Wu (flag) (1393t) , Fei Yun (c.1393t) , Chi An (1200t) , i Hsin (small wooden gunboat/launch) – Sunk , Chien Sheng – Sunk , Fu Hsing (wooden gunboat, 3 guns) – Sunk , Chen Wei (wooden paddle gunboat, c.650t, 6 guns) , Fu Sheng (gunboat, 265t) – Sunk , Yung Pao – Sunk in dock , Fu Po (1258t) and 12 large junks were nearby.
ZHENNANGUAN PASS March 23 1885
FRENCH: Three Divisions divided into three assault groups. Each Division consisted on around 2000 men with supporting artillery (estimate of 10 batteries with each group)
CHINESE: Near militia battalions of 500 men each supported by Regular Bannermen. Five batteries are placed on the two ridges overlooking the Pass.
TERRAIN: At about 5 kilometer inside of Zhennanguan Pass, Feng Zicai constructed a 1.5 kilometer defensive entrenchment system (or wall) at Guanqianai.
Historical progress of the battle: On the early morning of March 23rd 1885, French launched two prong attacks at the eastern ridge and one prong attack at the Guanqianai Wall. French over-ran three batteries on the ridge and blasted at the Guanqianai Wall. General Feng Zicai mounted a counter-attack with a reserve force at Zhennanguan Pass. By late afternoon, the Chinese had recovered two batteries on the eastern ridge. The next day, French mounted another three prong assault. Hand to hand combat occurred along the Guanqianai Wall. On March 25th, after two days and two nights fighting the exhausted French faced a fierce Chinese counter-attack. The French shifted into a fighting withdrawal maneuver and departed from the area. They left about 1500 behind. Chinese took over the Zhennanguan Pass, chased the French, and thereafter took over Mt Liangshan. Manchu army killed a dozen French officers and over 2000 soldiers
An ancient citadel, the city was occupied by France during the Sino-French War in January 1885. However, the brigade there conducted a hasty retreat after a failed attack into China; the "retreat from Lang Son" became the most controversial aspect of the war
LANG-SON CAMPAIGN Feb-Mar 1885
On the 6th of February three forts at Dong-Song, with large supplies of stores and ammunition, were captured by the French. From February 7-10, the French conducted bitter fighting to clear a defile on the road. On the February13. Lang-Son was taken, the garrison having retreated just prior to the French final assault. A Division under General Ngrier pressed on in pursuit to Ki-Hea, and even captured the frontier town of Cua-Ai. But the main body of French troops had to stop the pursuit and attempt to keep their lines of communications open. A garrison at Tuyen-Kwan was resisting the attacks of an overwhelming Chinese force, and Ngrier was left to hold Lang-Son. The withdrawal of Brire de lIsles division from Lang-son increased the Chinese morale in the area. On March 22-23, Ngrier finally lost a major fight between Lang-Son and That-Ke. The French attempted a fighting withdrawal but this failed and the retreat turned into a rout. The Chinese momentum carried them through Lang-Son to Than-Moi and Dong-Song. Brire de lIsle reached Tuyen-Kwan, the garrison of which was commanded by Colonel Domin, on the 3rd of March, and effected its relief. Despite the French disaster at Lang-Son the French fared well in the treaty signed in June 1885 which ended the war.