September 21, 1860 · North China Theater
September 21, 1860
The final major battle of the Opium Wars. An Anglo-French force of 8,000 men destroyed the last Qing army defending the road to Beijing at the Palikao Bridge. General Sengge Rinchen's cavalry, armed with weapons generations behind their opponents, charged British and French lines in repeated assaults and was systematically destroyed by rifle and artillery fire. Emperor Xianfeng fled Beijing that same day with the imperial household, leaving his brother Prince Gong to negotiate the surrender.
Commanders