| Expedition to Canton | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The Anglo-Burgundian Fleet bombarding Chinese forces | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Burgundy
|
 Jin Dynasty
| ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Graf Hasselt
|
Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 40,000 men 40 ships |
|||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 2000 men 2 ships |
10,000 men | ||||||
The Expedition to Canton was a punitive expedition undertaken by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Kingdom of Burgundy in 1863.
Background[]
Tensions had been growing between China and the two largest European colonizers in Asia - Britain and Burgundy - for decades due to the continued overlordship of nominal Chinese tributary states such as Shan and Malaya respectively. For years, natural obstacles and the innate European technological advantages meant the colonizing powers were confident of their ability to defend their areas of influence.
This changed as the Chinese agreed to a deal with the recently-resurgent Belkan Empire, buying Belkan-made industrial technology, threatening the level of advantages Britain and Burgundy have over China.
Both of them knowing the situation, the two countries agreed that a military expedition was necessary. Organizing their respective forces, their fleets (which included a number of ironclads) sailed for India, and then Singapore, where they were further reinforced from the local garrisons. The coalition forces were then allowed to resupply in Russian-owned Macau before launching their attack.
The Attack[]
The offensive began when the vanguard of the coalitions force engaged the defending fortifications of the Bogue. The attack set the tone for the rest of the expedition as the outdated Chinese batteries were ineffective against the modern rifled artillery wielded by the Anglo-Burgundian navies.
Once the Bogue fortifications had been silenced, the European forces advanced towards Canton, engaging and either capturing or destroying the remaining fortifications. Finally, on the third day of the offensive, the Anglo-Burgundian forces launched their attack on Canton itself. The defending Chinese garrison, despite a valiant defense, could not match the Europeans qualitative advantage. One of the Burgundian armored frigates, the SMS Orkaan anchored itself less than two hundred yards from the defending Chinese batteries, its armor proving immune to the Chinese guns as its own rifled armament helped dismantle the fortifications with precision fire.
The defending Chinese infantry was further outmatched, only able to give barely more than a token resistance before falling to the Europeans.
Sack of Canton[]
Following the city’s fall, the Anglo-Burgundian forces proceeded to sack the city of Canton. Though rape and murder were expressly forbidden, anything of value that could be removed, was. The nearby Guangzhou Arsenal, which was being built with Belkan equipment, was ransacked, the Belkan-made technology divided between the British and Burgundian forces, and the infrastructure burned behind the men.
Among that seized was a large reserve of gold and silver, which was immediately embarked and sent back to Britain and Burgundy, where they were used to back up their currencies in light of the recent economic crisis.
Chinese Counterattack[]
Soon after Cantons fall, a large Chinese army of 200,000 men was sent to recapture the city. By now, the Anglo-Burgundian land forces had dug fortifications to defend themselves, and the warships had been positioned to best support the troops. Following and attack where 10,000 casualties were suffered by the Chinese, they were forced to retreat. Following such a battle, the Chinese were forced to ask for peace terms.