Capture of Woosung, 14th June 1842 - 16th June 1842

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Capture of Woosung

14th June 1842 - 16th June 1842
Part of : First Opium War (1839/03/18 - 1842/08/29)
Previous action : Attack on Canton 21.3.1841
Next action : Occupation of Shanghai 16.6.1842 - 23.6.1842
 

Allied (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland & United Kingdom of the Netherlands)
 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
Wildfire (74) 1813-1957
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
1816 Renamed "Wildfire"
Peter RichardsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1855
Jupiter (50) 1813-1846
British 50 Gun
4th Rate Ship of the Line
 
Blonde (46) 1819-1895
British 46 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
Thomas BourchierBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1800-1843
Nemesis (46) 1826-1866
British 46 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
 
North Star (8) 1824-1860
British 8 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
 
Modeste (18) 1837-1866
British 18 Gun
Unrated Sloop
Rundle Burges WatsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1821-1849
Columbine (18) 1826-1892
British 18 Gun
Unrated Sloop
 
Clio (18) 1807-1845
British 18 Gun
Unrated Sloop
 
Algerine (10) 1829-1844
British 10 Gun
Unrated Sloop
 
Sesostris (4) 1839-1853
British 4 Gun
Merchant Paddle Steamer
 
Tenasserim (4) 1839-1842
British 4 Gun
Merchant Paddle Sloop
 
Pluto (1) 1839-1842
British 1 Gun
Merchant Paddle Steamer
 
Phlegethon (Unknown) 1839-1846
British Unknown Gun
Unrated Paddle Steamer
 
Medusa (Unknown) 1842-1842
British Unknown Gun
Merchant Paddle Steamer
 
 

Notes on Action


DescriptionTRN6
Woosung lies not only near the mouth of the main Yangtse-kiang, but also near that of another large river, the Woosung, twelve miles further up which is the town of Shanghai. Shanghai, besides being an important naval station, had a great trade with Nanking, the capital; and the Commanders-in-Chief felt that it was most desirable to occupy it. It was, however, necessary first to force the defences at the mouth of the Woosung river. The water in front of these was sounded and buoyed on June 14th and 15th by Commanders Richard Collinson, and Henry Kellett; and, on June 16th, the works on both sides of the river were bombarded by the warships, while the transports, with the troops on board, lay four miles out in the stream. On the north or Woosung bank of the river there was simply a line of armed ramparts, terminating, after an upward course of about three miles, in the small fort of Powshan. There were no flanking defences. On the south side there was an old masonry fort, supplemented by a line of incomplete earthen batteries. Only the first discharge of the enemy's guns, delivered as the ships were anchoring, produced much effect. A Marine officer, and two men in the Blonde were killed by it; and a leadsman in the Phlegethon lost both his legs, while several vessels were hulled. After two hours' firing, towards the close of which the Chinese guns were nearly silent, detachments of seamen and Marines were landed, and all the works, except Powshan, were cleared and occupied ere any of the troops were disembarked. Powshan was soon afterwards evacuated; so that the whole of the success, such as it was, was won by the Navy alone. Few Chinese were killed; and the greater part of the 200 or 250 guns captured were unmounted or useless. The British loss was 3 killed and 20 wounded.
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Sunday 14th of June 2026 18:29Jon Miller
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