At dawn on 11 August 1870 UNION troops launched an unauthorised assault on the Chinese town of Mukden. As artillery fire pounded the town, UNION infantry advanced to the edge of the built up area. As they started entering the town they came under rifle fire from hidden snipers. As the waves of UNION troops started to pile up in the first few buildings they suddenly came under heavy cannon fire from both flanks where the Chinese had hidden their artillery in orchards. Almost immediately thousands of Chinese troops arose from other hidden positions both in the town and the orchards and flooded over the UNION forces in overwhelming numbers. Desperate hand to hand fighting started while Major General Custer watched in disbelief as his soldiers disappeared under waves of Chinese troops. Immediately he personally led the infantry battalions of the other brigade to the rescue.
The fighting raged for over three hours while the UNION command tried to grasp what was happening from the confused and desperate messages coming in from the two brigades. By 11 am the fighting died down as the Chinese forces left Mukden to rejoin their main army as it continued marching north. In the meantime UNION cavalry had been ordered to leave the now redundant rendezvous and move south to investigate what was going on in that town.
The artillery, supporting and command battalions of both of Custer's'brigades were still in position one mile east of Mukden. Of the ten infantry battalions of the two brigades there was no sign other than a light trickle of walking wounded returning from the town. A single cavalry regiment was ordered to advance on the town carefully and report. The scene they found was disastrous. Immediately both brigades medical battalions were ordered forward with both Pioneer battalions. One cavalry brigade was ordered to follow up the withdrawing Chinese.
Both within and round the edges of Mukden a dreadful sight met the incoming Pioneer and Medical units. The battlefield in every direction was covered with UNION and Chinese bodies in huge numbers. Work commenced to save the wounded. A report was submitted to UNION command a few hours later. It reported that of the five infantry battalions of the first brigade not a single man survived. It was clear the Chinese had killed any wounded they found. Of the second five infantry battalions just 112 men had been found unwounded and barricaded in a row of houses along with over 300 wounded. All the rest were found dead including Custer. Total UNION casualties were almost 10,000. Over 13,000 dead Chinese were counted. No Chinese wounded were found but many of the dead had head wounds leading to the conclusion the Chinese had killed those too badly injured to walk away.
UNION command recognised that the Chinese had laid a deadly trap and Custer had fallen into it. The retreating Chinese were delighted with their victory, a new way of defeating the UNION had been found, the ambush tactics negated UNION fire power and enabled the Chinese to use their huge numbers successfully. A lesson for both sides.
The Chinese withdrawal continued towards Harbin while UNION forces slowly followed preceded by cavalry. The remnants of the two shattered brigades were withdrawn to their bases back in the UNION and replaced by new brigades from 2nd army. Both sides planned their next moves.
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