IMAGI-NATIONS. PART 17.

  THE FIRST MAJOR BATTLE OF THE INVASION OF CHINA.

On the morning of 10th August 1870 the Chinese and UNION armies, with a combined strength of over 615,000, found themselves only 5 miles apart about 850 miles south east of Harbin, just over 150 miles north west of the border. 

Using reconnaissance information from UNION cavalry, who now retired to the far western edge of the battlefield,  heavy artillery battalions commenced a steady bombardment of the oncoming Chinese forces while the UNION armies spread out into battle formation. As both sides inched closer together, UNION field artillery also started sending heavy barrages into the Chinese masses. Chinese artillery was at that time still out of range despite Chinese efforts to move their artillery to the vanguard of their army. The leading elements of the two armies finally came to within a mile of each other and both sides edged to the east and west seeking an opportunity to out flank the other. UNION artillery was  now inflicting very heavy losses on the Chinese army but Chinese artillery had  finally came within range of the UNION positions. As soon as they opened fire however , they were subjected to  ferocious counter battery fire which inflicted huge losses. 

UNION commanders had already decided not to launch infantry assaults on the Chinese until the artillery fire had broken Chinese cohesion. UNION infantry and heavy weapons now came into action with heavy long range fire on the leading elements of the Chinese army. The Chinese commander , if he had ever had any doubt as to UNION firepower, could see clearly that his army was already beginning to melt away under the fierce UNION bombardment. He decided that launching an attack would only result in huge casualties with little prospect of success. He therefore ordered his troops to commence a slow withdrawal whilst his officers desperately sought other strategies for victory.

As the Chinese slowly withdrew, taking their wounded and even burying the dead, UNION generals were elated with such a cheap victory. It was ordered that UNION forces , in battle formation, would follow the Chinese till dusk at which time the cavalry would take over the pursuit. Dusk came and the UNION armies halted for the night, the Chinese however continued marching. UNION cavalry moved from the west to follow the Chinese . They soon reported that Chinese troops covering the western flank had moved into a small town and seemed to have halted for the night. There seemed to be an opportunity to out flank the Chinese if UNION infantry could by pass this town during the night. This could enable an assault on the unguarded Chinese flank sometime next day perhaps causing the whole Chinese position to collapse.

The UNION commanding general gave orders for two infantry brigades to by-pass the Chinese held town during the night, link up with the cavalry and launch a combined assault on the Chinese flank in the morning. The UNION major general commanding the two brigades , by the name of Custer, had orders to link up with the cavalry army of six brigades and subordinate himself to the lieutenant general commanding that force. As his troops got underway, however, Custer decided that with only 15 miles to march to reach the agreed rendezvous with the cavalry , his troops could actually attack the Chinese held town and secure a victory which he considered would greatly boost UNION moral.

He decided to launch his attack on the town with just one brigade. His troops formed up to attack at dawn. Unknown to him, the Chinese had set a trap for just such an occurrence. The Chinese troops in the town, who were far more numerous than the UNION cavalry had reported, knowing they had been under UNION cavalry surveillance, had moved out of the town after dark and had then entrenched in a semi circle around the town with the open side facing east, exactly the direction from which any UNION attack would come. At dawn the UNION infantry brigade opened an artillery bombardment on the town and the infantry assault began.