At the end of May, the second batch of 1,700 African reinforcements arrived in Annam. Bo Hua immediately issued an order to dispatch troops. According to the advance plan, Major General Lisby and himself led an army each to launch an attack on the areas controlled by the Hue court and the Nanyang Army.
attack.
On May 27, a series of battles broke out around the city of Hanoi between the French colonial army and the Nanyang Army. By June 14, the war reached a stalemate. Bo Slip sent a telegram to report the battle process to the French mainland:
"On the 27th, I led all available troops: 2,000 Marines, 600 Algerian soldiers, 1,700 Annan indigenous soldiers, 800 African colonial soldiers, a total of more than 5,000 soldiers, carrying heavy artillery
Fourteen guns and eight Gatling guns launched an attack on the enemy.
On the left wing, Colonel Levi Yong launched an attack on the front fortifications, which were tightly defended by 4,000 Chinese. After seven days of fighting, he returned at night.
In the middle, Captain Corona occupied the riverside fortifications near Hanoi City, advanced to the northern suburbs of Hanoi City, and fought fiercely with the Chinese army for several days, but was unable to break through the defense lines set up by the Chinese army.
Returned on the evening of June 12th.
On the right wing, Colonel Bisho, supported by all the gunboats, advanced along the Red River, bombarded the enemy's forts with regular troops, and captured the fortified pagoda temple. At the gap in the embankment, the colonel asked half of the soldiers to board the gunboats, and some gunboats
Parked next to the pagoda temple.
On the 11th, the Chinese army sent 5,000 troops out of the city to fight for the pagoda temple. Colonel Bisot ordered the gunboats to approach and bombard, killing and wounding more than 1,000 Chinese troops. On the second day, because the Chinese army continued to increase its troops, the number of troops exceeded the French army by ten times.
, Colonel Bishuo had no choice but to lead a gunboat formation to pick up the Marines and evacuate the pagoda temple."
In the report sent to the French mainland, Bo Hua believed that,
Although the French army suffered casualties of more than 400 Marine soldiers, more than 500 black African soldiers, and more than 1,000 Annan indigenous soldiers in the attack on Hanoi, it also caused at least 7,000 casualties to the Chinese army.
Therefore, considering that the Chinese army is well-equipped and large in number, in order to eliminate the Chinese army in northern Annan, France must dispatch two more divisions and at least 20,000 regular troops to reinforce the Cochin China Governor's Palace.
Slippery reports on the Battle of Hanoi did not win over the locals.
Within the French government, many officials believed that this battle was not a victory but a disastrous defeat.
On June 16, the French government received a real telegram from the Far East Fleet.
The telegram read: "The column led by Bo Hua, after crossing Shangqingfang,
The left wing of this column was guarded by George's company as far as phuai, where no enemy was encountered, and a serious resistance was expected, as our reconnaissance reports indicated that a large force was stationed in the village.
In Phuai, there was not a single Chinese nor a trace of the Annamites. Commander Bo Hua was very proud, thinking that at least he could easily reach Hanoi City, but he was so happy that he forgot to call for serious reconnaissance.
When the main force of the troops arrived near Wangcun, they were violently fired upon by a bunker cleverly hidden behind a bamboo fence. The commander was so overwhelmed that he turned away with his head covered and was at a loss.
The troops spread out in skirmish lines, but to no avail. The Chinese army's defenses stretched for several kilometers and consisted of three lines of defense: trenches, traps and bunkers. Behind the fortifications, more than 10,000 Chinese troops fired fiercely at our soldiers. We had many
Soldiers were killed or wounded. There, Lieutenant Colonel Ogan and Major Caron were shot and killed. At the same time, more than 200 Marines and more than 400 black African soldiers were killed by shells and Gatling gunfire.
.
The Chinese army was equipped with dozens of artillery pieces, and the French army could not resist, so the commander ordered a retreat. When the troops retreated to Shangqingfang, the number of troops was less than 600. It did not take long for the Chinese army to use violent strafing and intensive artillery fire.
They were pursuing us. At this moment, the center column withdrew from the front line and joined us. The two troops took turns to cover and retreat. It was only at 5 o'clock in the evening that we successfully escaped the pursuit of the Chinese army."
The military intelligence that came one after another verified the true situation of the Battle of Hanoi. In the early stage of the Battle of Hanoi, the French attack was frustrated, and the total number of casualties was nearly 2,000 soldiers. The adventurous army defending the city was taking advantage of the French army's inability to fight for a long time and its low morale.
At the right time, less than five hours after launching the counterattack, due to changes in the Hue court, they temporarily gave up the pursuit of the French army under Bo Hua, and instead dispatched a part of the elite troops to take a boat to reinforce the seat of the Annan court - Huan.
change.
Two weeks ago, the commander of the French China Navy, Rear Admiral Risby, led 1,000 marines and nearly 1,000 reinforced African colonial soldiers to land in Da Nang and rampage all the way towards the Hue court to attack.
On June 14, after more than ten days of fierce fighting, the French army occupied the Thuan An Fort, the outer fortress of Hue City. Tens of thousands of Annam defenders were defeated by the French attack and fled in embarrassment to the Royal City of Hue.
In the afternoon of the same day, Emperor Su De hurriedly issued an edict from King Qin, ordering Huang Zuoyan and other generals in the Beiban area to rush for reinforcements. At the same time, Emperor Su De also ignored the conflicts between the two sides some time ago and pleaded with the Nanyang Army, which had defeated the French attack several times.
support.
The Hue Imperial Court is the center of Annan. If the city of Hue falls and the French take Emperor Su Duc hostage and order the entire Annan territory to give up resistance, then the Nanyang Army will be in a very critical situation. Therefore, those who have received the Hue Imperial Court's letter requesting for help will
At the first moment, Mei Dongxing reluctantly gave up the easily obtained victory, dispatched troops as quickly as possible, and rushed for reinforcements.
On June 18, Li Wencai led more than 2,000 Nanyang Army soldiers to the outskirts of the Royal City of Hue and exchanged fire with the French army.
On June 20, follow-up reinforcements from the Nanyang Army and Annan local reinforcements arrived one after another. French commander Lisby was unwilling to evacuate. While leading his troops and fleet to confront King Qin's army, he urgently ordered troops to be sent for support.
At the end of June, there was no progress in the Annan war. The French colonial army continued to fight with the Nanyang Army and various Annan government forces. The number of soldier casualties increased significantly, but the day of victory was far away.
On July 3, in order to break the Annan deadlock, the French government chose to compromise with the Chinese side and exchanged the sovereignty of the French Polynesian Islands and the recognition of the Han Congo colony for the Nanyang Army's commitment to gradually withdraw from the Beishan area.
According to the agreement between the two parties, the Nanyang Army and its affiliated Chinese armed forces were all evacuated from the Annan area before 1884. As for the property, land, and mineral resources owned by the Han State in Annan, including the Hongji Coal Mine, the French government purchased them based on market valuation.
