Guan tianpei

Pirates on the Pearl River attack a British ship that was travelling down the Pearl River from Canton to Macau. Rumours circulate that it was not pirates but Chinese soldiers and Elliot orders all British ships to leave the area. At the same time Lin Zexu closes the harbour at Macau to British ships.

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Location: Canton

HMS Volage Arrives Off Macau

Aug 30, 1839

HMS Volage arrives off Macau to protect British shipping waiting off the Chinese coast.

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Location: Hong Kong

Skirmish At Kowloon

Sep 04, 1839

Chinese authorities order the return of food bought for the British expedition resulting in a skirmish

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Location: Kowloon

Thomas Coutts

Oct 1839

The merchant ship Thomas Coutts enters the Pearl River. Ship is owned by Quakers who refuse to deal in opium, which the Chinese authorities are well aware of. They are allowed to trade after negotiating their own personal trade agreement. Charles Elliot orders a blockade of the Pearl River to prevent other ships from doing what the Thomas Coutts had done.

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Location: Pearl River

First Battle of Chuenpi

Nov 03, 1839

The Royal Saxon attempts to follow the Thomas Coutts and negotiate their own trade deal. Charles Elliot sends Royal Navy ships HMS Volage and HMS Hyacith to stop it. Chinese warships under Guan Tianpei sailed out to provide aid to Royal Saxon. The Royal Navy ships then turned their guns on the chinese. 4 Chinese vessels were destroyed in the battle.

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Location: Pearl River

Osborn Transfers to HMS Volage

Dec 18, 1839

Sherard Osborn transfers to HMS Volage as a Midshipman in China and the East Indies

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Location: China

Nicholas Tomlinson is Promoted to Major

Mar 13, 1840

Captain Nicholas Tomlinson is promoted to Major

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Location: Britain

Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer Arrived Off Macao

Jun 21, 1840

Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer arrived off Macao

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Location: Hong Kong

George Elliot Replaces Gordon Bremer

Jul 1840

Rear-Admiral George Elliot replaces Commodore Gordon Bremer as the Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in the Opium War

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Location: Hong Kong

Bombardment of Ting-Hai

Jul 05, 1840

The British bombarded the port of Ting-hai, which was then occupied by troops under Brigadier-General George Burrell.

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Location: Pearl River

Osborn Transfers Back to HMS Hyacinth

Jul 15, 1840

Sherard Osborn transfers back to HMS Hyacinth as a Midshipman in China and the East Indies

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Location: China

Gordon Bremer Becomes C in C Again

Nov 1840

Admiral George Elliot returns to Britain and Commodore Gordon Bremer takes over again as the Commander-in-Chief

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Location: Hong Kong

The British Capture the Pearl River Forts

Jan 07, 1841

British captured the Bogue forts of Chuenpi and Tycocktow that guarded the mouth of the Pearl River. Major J L Pratt of the 26th (Cameronian) Regiment commanded the britsh forces and suffered only 38 casualties. Of the Chinese fleet of 13 war-junks, 10 were captured and their flagship was destroyed.

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Location: Pearl River

Charles Elliot And Qishan Negotiate

Jan 20, 1841

Charles Elliot and Chinese Imperial Commissioner Qishan negotiated the Convention of Chuenpi which would open the port of Canton. The Daoguang Emperor was furious when he found out. He ordered Qishan to be arrested and escorted as a criminal to Beijing for trial; Qishan had his properties and assets confiscated and was sentenced to military service.

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Location: Pearl River

Canton Remains Closed

1841

The port at Canton remains closed to the British despite the treaty negociated by Charles Elliot and Qishan

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Location: Canton

Attack on Anunghoy

Feb 23, 1841

Elliot sails to the islands off Anunghoy aboard HMS Nemesis. They are fired on by a Chinese battery concealed on the shore. Nemisis returned fire and the pinaces that accompanied it fought off 30 small chinese warships. Landing forces then took the island and its fortress.

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Location: Pearl River

HMS Nemesis Embark Troops

Feb 25, 1841

HMS Nemesis embarked 130 troops of the 37th Madras Native Infantry to assist in erecting a mortar battery. This was constructed over night while under fire form Chinese positions on North Wangtong Island.

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Location: Pearl River

Guan Tianpei Dies in Action

Feb 26, 1841

The british start firing on North Wangtong and Anunghoy causing the defenders to flee

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Location: Pearl River