China’s Qing Dynasty, 1856
Members of the Qing Dynasty. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
In the mid 19th century, both England and France were involved in several conflicts of the Second Opium War, most notably the Battle of Taku Forts in Taku, China. The Qing dynasty had declared war on England and France, and after breaking their promise of neutrality by sending military aid to the British and eventually engaging in the conflict, the United States was on the receiving end of that declaration as well.
It all started when British forces reached the mouth of the Pei-ho River en route to Tientsin and discovered that Chinese blockades that prevented their passage. The British sent a missive to the Qing commander, demanding that the blockades be removed, but that did not happen. Over the coming days, the British attempted to make their way up the river by destroying one of three barriers along the way — that is, until the Chinese sentries came into view. By the next morning the Chinese army had repaired the damage and restored the blockades. It was then that the British forged ahead using gunboats to attack the sentries — but due to the narrow, muddy riverbed several of the British gunboats ran aground, and the battle began. The English were so impressed with the Chinese’ steady stream of gunfire from the shores that they maintained for years that trained European soldiers must have been manning the artillery.
Around this time, the American steamer Toey-Wan approached the riverbed, anchoring just beyond it. It was at this moment that Commodore Tattnall, despite his distrust of the British, is quoted to have said “Blood is thicker than water” when coming to the Brits’ aid during this particular battle. Tattnall maintained that the Americans were only there to help evacuate the dead, but when Tattnall’s men returned from the British frigates, they were giddy and covered in soot. Seeing as so many of the British soldiers were dead but still had plenty of weaponry, Tattnall’s soldiers explained that they had helped man the artillery, effectively rendering the U.S. part of the fighting — and thereby a state against which the Qing dynasty declared war.
