1841 (Nov 24), from Macao to London, First Opium War letter written
after the end of the Second Battle of Chusan and the Battle of
Chinhai.
1841 (Nov 24), from Macao to London, First Opium War letter written
after the end of the Second Battle of Chusan and the Battle of
Chinhai. A very good letter to have described the military
developments following the Second Battle of Chusan. The letter
described the following: “…… I send you yesterday paper containing
an account of the proceedings in the North which are now at a
standstill for want of reinforcements on a more vigorous and
destructive system of warfare than has hitherto been practiced in
China. I cannot understand why we can’t treat these [exactly]
Chinese like any other enemy. Having carried in the towns they
take, only fritters away the forces in the most wretched way,
whereas if they would only burn & pillage a few cities the enemy
would see the necessity for coming forward with [terms]. The Army
has all the will but his hands are tied by the feebleness and
vacillating measures in the Cabinet at home. Until minds were
changed, no doubt and union in their hands, England ought not to
require such blood sacrifices as the Government pretends of the
troops. – As I always thought, and appears from accounts received
this morning from India, that throwing away the lawfulness of the
[Treaties], the Chinese had at last thrown off the mask, and
anticipated by the Celestial Majesty, is about to involve us in a
war……” This letter has suggested that the military operations in
Northern China at the time have stalled. The writer criticized the
restrained British strategy so far, arguing that a harsher, more
destructive approach would have compelled quicker Chinese
submission. The writer advocated burning or pillaging cities to
force negotiations instead of dispersing troops. The writer further
blamed the weakness and indecision in the British Cabinet for
prolonging the conflict and causing unnecessary losses. After the
Second Battle of Chusan in Oct 1841, a critical military move by
the British forces in the First Opium War is to shift their
strategy and embarked on a decisive course of military actions to
re-take, reoccupy Chusan. That formed a base making the British to
eventually move from Chusan into Nanking to end the First Opium
War.
