Osprey+[MAA]+275.Taiping.Rebellion.1851-66（太平天国起义）

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THE TAIPING

REBELLION 85 66 : 1

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EDITOR: LEE O NSON

IE -.\T--\R IS S R S 7

THE TAIPING

REBELLION 85 66

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THE TAIPING REBELLION 1851-66

THE TAIPINGREBELLION

1851-661lle T.ip;ng Rebellion was only In. first, albeit (he

rro:o;l daog , o f . spale of insurre<:tion, .gain>

hi: ailino; goyernmenl of China in In. mid [9Ib

. tury. Bel ,,,,, 1850 and 1877 tbe Moslems in (lie ond oonb·wesl of thoe COWlI/)', In. Triads and

Ire il >original Mioou in Ibe sooth, .lId It>. Nicn and

Ire Taipings in the eaS aJl lM up arms .gain> their

H IlCkI oycrlonk in a . . ,ies of ...... Its th.t nearly

brrughI: the eh'iog dynasty to an end. The <JwlySi

i:r su..-h widespreod rebellion ... Ol in.'s hmoi·

livioo by BriI.in in In . Opium War of 1839 42

wtlidl had highlighled II>< impolence of her ami· army. Howey. . the ineffkieocy rIlle eh ing

P ~ hod prepared In. ....;ry lhroogh a comb;·

mticrt of O' en.xalion, corruplion. official discrimi_

rulim against minorily groups .rod In. adminim._

I , failo ... to m.tch China', mass; , populati n

fh; ' (lfom 125 millioo in IB610 432 million by

18:52 wilh. proportionate iDcrea. . in amble land.

The Taiping movemem began lb e ai Shang

u 11Y:: Socie1y ofGod_Worsllippers). foondod in

K ,,,,l'Si pro,'illCe in 1&16 by l1ung Hsiu_ch·uan. A

sickly ioo;,,'idual of'l 'Sl;Onable sanity. Hung had

become subje<:110 ,'isiollS which. ha ing read a small

amoonl of ChriSlian literature. he chose 10 interpret

as demonsllating lhal he a s Jesus ChriSl's 'Divine

Younger Broll. . r'. with God', mandau: 10 'OHm

China.

HosliUties between I God_Worsh;ppers aOO

local mil;l;a units broke oot in October 1850, when

lhe forlll<1' I sides with lhe relatiYCly newly.

a.m'ed a k ~ people of Kwanglung and Kwangsi

pro,';nces (Hung was him ,lfa l1akka) in a laOO_war

w;lh the Pen_Ii populalion. £arly SlocceSS<.'S ;n thi,

local war. combined with an nnsucoessfullmperialist

attempllo des1roy the God.Worshippers· camp at

Chin-fien,.., a <:enl' of local hoOOiny. led 10 l1uog',

prodamJlion in January 1851 of llis ~ i _ p j ~ g T o Rn-

il or Heawnly Kingdom of Greal Peace. Wilh

himself as r ic .. Wang (HeJycnly King). His principal

lieutenanls we ... iostalled in December as lhe T m g

Wang (£aSlern King). Si Wnng (Weslem King). Pei

Wang (Northern King). Nail Wang (Southern King)

and I ~ n g (Assistant King).

The ensuing chil war's first phase. laSling until

March 1853. saw the ImperialiSl armies depeOOing

OIl the walls of their fonifiod dlies lOr safely from



theT.iping fon:es, who remained highly mobile .nd

thereby ' ained the in;lialiye. They iI<h-.ncM do n

th. Hsiang ,-alley. capluring cily after cily bUl al ys

quickly al>andooing Iheir oonq sts and fOO ing on.

(No an.mpt -as tn:ldor lO ocnpy captured lerritory

I nnanrmly unl11 mucb lal ....) Despile some se\_

backs _ the Nan Wang and Si Wang were I>olb kilk-.,j

du.ing 1851 - the T.iping alYllY had grown fiom

some O lXXl lO I ,h.ps h.lf . mHlioo by the lime il

.rri d at Lake Tung_1 ing on the Yangtze. There the

Taipings captured. mass; -e Iml 'riaUSl fIoIiUa. and

....ilb tlUs they ..... re able to iI<h-. rnpidly

do -••. c.pturing Wochang. Anking and Olhe.

cilies en route umll 00 10 March 1853 they tool;

Nanking. lhe old capilal of Ming China. Nanking

be.:ame lhe capital of the naseem Taiping slale.

The T.ipings seizure of N.nking m.y na--e been

symbolic. bm it srems almoSl re lain lhat ii , Slmlegic

impollallcc had .0;0 been .ecognised. since posses_

sion of Nankillg.nd Ihe debollChmem oflhe Grand

Canal imo the ~ z ,,,,aroy eflecIiYely blockaded

Peking by cuning il 011 from lhe fellile southe.n

pro'''iJ .re;; which led il. Neyellhelcss. establislling

themsel' here is genernlly reg ••ded to h.w be<:n •

•••• •

i }/:•

••

•

Slml.gk erro•. The consen ,s is lllal if the T.ipings

had m.rched ag.inst I'<-king . t once. lhe eh ing

dyn.sty would .Imost cel l. inJy haw be<:n _

thro....n. InSlead. only. sm.lll comingem _ I 'lhaps

10.(0) men _ as sent 00 lO....ards lhe c.pit .1 in I>by.

E...n Ihis succeeded in coming wilhin tllret- miles of

TienlSin. refore inadequale supply-lines. lhe . . ....cold of the oonbern wimer .nd the w.m of ca, oUy

(Taiping armies in'-ari.bly consiSling .Imo. . entirely

of fOOl soldiers) obliged it 10 taU back. in FeblUary

1854.

The failure 10 send suflicient forces 10 the nonh

resulted from Ihe Taipings' IIoI. ed to dofe,' tl cir

conquoSlS. in panicula. lhei. ,, 'capi1a1. This

.n onerous burden.....hich cun.iled lheir earlier

mobiJiIy. Thereafte. their field armies had to be

rec.lled lO N.nking I .tedly 10 flUStrate .neffiplS

at encirclemem moumed frem 1\0.-0 Iml '.i.lisl head

qu.rters Ihal had been est.blished 'IOnh and south of

the y ~ z lale in 1 53. usually f •• red lO .s dr

NOllhern o. Kiangpei. and Soulhern or Kiangn:ll1

Imperial BJrrncks. The Impe.ialist blockades

broken in 1 56, 1858. 1859 nd twicc in 1860 (die

Northern camp was o e. , in Septembe. 1 58. the Southern in 1856.nd ag.in. d.-..cis; -ely. in 1 8 6 0 ~HO\\-' ye•. lhe T.ipings f.ilure 10 break. ,rewed

blockade in 1861 was to .esult in Nanking's ,'COOI:I.l

faU.

M meamime the ide.lism and diseipline of

the Taiping mOyeme l'S early days n ded in internal

strife. Recognised fiom the oolse1 as mililJry ern>-

mande._in-cbi.f. {he Tw g Wang or EaSle. King

Yang Hsiu_ch·i g. steadily s t r e n ~ t h e n e d his l'O'itioo

by c1.iming isions ak; lO lhose of Hung Hsiu

ch u.n. EYemually. in the summer of 1856. it bocanle

.pparem th.l preparations br lhe lrnnsfe. of p:1M.T

in lhe capllal were afOOl. bUI Y.ng·s riyal. Ih Pa

Wang or Nonhern King. mowd f t. surp.ising n:l

killing Yang and 20.(0) of hi, s ppoMers in • bto.Jy

\\-o-w k I '.ge. Alarmed allhi•. recaUed kinsm.n. lh Wang Shih T._k .i. to the capital. Iu

lhe Pel Wang J11acked Shih's family. furdog him 10

fIe,e br IUs life. It was no umil Noyembe. 1M

Hung's O\\-'n troops were .ble 10 reg.in control in

capital. defe.ting and killing Ih Pel Wang .fter 11'0

day. of streel_fighting. Sbib T._k .i SWsequenlly

niltll , J_/9 . ce ry



re IIIlled as heod ofgo'-em 'nI, bUI he was unable 10

'l along 'lh Hung and e ..nlUally Slmek olll on his

,. , inlo the Weslem prm-inces in 1857, laking asnmy as ()-'XI,O)) Taiping sold ,,., wilh him. After

ca lXlignin2; wilh nrying success in eight prm'inces,

OCC3:lionaUy in U i ~ Wilh regular Taiping Army

units, he ,,:IS e entually Caplured .nd exocut <l by

the ImperiaUSls in 1863.

The purges of I S marked lhe beginning of lhe

i ~ mowmem's decline, effecli\,,1y eUminaling

is remaining c.pablo leaders as elias a l d pan of

is mosl up< ri.nced soIdie1y. Hung Hsiu_ch'u.n

homrclooh InlSled ooly members of his own family,

<nl he insl.lled lhem in Il>Osl orlbe key go , m.n_

t:ll posilions. At lbe same lime, mililary ope ,'io,,

... .. -..d • moslly Mellii,,, dl.lrnerer, .fter 11>< re_

1eoIle:s:s ebb .nd lbw in Ihe fonulleS of oolh sides

' lhe preceding years, when s t cilies had

dn,. .:lll.lnds up to eighllimes. T.iping fonunes

w. oowe cr, wilh lhe promOlion in 18570fll'-u

talenled milil'ry comm.nders _ i Hsiu_ch'eng, who

in 1859 was m.de Chung Wang (Faithful or Loy.1

i n g ~ and Ch'en Yu_ch'eng, oo recame ling Wang

(lk'lOic King) _ wllom s cessi , famines p ,,-ided

willi a s e e m ~ inexhalli1ible supply of soldiers.

They opernt <l ,-imIJUy independemly of lhe cor_

rupl Celesli.1 Coun in Nanking, the Chung Wnng

fighting to tile 51 of the capital and Ille ring Wnngto the wes1. II was by tlleir effuns alone that tile

~ l i S l blockade- ofNan\;:ing os repealedly bro

ken in 1&58-60. The 'Gre.t Camp of Ki.ngn.n' as

fUlJUy destroyed in M.y 1860, .nd the besieging

armies attered.

The momclllum was on.ce .g.in Wilh lhe

Ta ings, and tbe Chung Wang sci 001 on an EaSlem

expc< ilrn .imed 001 only a1 securing ,urol ofllle

V delta, bUI .lso .1 the caplure of Cbanchufu

<nl SoocIKJw on tbe Grand Canal and lhe seapon of

Shanghai, with ilS European ''''ding_oouses. The

T i ~ s r e ~ n i s e d thai possession of Shanghai

nOd gh them IIoCress 10 much_needed Western

lirc-arms and leclmology. Chaochufu teli in May

ISlA Soochow in June, .nd in AuguSl lhe Chung

Wm,g a,h..oced low.rds Shanghai,wllere, bec.use of

the Taipings' quasi_CIlri51ian relig;oo and 11>< fuel

C<>n em,-myChi ,,, prim > Taipi.gsdeslr } g aBuJdhm ,pie.

lha' Brilain and Fral ,e were lhemsel ,s a1 w.r wilh

Ihe Chinese Empire, be perhaps eXpe<:led 10 be

welcomed wilh open arms by lhe small Anglo

Freoch garrison. 110we ..., Ihe T.ipings' repulalion

ftT perpelmling massacres wbere ... ll>ey weill h.d

aroused lhe rea,., ofille We51ern eommunity, and lhe

Ch g Wa g s lroops were dri en off when II>ey

approaehed the suburbs, lea ing T.iping hopes of

peaceful dialogue and lrade Wilh lbe Wesl shallered.

In 1861 lhe lide .g.in IlImed in r:.,oor of Ihe

Imperialisls, wilh lhe recaplllre of An ;jng. This

clte<:1i',,1y ru1 lbe HeaHnly K.ingdom in II'-'o.nd sel

lhe Slage b a complele reco ,ty of Anbwei pro,,_

inc< . The maslermind of Ch'ing opernlions was

Tseng Kuo-f n, a member of 11>< gemry who, des_

pairing allhe inadequacies oflhe Manchu.nd Chi_

nese regulars, had begun 10 organise his own army,lbe f/siang<hun, as far back as 1853. Tseng had been

,i,,-...:1 to owrnll comm.nd of ali goyemment fur ,

in lhe lower Yang<z<: lbealre following lbe deslrue_

tioo oflhe K.i.ngn.n barracks. II was his brolher, Ihe

equally_lalenled gene ,1 Tseng Kuo_ch'u.n, wOO re_

,



tool; Anking in Seplcmber.

A Ta;ping thrust towards Shanghai in

January 1862 was repulsed bylM combined effons of

Imperialists .nd Anglo-French lroops. coupled with

a proloogcd foil ofSllOW. To guarantee the safety of

tM f.,...igo communily lhere.fter. Ihe British .n d

French amoor;lies leh obliged 10 oppose the

Ta;p;ng, wilhln • .lO-mile radius of lhe dly Toough

their 0\0011 regular lroops consequemly < the l\ei.i

on numerous ,, sions during 1862. OOlh countries

were reluctanl 10 becon , too direclly ItlYol ,d In the

coofticl. and favoured SI ,nglhenlng lhe Imperial;sts

by pro liding them wilh mUitary instruclors .n d

estern .rms. The Brilish. Iherefore. openly sup·

poned • WCSlem-om red mereenary fo ,. Fred·

Mid Ward s her-ViClorioos Army. or EYA (wl>o:se

exislence they had p ,viously opposed) and ;n 1863

they .,. n proYided w;lh • new comm.nd<-r.

Charles Gordon. The EVA fought moody wilhln the

.lO-nUle zone roond SlI:I.nghai .nd. while II .

ren.lnly oot a M a > ~ as SlIC<:CSsfui as ;lS IlJme might

i ~ l y ;IS psnidp.tion prm Cd decisi , In IllOS1 op·

ernl;ons in which ;t , . , in ol ,d SeH, 1 ,im;lJr

contingents org.nised as. consequellCe.

Scan; ~ w h .. y ..... n

Chin. bv a BfOliJR.... idoni 186 )j,

W;lh the help oflile E\A the Imperi.l;slS were

obi< to driyc b a c ~ the Chung Wnng s foroes graduaUy.

Soochow -considered by 1M Ta;pingslo be ph t lal

to the defence of besieged N.nking. was rel.ken in

December 186J. Ch. hufu in M.y 1864

Hangcoow. In ncighbouring C h e ~ i J n g proYlnce. In

March. This left Nanking efl ccliYely isolJloo >nl

with its much·reduced garrison woak from sum.,...tion. leU ,, hen a nUnc bre.ched its walls in July. By

this lime Hung Hsiu·ch uan was already dead. hO'-·

ing .pp.rently comm;l1ed suicide three weel;s e.dier.

bm his eldest son escaped Iong with the Chung

Wm,g. 801h were subsequently coplured and , m·

marilyexccUled.

There were S1iU numerous Ta;ping .rmies seal·

tered round the coonlry. The principal of thc.st.

holding Hoochow in h e ~ i J n g was driycn out in

AuguSl 1864 and deSlrO} Cd the following ,pring as it

relreatoo soUlhwards. In October 1864 some 10

IUXXl Taiping, lII>dcrthe Shih Wang seized Chang.

cllO' in Fukien pro ince and remained III large umU

10 surrender ltle following summer. The .lot

organised Ta;ping remnants were destroyed at Chia·

yillj In Kiangsi;n Febru.ry 1866 Though numerous

Taipings remained at lJrge among the Nien rebels

SlUi active Ilorlh of tile Yangtzr the Taipillg Rebel·

1;00 ,. , oyer.

•



S101i.tics reblmg to tlUs COIlflicl .re tlllreHabl.,

bul ,here i, 00 qUi.'Stion tllJl tbe Taiping Rebellion

as war on lhe large't ,ale the world Iud yCl A

1 ai of abool 10 million lroop. had tun in ,IY.d,

nd as lllJJly as 600 eities IIJd <1IJnged lund, ti ,

nd timo apin during 15 y. . . . of conflict. The

populJ ions ofsome dimim we. . reduc by 40-80

per cenl, and by coosc 'aliY' 'timJ ' 10-30million pc<Jjlle are beliowd 10 IIJ,,, died, a tOlal only

cx d by lbe bloodiest conflict in hislory. tbe

ecood Wood War.

MILIT RY

ORG NIS TIONIn the fCJfllli>I mHilary organisation lhey had adojlled

by mid 1&50. ba'ied on Chou and Ming amoceden ,

lhe Taipings de,oonstrated sophiSlication in COlli·

jl.lffioo with OIher rebels. Su 'iYing copies of tbeir

oil :w military m.n l. the T ai p ing Chan-mao lell

us that lheore1ically a Taiping eMin or anny corps

COOl ised 13.156 ,n diYided imo f r.gimems(shih) of 1.: (Xl ,n, plus oflk:ers. Each shih as

dhided in turn imo Ih oonaliOllS {ieu) of: (Xl men

nl each oollalion into f,n companies IS ) of 100,

plus offtcer.'l. Each company comprised flw pla'OOllS

(liang) of 15 ,n and a sergeam, and a plaloon as

,rode up of four squads (Wit) of four pri' l'' ' and a

corporal An anny ,herefore oominally rompri'ied

10.0:0 prinl (ll'''-ISIt), 1,S(x) <oq><>raIs (wlt-.ehang), sergealllS (liang-sslt-ma). 125 company com_

mander. (t.m-.ehang), 25 ballaHon commanders (ieu

sh,mi). fly , regimenlal commanders (shih.shuaij and a

commanding g.neral e h , m . s h ~ l i ) . In reaHry. how_

. unit. were ollen ,rely under· strength. and a shih comprised ju,t 100 men, or ,orne·

liIrcs only a lew doren.

E,,,,ry famity was eKf 'Ct.d to supply one sokl;

10 the T.ipmg Army. A' tbe number of Taiping

adherems or conquered subject' grew, roew anny

corps w.re e'lablisbcd, wilh a new squ d in'liluted

r each additional liw families, a new plalOOn kJr

eoch 26, and so on. Onre 13.156 new families and

thus new soldiers becam 'allaN<, ,he new corps

had its CMn conunand , appoim.d and was spill from

it' parenl COIp'. This elJslicity meam lhal it was

possible for roew annies 10 be crealed COOllinuously.

Atlhe heighl of T.iping po ' r there w re armies

(nine of tbem clas,.,.j as sh i.) ing or 'w.t' regi.

m.ms', ''' 'ing on the inland wat. ,...y,) as ell as

igh' ,imilarly organised bu' oon·combatam corps

ba'ied in Nankifl2;, composed of mine1'S, aniflcers

and ani. .ns, which <onSlilnled the regi ,'s

comm;',arial.

Compo,ition

The majority of Taiping sokliers, and especially the

oflkers, were initially fh:rn lbe p ..inees ofKwangtu g and K 8'i where the Rebellion began.

Lot r m:lt.ly came fi'om Fuki.n, Kiangsi. Hupeh,

Hunan and Anhw.i. Th. nucleus of each T.iping

anny consiS1ed of long_l rm .dherenl', of whom lbe

mos1 dedicated .....re from Kwangsi, pal1kula.ly the

pro'·i .', aborigillJl Mi.oo hill·tribes ,n. New reo

cruits were scrupulously diSlinguished from lbe

original .dherenlS of tbe Sodely of God-Worship.

pers, ho w , .. considered lh. Taiping Army'. ,Iile.

All EngUshman . .,. .ing with ,he Taipings in lhe186Os, AugltS1u, Lindley, Sla,e, thai tbe soldiers of

eoch corps were actually brigadod occording to expe·



X ~ a a M· 1Allt1 ~ ~ .

.l ;j

l\

.lffli'aryjac £ S alaT p i n g r r i ~ lifii a

pom ,from T.i ·p inf Chun_m .

rience, e;tl>....,. as 'bona fide T.ipings· wilb six or more

years' ire, 'ad,oowledged bre1bren' wilb Ihree 10

six years' . .. i . or, mosl nun of .11. 'lie'

levies'. In 'Clion. IlIe .. . Ihre<: 'brigades' were funher

divided. Ihe be> and bra,- t' s.,,'-;og ... muskC1e<:rs

and -ally. lh. nexi bmyCS as j i ~ I I . and

tlJlrerdiers 00 lhe leaS experienced os spearmen.

who the from mrlks,

Many Taiping soldiers .. .,,,,d less lllan emh ,;·

.,tically. Captured Im ,i. l i ' l ' frequendy joined upsimply 10 .void exe<:U1ion and were, predkwbly.

unreliable in In. Held. while aficr 1&54 lher. are

in<reasingly nnmerom references 10 'conscripted

peasants' and 'impressed '-ill.gers' os con'1ilnting a

sizeable proponion of mosl T.iping for=. The

famil , of such pres ' men we , often senl to

Nanking .lId de1air.;,d lb. , .... OCIsI'ges for tbe

fidelity ofll>eir male relolives in tbe fleld. ,rule tbe

men them ,,, . lallooed Wilh the no , of ll>e

T.ip;n8 dynasly on their cheeks. were clooelyguarded by tlle .nny , regulars. 10 1860 L.urence

Olipllanl recoro.. <l th.t in .ction such conscripls.

pl.lced in the fronl ranks. ,wre repUle< ly ti«l to_

gether by lheir pigt. ils. As some indkalion of num_

be . 90 per cem of t >e Taipin who .l1ackod

NinWO in 1861 :r e 'Ulagers pressed inlo lheir

se ice , as ere 95 per cent of lhose captured at

Kajol> in 1862.

This app,U\'ol shonage of reli.ble manpower was

gradually rompensale< b during the 1860s by lhe

incorporation of large numbers of boys some of

•

lhem as young.s six or seyen. H ing Dttn indoctri_

nate< since infancy, lhe.. . we,.. fa tical .dllereols of

lhe Taiping CilUse. Most had I>ten lakeo by foo:e in

conquerc d 1errilories. Adopted and reared by anny

personnel. especially officers, they were ' imbued

wilh ferocity ofdisposition and callCJll5roeSS of feeling,

10 execute the behests of Ihclr maSle,, . Seyeml

WOSlem 00... .. , ooted Ihem being giYC 'pri,,;_

leges beyood lheir years' in exchange kT their fidel_

ity, and were commissioDed as officers.Though T.iping regulations staled Ihal children

e re nOllO engage in acliye ntilitary dUlles, iI soon

became conlm<>n practke j ;x those ompl<>yed by

off to accompany lhem into b.llie to reload lheir

f .lId by 1861 children were Ioeing fielded ill ,-or_iocreasing nllffibcrs. Undk--y, wOO cOllSidered

Ihat boys agod hetween 12 and 15 COllstilUled 'the

br.m'51 soldiers .1Id mosl daring spirils in the s

oflhe Taiping soldiory', reckonod lllat in the spring

of 1861 • l:lrgo pall of the Taipinjl Anny coos iSle< of

more boys', while R.J. Forrest, isiling Nanking in

Ma ,h tllal year, wrole Illal 'w >ere lhere is ooe

growo_up man there .re two or Ihree boys of liom 12

to 18 years of age'. adding th.t he 'ney r saw. rcb<-I

sold; who could be called old'. An account oflhe

fighling at ChJpu in Seplembcr 1861 Sl.tes Ihat 60

per cenl of the 5,lXXl T.ipin in\'OI\-«I were 'lillie

boy, , while the enlire rearguard ora force l l sallied

oil from Nanking in February 1862 consiS1ed ofboys

agod bctween seyen and 15.

Wome .iso , Cd in the field, moS1ly ill oial



* n.:h t i d, ,* 'I l: u ..IKhr$ and COIlSINCI'O/

nnl .'DIb. bul duno/ lboe nrly Rebotlion penod

d Y blpl l 0Il1boe batl<flC'ld. 'P 'SoCd In d-femde undor llle. . _ llffinor ;. (Mm lI'Id 'umen

....., lItvo. ll:dy l t CP.... 011 1ICl ' le.,na,)

Ewlo. l a e . 1&5lI., HI,OOO 'poctcd ,_ '= RiD

'drili<d lI'Id he nl>dtr II N a n i : ~ I u

lhtfIo. 10 . . odmcc ) fWWolW aIIcr 1&51.

C.n'n....d urue'ur.

Thce.I, -d1UJi rommallltirl llJl army corps had mJy

admJni5lr.ll,,' and 113mlng ' I ' 5 ' b i l ~ ; ' : in ....m

1he Clll JlS wu C<lI1\I1\IIIded boy I 5upcrmlende1ll and a

'...n:>nlI. t. The C<lIJ'S rot,ulUnd.nl '.. lhe mosl

. . .00 military off.,.,. in tho: TI,ping I\m,y. bUl ' ell

ho: was oft.n obliged 10 l.ke s<<:<)I Id p l ~ Co a coon

oilichl, .ithe,- a ch €ng-hsi nl: (cb:ln<:<>llor). • chi€ntl€n (llCIlior _reIIry) or one of tilt 72 chih-hui

(oonU11:U1dcrs)or IOOchlallg.o:-h n (eoorll C ls). In

addnlOlL befon: IlI56 and &:...ll alief 18S8 l h o : ~ ' 'm:

r WIUDf 00Ir0TI3rIders caIlod dw cIIiallg dcocribcd

as h:n 'l l 'iClIeI3I <:ontroI mn '.uy .ff. ,...., ODeoflhrm (lM T g H aIIg 1l 5I,5&. lhe I'II1g aIIg lIld ,1M: Claog liang l86l-61) l as

'. . . . . oommandcl...- .dKfor rlrot• .. .JI.

T k ~ ....... ' 'U D I ' i dc'gItt$ of not/lilly lIld ....

-...cl lIJIdc$ of l ftICAl fU :lwnly, 1» 0 ' .

?\aslm) lIld ·Holy'). Iu W 0Illy 11110 10 ........

. . . . . . TI'p 'll uuly alf ned '31 lhalof

II' or 'tll'lll' 1tu1l311y w ~ _ only IU or ..... ft Iofthne (Ihe r H aIIg bJm3dfand hIS pr111C1paJ

U I O C I I ~ . 001 Ihc Ill suboNp.IcQlly U:5Cd 115 I

......3Al IOl monl<ll1OUS ...,.. and ' 5 • flIncry 10

SOlt<IY tho .mblll •• Bc IO-em 1856 and I ~ Ibc

......rof ' t l l lV ' 10 10ft. and by llIe...-.l

11161 In ' I 100. n......ficr IhoI1 lurnbe'

......--.:1 lIlmoM daily . . lillie ~ 10 . . . .n

or abIIly, Kllhal by , end of tho ~ . 2.700

..... hcnI.ppo,nlcd. ~ I a n ) · U ~ · ~ ~made 1Io'lp SImply 1O.mol lnC.unUIII llle pro-

IIKlOOft ofothen. . .11I10 COIIIpetml coeutlOIIIdors

o ft .....trloo/r;cd. The Oumg W g. ..110 ..... tumsclf

ooly .rpoinIed b tear hal ho m'ghl 0Ih0....-....

defoct, stOlcd lhal lb.. probfel3hon. ,,iaUy

amonS$ flung·s ....11 family and ,be de5jl'sN roun

offiCIals. '' ' ' • pnr>cipal cou.. of disaff«: on.nlOngs T.iping orTkcrs towards tbe C'nd of ,be

Rehollion, r wlling in a d e s p ~ a d l:>ct of 00_oporal;OOl at rommand 1e> C1.

Lindley ob5cn'Cd lilac by the 180605 ungs h.>d

' ' ' O l l ~ conlrol' o-a- the troop. lII>Ikr lhe corn.mand, cIcO ng Ihc '..... ,..,., «abIe OIlly Co 11M:

l-b 'nJy K'1lI h moclf or 10 tho C<lIl'IIn>Ilder·1IHiI1Cf

...m thoR' ''1$ one.. Ccn.amJy InOlI lllo6< openl.

IIIi' II I . . . . .1).. _ ''CIC xtlna: all bul ,ndcpcad

. . lyoflllC CIflIl<II by I . F lIUdly, ill 186l, HUlIg

.lCmflU<llo nJIb I... lR'nd by docbn lllihal hence-

forth , ... Ta ,

AIWI)· '3 5 In be rd'clftd 10. lhe

, , tilly AlWly KIld . . . . ' 5 'Ilo).., Troops'.

.......I<'h. tho Olll lg ,, aIIg IIOICd. 'mode tllC1ll all ,nlo

JI'-' oo-•. . . c byJoMn. . - - r . 1 1 6 ' J - ~

•



his personal uoops.oo Slopped us liool calling lhem

Ollf own'. lndependem action lht . .by bec.me lheor·

e1icalty a lreasooab' otrence.

Wesl<rncrs in ·hipinl: ,cr,-Icc

Foreign .ympalhiS< rs aoo adHnrnrers were 10 be

foooo se,, ·ing wilh lhe Taipings liool 1 53. mosl

ollen as anill..rislS. Th..ir nwnbers 1 ' ,'er large.

probably because lhe Taipings nad insutlici..m fWlds

lO pay lr.em regularly. bul a lC....' were _ n . h....d.

killed or capillfCd in '·inually '1'1)' engagem..nt in

KiJng:su provi , during 1 60--64. ond perhaps as

many as 2lXl panicip.red in lhe och-.nce ag.inS

Shangh.i in January 1862. A uoop of abou1 100

based al N.nking - a mixlure of Englishm..n. h.l·

ians, Irishmen. Americans .00 Oln.rs. cOllllll.lllded

by an English seam:lll IIJmed Sa'-.ge - iSled theNing Wang in s ssfully defendino; Tsingpu

ag.inS Wards E 'l'1 -Viclorious Army in 1860. When

Sav.ge was k.illed .n.cking SungkJano; lhal AuguS .

an American named Peacock s ,--....<led him nain·

ino; 'high ran\;' .mong Ihe T.ipings by 1861.

k....0I1] Jam ,,} 1861.Nol< . , ,,,,,,,,/Shapeof, te hats.

Uoo y. In. beS ·koown of lhe foreigners 00

foughl for In. T.iping cause. recorded Ihal some

even became ofliccrs in lhe regular Taiping Anny.

including. Corsican .00 • Sardinian .nny officer

named Moreno. wOO anained Ihe rnnI:s of colooel

Ifro••h,,,,i) and major P tiwly in oneof the Chl/ng

Wang s cOIps. An American. Henry Burge ,ine. whoor In. end of 1862 had briefly commanded 1M EYer·

Viclorious AJmy. was - e n made. ,ng.

Burge'-ine 00 Lindl..y .lIer him. boIh at

t..mpled 10 es1ablish foreign-offioered T.iping uruts

or tn . Chunlt Wang s he.dquarters or Soochow· lhe

A . . rico.Taiping Legion' .nd the oyaland Failh·

ful AUAmary Legion' re:spe<:li ,ety. These units were

uipped with Western firearms and artillery in

intit.lion of the E\A bill tbey mel wllh linle suxess

owing lO tn . reluct. of local comm.nders tosupply lhem Wilh ,gh men or suflkiem firearms

(lhe l.OCO men Burge'·ine had drilled by October

1863. for insrance. had only 250 muskets be w' n

In.m). Each also SlO' an . .med >:learner lOr lhe

T.iplngs (the Kajmv .lId lhe EVA's Firefly fe'pee·

liycly). tl>oogh bolh we. . lOS wililin • i:\< months.

Burge i ,,'s K,lj w beino; blown up in aclion Ihrough

lhe clumsiness of ils drunken crew.



TIMPERIALISTS

Chi ,,', milil 'ry esl.blislunem • passive, parochial,

Jk and .00> 011 OUtdated· '..., In. product of lh.

coonlly'••-m;Utal)' cullUre. It comprised boIh .gu_WaM irregul>r troops, (he f , ,, con,i,ling oflhe

Eighl BJJUl.... Ipo·ch }.lId lhe Army of 1M Green

SiJ.nd:ud III..yingj, aDd lhc I.ller oflhe milili. (I\ IM.lien;, Bra ,. ping) and. lale•. 'Bra'-. Ballalion.'

yllng-Jing . The in:ldeqU3Cy oflhe regular elemems

:I S confirmed early in lhe Rebellioo. and by (he lime

the Taiping. we... mlly crushed il was J,mg-ying

,nidi bore Inc bn l oflne figlUing.

The Eight Banners

Th. origin oflhe Eight Ba ne. . daled to I60J. hen

Nurhoehu. fOOr.dtf of 11K- Manchuri,n Ch ;ng dy_

m;l;) organised his troops imo tour un;l under

bannolS coloured respecth eiy yellow, while. red and

bU,. In 1615 ll>ese units were eoch Sjllil in 1 0> 0.

whence the £ighl Banners. The flags of the four new

w1its had coloured borders. ach Batlre IUJlly

comprised Ihre. kusai or di\-isions • Ol>e .ach of

MJnchus. Mongols and Chinese. bUi IlK- Eighl Ban·

ners ; IS essemially a Manchu army. siDee MallchU S

oUlnumbered It><: Mongols and Chinese by some

lhree 10 one. Indeed. in the l lIh cemury allli ing

Manchus were oominally enrolled in lh. Banners. as

ere descewhms of lOOse Mongol and Chinese

BanneffiWn no had panicipoled in lhe MallChu

CO 'llleSl of Olina.

By lhe l lIh cemu/) Ihis lK-redilary sokliefy.

loough pro iding 10 mlmbers. 00 longer consli-

lUled an ell.....1i mililary foroe. Whereas

Bannermen had originally been c.:walry. wilh all al·

lowance suflkiem 10 maintain belweell t luu and six

00 many 001 had 110 oorse al all. They receiYed

minimal p yand often had 10 wort ill chilialljohs lOr

lheir helil. ,,_1. mUSl.ring only occasooaUy fer pic_

luresque charades that masqueraded as drill.

Their Slrenglh appears 10 h.: , been aboul a

quaM of million lm n. of wllOm some 50 or 60 per

cent were slationed Wilhill lhe province of Chihli,

eilher ill or near Peki . and WlOlher 20 per cent in

lhe principal walled lowns of Olher province•. The

,\filila,,,manda,in «ili.ga gua,J_po PIr orag aph by.hJr. T1ronu ,

•

•

- -

-

t



...m.iDder w.. .. di st ribm.d in Manchuri. .lId

TurkeSl.n. Banner g.rrisons omside Peking con_

sistM of In. Chi-fu ChI< Fang, lhe galTisons ofllle 25

cilics ne.rest 10 Peking, tOia/ling some 4O,lXXl men,

lnoSily infanl ) ; the LJng.<:h In Ch Fa/Ig orgalTisons

of tile Imperi.1 Mausolea. comprising IZ() men:

.00lhe Ko.,Mng Chll Fang,

In. 25provincial

garri.

sons, three of wllich we ... marine est.bJishmems.

The largest g.rrisons consisted of 4.5,lXXl Banner·

men, tn. sm.lleSi of a lew hundred.

Tileorelic.lly each kltsai comprised. fU-I g

(Iieutenant.g'lleral) conullanding lh banalioll'S (or

1 0 in a Mongol kustJi) calledjllian or chn-ia. each of

~ men. Each oon.lion w, , comm:lllded by •

Is an-ling (colollel).nd , ..... organised inlo i com-

panies. caliM niru in M.nchu or ISo-ling in Chinese.

ucompany

as comm.ndedby a major (.IsocaOed a Is<> Ung . The Is<> Ung Il>erefore oominally

comprised - 00 men. but was so often under>lrenglh

Ibal in 1851 was genernJly considered 10 number

only 150, alld in reolily ofIe ll comprised 11 moo

Iban 40 or so Lower ranking company offICe' were

the fang.y or caplain, lllehsiao-dl 1 hslao or lieUlen·

.nl nd h e Ung_ls ul or corporals. Pri,- .tes were

generally called ma-chia, teclmically 0 term indic.t-

ing armoured canlrymen. lhougb In.re were 01,.,

).wg_)l1 ping. supernumeraries aw.iting appoimment10 the ranks oflbe ma-<:hia as ncancies occurred.

This official slmclure had linle relennee 10 he

Y Bannermen were dimibuted in lhe field, sc.l_lered in garrisons of\ arying sizes. Those of 3,lXXl or

more Ban n were usll:llly commanded by •

gelleml bearing tile li lle chiang-chtln (rendered inEnglish SOW CeS as Tanar General ), who in all

milita ) maners ooHanked th. \'ireroy of wbkl>e\.....

province he as posled 10. Sm.ller garrisons of .lIOut

LOCO

B:mnermen cameunder

a depuly li l.na01_gelleml ifu fU-I llng), .nd tbose Ihal re smaller SlilJ

were led by. commandant (ch c g_shQu}1tj.

T h Pcki e IIH .crmtn

The nucleus of In. Balmer .III1Y lbe six divisioos

based in the capilat. comprising Ihe Imperial BOO;-.

guard (Ch in-chtin ) Ing), lhe Vanguard Di,·ision

(Ch icn_feng ying). llIe f1.nk Division (H,,-chpw

yi g). the Light o;.'-;sion (Ch ,,,-jui) ing), lbe Fire

arms Di\ 'isioo (H o-<:hl ) ing)arod

tn. Paid Foo:eIH,iao-ch lying). The Imperi.1 Bodyguard - a ,._

.11)' fOn:e of nearly 3,OCO men - a s more a ceremo

nial unil than a fullClional one. The \-anguard or

t.eading Division, totalling 1.9D---1,CW infantl)', nl

Ibe 1S-16,(O).srrong Flank Divisionlbal comprised

infanll)' .nd c,,'.-ally, we ... bolh recmited atllOng the

Manchus aM Mongols of all Eight Banners. The

Light Dh'ision 100alled 3-4,lXXl OIinese infatllry aM

Mongol ca\·alty, ....hU. lhe 8,lXXl-Slroog fire.ons

Division, again made up of Manchus .Dd Mongols

from Y Banner, was organised imo Irmer nl

Omer unit• • fer tile defence of Peking .Dd ice in

In . fI.ld respecli\-.Iy.

Finally tt.>re : t S the Paid fot<:e, regarded by

W.Slerners as only corps wllich b my

d:l.im 10 be considered as .n army'. Made up of 500 '

66,lXXl men, tllis was a predominamly cavall)' fcro:

(its Cblnese name ac ,lIy me.ns C,,'3.Iry), of which

aboot an eighlh were Mongols .nd the reSl , Ighly

Tmping (righij in ac ion against ,'uan_lion milil a.



H,e A r , ~ of the Gre, Stnlldord

Unlike tile Eigh' B.otlets, tlli, .rmy (in 'ClUJlity 18

individual P'O inci:ll armies lha Yalied considerably

in size) consis1ed emirely of Cllinese 1r0000s. By tile

J9Ih <:emury it had become eqUJlly ineffectiYe, prin_

cipaUy tllrough a lad of regular training, in.< equale

pay, widespread addietion lO opium (equally rife

.t1>OIII - B.nnermen) 000 tile corruplion of tile YaSm.jority of il. off In p.nicular, oft , . ts wen:

guilly of filching a considerable ponion of lbeir

soldiers' pay ( . practice kool'TI .. . 'squeezing'), 000 of

foiling to keep un;ls up 10 sl ,nglb in order thol lhey

could pocke1lhe pay of abs.-. tees. hldeed, some nits

ere as much .s lwo--tllirds below lbeir offlci.1 iu

and by the J&lIs mosl were.l 1=1 40 or 50 I 'r cenl

ndersltenglb, i th an eS1imaled 20 per cent of the

men in many un;ls either too old or too feeble 10

fight When , , 'ry. number. were made up ytemporarily taking on Yag.boo<k and ,, sams,

Chine plus officers. drawn f,,,, all Eight Banners.

Desp;1. ilS name, Ihi. di,-isioll included m'lchJock·

armed ,. aIry t b e Slm puying(a mobile security

force), bUi 1M majorily were iooeed infamry. respon

sible fer policing the capit.1 .00 guarding its wall,.

OIher units included the Ung.t.sin ying (the

Mausole. garrisoo forre) • nd tile 5,SOO-suong Y nMing r,,,,n Di,-i,ion wllich prolocled the Summer

Patace There wo, also • p :u < of SOOlI: 550 .nillery

pieces, tlloogh less Ihan halfof tile.. . were moomed

00 carriages.

~ ~ ~ A funn r Peking Banner di,'i5ion, establishi. < in

'_ 1861. was the Sh -.<:hiying. Usually referred 10 as

Ibe Peking Field Force. ilS name aC1ually meall'S

'Diyinc Mechanism DiyisiOll', an aUusion 10 In.

modern Weslem forearms Wilh which il Wa<l equip-

ped. This unil '' ' unique in lhat it ''''' 'drilled andmanoeu,-red aft .. . Ille European fashion', wilh •

nucleus of Banne ,, Irained by the Brilish .1

Ti.nlsin. Initially .oout 3,()(X).stl\)ne<, it n:.d in_creased to some 6 lXXl me1l by 1865.

ulfand half Manchus and Chinese. h .lso il>Cluded

orty 7.lXXl inf,nlry matchlock ,n. 100 sword_and·

buckle ,.., and 100 .nilleris ,.

In addition In lDese princip 1 di,isions ,e era;

Olh;. , units 'ere based in Peking. The mo:sl impor_

I,nl a> rhot: PlI chun y n or FOOl Force. 100.lIing

scrne 15 lXXl Mooch ,. 4.500 Mongols and 3.100



0 direcl conl ,1 of the bulk ofllle p ,vince's foro:s

excepl Ihrough offtcerS web billl9>lf. I addition.

lhe wmg-ping. I'i·/II .00 W 'emor alike Iud pi

IIDder lheir 0 <1 direct com ,1, which 11.,>Ugh sm.1I

omits were Ileyenheless bigger tha tOOse of any

Olbcr Green Standard comlll:ll><kr in tile provi e.

The ine itable oUlco , of su fragmemalioo ofcommand was disuni,y .nd a l:lcl< of co ' alion.

l he T u.n_lien

These ere mage militias, con,isting of men armed

mainly wi'h SjlC.lf S, polearms alld (.fter 1854 •

L W .Iso had m:lIchlocks) who drill<>:l in their spare

ime. They were raised purely f O lhe prolectioo of

In.ir \<11 collununnies, and were prc ared to uK.. on

Imperi.lUSls as weU as Tnipings when the Ile< d arose.

l1\eir main ,I was in k.. ing '''Y small bands ofmarauders or bandits. The n ,n· ien lISlIJlly com·

prised 200-500 men nl moSl, organised in companies

of 100 and Stlb,ullilS of 25 and fiYC Ihoogb '''ral

vUIagcs together sometime' mUS1ered a 'large IUiln

Ibal coold flekl in excess of UXXl men. Towns had

simU , mUitia uni's, called Iholl ping.

u ~ .nd Yune-yine

Raised to compensale / CO lhe do.·flciencies of provin.

cial Green Stand.rd unilS, Ibe olunl knm'n as

) mg or 'Bra s'. who drilled d.ily .nd receiyed much

higher pay tball Green Standard lmopS. con'tituled a

l rge pan of most Imperialist armies by Ihe lale1850:s. Financed and StlSl.lined either by lbe reo

sources of lhe local genlry or by offoci.lly.sal>ctioned

local taxes, they were raised Oil a temporal)' ba'is

whelle' r tile need arose. />loSl ng units comprised

oniya 1eI hundred men, lbough some 100alled II

oyer LtO:> Organisalion IOltmed 'imilar lines to

that of Grc. .n Standud units excepl Ih., ciyilian

o rills we ... f l mly appointed 10 coounaoo

lhem.

The )'Iing-ying or 'Bra,,,, Ba .lions' con'titUled aloEicai progression in lhe de\'elopmem of ng

forres, becoming coosiderably larger. mo... perm.·

nen, and Stlbjeclto mo... rigorous lection processes

.nd • higher 'tandard of training. From tbe C.lrly

JI An.... I ... .. I n , .. J i,.., pol ._ ... ,.., =



18: O< lhe Emperor had commiSlSiooed nu roos

pro iDciJl offo:i:lIs lO 11I1se ,uch unl15. The ,n were

recroiled from the local populalion nd ,upple_

,med by delachmem, drawn from exlSllng lImn_

i ..... y,mg and G ,n Slalldard unils. One of lhe

e.rliesl. and lhe moS Impon.nl. , ,.. lhe /siang

ehiin. org.nl d in Hunan by Tseng Koo_f.n in 1&53.h pom-ed so sue<:essful lh.l ,Imil.1r annies were

raised .Iong IdemlcalllDes In Olhtr pro'..inces includ_

Ing Anh,, '; (lhe /utli,h,, . 1862), Chekiang 1M

Chlt--ch,m. 1860), Kiangsi (lbe Chiang_d m. 1 55

lId Szrchewan (lhe Ch',,,,n_e ,m. 8 6 J ~ II .,.. lht

/siang-chlln. or Hun.n Army. lh.l QfI1he Imperial

im firsl major iclory .. r lhe T.Iplngs in 1&54, alld

ill; . ll.ICC>:Sses lhere.f1 , .n t lhal from 1860, follow_

Ing lhe Taiplngs' decl';.... ovenhrow oflht Soulhern

Imperial Barrack, omside Nanking, },,,,g_ying.rmies ecl;psed IIIe lrndiliooal Green Slalld.rd and

B.nner fOI= and were considered no l only p.n of

lhe regul.r mJliury esl.bllshmem, but il mOS1 1m_

pollant pan. Tseng himself ....·emu.Uy IJ came 1>0 _

eroor_general and supreme commander on the Io\>.'er

Yongtze, respon,Ible for 001 only lhe Hunan Army_

which uhim lely gn. W 10 owr 1.lO,COJ ,n _but also

for Li Hung_cban ,s celcbl1l1ed Hu.I Army (60_

LindJ<ryo depie'; of Ii>.o;,k ifieJ Mole of, 11.m •. n-h eh ,he To'p' ltsf&mCd Q uries of circle.

brisll;.g n,-,h spears '0pmrCCf ,h,;, ,wle _sQgm ' Impenal ,rowllry.

7o.COJ men) .00 Tso Tsung_l .ng , ehu Army

(40,OOJ ,n by mid

The b., ic unit of .U such .rmies WllS ll1e )'ing of

500 men and six oft....rs. The ying consiSled of the

eh'in-ping or banalion comm.nder s gu.rds (72 men

organised in six pioIOOtl'i or of J2 men each, WiUl

lwo of llle plaloon, 'lulpped Wilh lighl gun,) andfour sh<lQ of 100 ,n (organised in eight plaloons, six

of 12 men .nd lwo _ equipped wllh jlngaJl , _ of 14:

lhe rem.Ining 18 ,n included. deputy commander,

five orderU.., and • oook 10 each shaO). In a<\d;lion,

liJl coolies ere altached 10 each )'ing. used 10

replace C ,.111es In lhe rank, .. . lhey o<curred. The

ying was comm.nded by . y i n g - k ~ m . •nd lbe c m-

panies by skao-klmn. Brigades of belw n two . .Id •

doren or moreying came under lhe cOlllJll.lJ'<l of a

r'.,,,g-Ung. woo n.me lhe brigade u,,,,,ily lOOk.

while lhe comm,nd of 1\0. or more r\arg./ing consli_

lU1ed • chiln under. la-skl/ai.

The ;n;li,1 recmllS we , mostly formers, prefer_

ably from • ~ i l loc.l;ty In order lh.l lhey ,Ilould

know 0 ' allOlher. To ensu , loy.lly, shao-kum,

were responsible KJr enlisling lhelr O TI men: ying_

bmn ,imil.rly <bose lheir o....n shao--k.,an. I'.,ng-Ung

lMIr mm )'ing-kuan. and lhe Ia_skl/ai hi , lung-ling.

Personal allaclunenl ....ere so mons lhal when a ,mil

coounJnder died IUs men ere lliually dls.banded,and If he was lran,ferred lhey were lran,ferred Wilh

him. laler rec,rnilmem beeaolle less , I liyc: size_

•



S1<<<h ~ K I ·< 'PU>II# I>< h8; .. . r. .ofT ; ; (I.r,) .,,01

ri. ,

Jails 'concealed bellOalh ,heir flowino; locks', so lhal

sbould lhe need arise lhey couk , by. rapid lon ,re,

resume lhe guise ofloy.llmperialis s.

In Iheir dress lhey demonSlratc'd a marked pref.

erence fco' brighl coloors, u:sually in the form of

100Ied sill.:s and salins; 'heir hwdry harlequin garb'

repuledly Slmck 'error into lhose lhat it. Some·

limes Kwallgsi and KwanglWlg Yelerans, by comraS ,

are recorded dressed emifely in sober black. om ·

claUy the Manchu cuSlom of bunoning gal1lloents at

lhe right .ide ''as .bandoned in fa our of the Ming

i ar mad. paf b<J.a dgil •.. h a ff broJs andp< aFl JX M<d, d alilil. bied , ,he r

adding ,ha iI o.t.,

ar,. ,<dOl>guOi •oxc ,j , ,

h l p l l l ~ sTIle Taiping, abandoned lhe charaelerislic Manchu

sh:r. O<I head and piglail. .nd .110 ,'0<1 lheir hair 10

i'JU' I ..... lhe whole head - lhe Imperialisls

reI Mred 10 Ihem as ch ,mg-man-rsei or 1ong.haired

bandils' (rendered by Weslern OOse rs as 'Chang.

mow.'). II ''as worn eilhe-r Ic<>sc, lied in a kool on 101'

of lhe head or lwisled imo a I h i c ~ braid lhal was

p1.iled wilh red or yellow .ilk . lId woond roo,1<I lhe

lrad Wilh lhe end hanging dcmn l ike. l.ssel .1 lhe

left shoolder. (The especi.lly loog hair of lhe Miaou,

,In, ,om Ihis w.y, was said 10 h,,,,, b«n lhick

enoogh 10 funn 'an innllnerable son of helme1 lhal

00 sword can penelr.le'.) Occasionally dispenSJlioo

''' ' gramed allowing cen.in groups· .lOCh as lhe

sailors of Ihe reorg.nised riyer·fIefl in 1853 and

elemenlS of lhe populo ion of Soachow in 1860- 10

rela; lheir piglails, bul yooe else daring 10 do so

'as beheaded 001 of hand. Ne ,nheless, ,-ernI

soon:e.'l slale lhal many Taipings relained their pig_

RESSANDWEAPONS

ab\;: numbers of brayes in lhe 18 l< were 'Clually ex ·

Taip; gs woo had been c.ptured or wbose leaders

Ind defected.

W'le,ways aoo paddy.fiel made lhe coumry.

side in which lhe Rebellioo 1001< plxe largely unsuil·

arc leo ca,,,Iry, ,., y,mg-ying lroop. were predomi.

,11y inf.nlly. The Hunan Army's flrsl ca\'alryunis (org.nised in )'ing of250) were only eSiablislled

in 1858. and It>< HUJi Army in 18M. Ho ' ,,,,.,

'.., ying were specifICally inlended lOr n ,1lI ser·

Yice. They w.... organised in len shan (eacb of one

armed jUllk and • gunboat) plus lhe )'ing.Jamn's

lorgor ,sse . Tseng', army before Nanking in Janu·

lWY 18 1 inclllded 28 ,ch '.-erying. while lhe- Huai

Anny had al leas 12 by Augusl 1863.



apparemly limil .d mainly 10 Yel ....n unils. In lhe

early Sl.ge, of tile RebelliOfl mosl were .ill1er Y 'lbw,

edged in blue, green, red, bl.:I<;k or wllile. or red edged

in yellow, bUl as T.iping numlx-rs inc ...ased Oilier

combin lio , ...... inlroduced (Ille Chung Wang s

men while uniform, edb ,d in o...nge). On lhe

br.asl . .Id back were whil. palches (one sou , sa)Slhey ...... Y '11ow) - a + in. square f O prh1lI and •

5_in. square for corpo... I according to lhe rai-p ing

Ch,m·mu bUl according 10 piclori.1 sou ,... actuaily

aboo11 lke Ihal size. The bearer's 11l.l l; alld unil ......

inscribed on lile from I ' lch and 'ooly warrior on lhe

back. Such P lclle, were also some1inleS om on lhe

'Yely<by dress of men wilOOUI uoifonm. Soldiers

wen: funller idemified by • ,mall wooden or brass

dog.lag su,peoo..-..I from Ihe W.i'l . , ,'ing llle bear·

er's me, . ..nk and unil.Olh.r lhan for uoiforms, ollly offi rs ...... per·

mined 10 wear ) 1101>.'. The mosl SC1Iior <>re a long,

often .okle-I.nglh, gown. a jaekel, and • cape.lik.

1l00d ) 'Ilol>.'. Th. jackel and g<Mll w..... often

embroidered wilh d ...gon, and ,I. lal embl.m,

while lh . bood frequently had • pie , of jewellery

abO\'e lile forehead. Off ,rs n.xl down in ...n

'Ub'lilUled a coloured purpl•. bille or a lmo

.ny shade of red, plus. y.llow jackel and .illler • red·

borderrd )l'UOW hood or • y.llow.bordered rrd one.omc.rs belol>.' lhem had only lhe differen.ced hcOO

and lhe }'ellol>.' jachl of lheir inunedial. superiors.

•nd junior grades had jU'1 lhe j.ackel (somelimes wilh

a broad scar1oe1 border). Senior off , often dressed

<IO\o. n in ocliOfl 10 00 >e'ing singled olll by Ihe

enemy. One is recorded as ha ing SUbslilUled • black

lurban b hi, coo,pieuoo, } < 11ow ODe nOlher as

Iw';ng dre,sed in wry common ..101hes when going

oUllo figbl'. Eno III. Chung Wangcuslom.rily <>re

only • quilled scark'ljockel and a scarloe11urb.n.Th. ,jorily of Taipings w. . . . . rmed wilb no

more lhan an .ighl. 10 IS-ft pear .nod a knife or

somelimes a s,,<>ni Some subSl;Wled. I'Ole.rm, arod

a ld bow•. Fire.rm, ere .1 firsl uncommon

alld initi.lly comprised m lcblock, .nod jing.II,. TIle

from.opeoing, and ouler jacl<e1s we ... supposed 10 be

OfIly hip-Ienglh. bUl picmrrs from Ih.l l ime ' li ll io

exi e demon lrole 111.1 such regulation, w.re

only 'Y'I,modieaiiy obse,,'ed.

Only officials .nd soldie , w..... al\cM'ed 10 wear

red jackm, lhough mos1 T.ipin , wu>: • red lUrn.n

or I>o-ad-sealf. considered lhe diSlinguishiog marl: ofa pri - l. in lheir army . Yribw lUrn.nS w. , also

worn somdimes (by fmule Taiping soldiers, f O

inSl.nce nd by Ihe S/ )II Wallg s bodyguards). as,

wry oceasiornlly, ...... lUrn. in Olher colours.

Lindley considered lhe dress of • lypieal T.iping

soldier II<; • red l>ead-scalf, bla<k silk lroo ,,,, (oIlier

accounts m.mion red, blue or while Ifoose ,). • sa.sII

round lhe wai'l , and a close.ftlling. gene...Uy red,

hip.l.nglh jacket SI>oes ...... usually l.ken 0/1 , and

Ihe 1..,.,,,,,,, w.... rolled up or lucked inlo lile waiSl·band when in 'CliOfl. In lile summer a ...w coolie

II:ll added.Unifonm, compri,ing • coloured lunic wilb a

comrasling edge om '.. . Ih.ir e, Cl)'wy cloll ,

wen: nOi common .mong Ihe T.ipings, alld w.....

D T.gofQ TQ ping 'gQ.d SlQ.dacd_bro,· ,Imm lite biltJiltg f

L i M I . . , · ~ T;_Ping Tien

KwOO: 11< ' M·hQ FOIC<SICQ71s l l

....d ss·,ycsi<>lt of h<

dmg ,,_hal, ~ o < l h i n gIx ,,,,,. milr< and Q

l o o J ~ r o p · . .IIedh.. I ~ 5 4 ) d<senlx. i as r<d

.h:oc teJM·,.,h · iQ.d<mbmid ,.·.



I ~ J ~ f D I mandarinsand,oMers. mm ,iI<1lI... ,,,<il loodon No,......YQU II , T il. on IhcrigAI anin'd in b i c ~ _stripedwi10M coso,me.TIIei. fwnc ioII was ,,,

In g. ';'unmryby ,Ii , jld p p< omntY,

sho s ndgrs ,lali , ,as w Ios Iiy 'i 'l>fi . Orlcs nil , Itisju'.TiIJ . oPfH ar IQlom-.bun Bam ,,, and 'N'-'......., ' m n ofIltr (lAw,mu Olip/UJ , sta d1M IN - .. 001 01><>.

10 in ead.<>{I w, .regim,n W ,,,,,,i. /858).

lJller w Ibc English name lOr (b;, t al.cli /ang, • of y. large.calibre ,.hlock wilh • 1xI,_

up to len II I ng lhal was erewed by 1wo lO r

rrcn and fired fiom • reS _ usually. lripod or •

1ll.lII s shoulders; lis shol weigbod beN ,, fuur

' and Woo pound<; and iI had • range ofal leas1M yank. Wesler firearms wen: ocquired fiom

:>boll 1853. and by tile 1800s ......, fooM in consider_

,.,.. numbers; some .uthor;ties specifICally .mibute

Taip;ng ,u;:cesses in 1&57 .lId 18({1to (heir aequisi.

tkol of sizo.bIe numbers of fureign arm,. 10 October

1861 a qu,n of llle defenders of Soo<bow pos_ foreign muskeTs and rifles, a. did nearly a lhird

oflhe foo:e Ihal anacted Tsingpu .00 Sungki. in

1:Jy 1862. On lbe olher h.nd, lhe T.iping .rmy

IIJllXO Ching Shanghai in January 1861 had 001 more Jnl ooe muskel belween len men.

Th. Taipings' ~ <:anlrymcn - often riding

,i h lhdr ~ s rulher lMn lh.ir loes in ll>e st i r rup-

Wele alTlled principally Wilh lances alld fire.l1lI'S, lbe

boer • mixlur. of lighl matchlocks, Weslern mus·

ke1s, piSIOls and ' ' ' re oIYers wr..'1l lhey coukl gel

d..m (delighling esprciaUy il l 'huge double·ba.relled

piSlois', according 10 Lindley). How.,. ,., in lheir

mosI celebrnled >Clion. when jusl 100 fOOled 11«'

EVA regiment. at Waissoo in I8& , lhey were armedcny Wilh a . ,oo,j in each hand.

~ IIll[l<'rl.llsb

Eyc.}wy Chinese <:IOIhe. were sober in colour

mostly blue, whil', brown and grey. Like lhe

Taipings, Imperi.lisl sokliers oorm.lly wure dyiUan

.nire under lheir uniform jackels, loough somelimes• unil ,.. also proyi<\ed Wllh lrousers .ndlor shins.

mwlly blue or while. The uniform j.ckel, sleeyed or

.leeyeless, w mosl commooly blue edged in red or

red edged in while, lhough numerou. OIher combi ,,·

lioos were worn. (Green Slar.dard IfOOps ' in

1855 ure blad: edged in red; brown edged in pink

; IS urn by Bam rn ,n alll>e Taku Forts il l 1858;

H i Army lroop. irt 1862 OIl> purple edged irt

yellow; and Peking Bannermcn .1 Pall.kao il l 1860

'Ufe yellow edged in black.)Adrculor <:IOIh paleh .00u1 10 ins acfOSS, us l1y

while. w generally worn on lbe bre.SI and back of

lhe jackel, slaliding oOJ so prominenlly lhat one

obse ,,, hWlIouroo.ly 'uggeSled lhey were 'possibly

desigoed tor lhe enemy 10 im .11'. Upon th = w....

inscribed deuils of Ibe wearer'. unit Some1ime.

lhese deuils we , PUI dire<:1ly 0010 lhe jackel (lhere

is one record of lhis from 1860 .nd il became .n

increa.ingly common praClke in lhe 1 8 7 : s ~ In com

mon Wilh lbe T.ipings, the Imperi.lisl' wore •wooden dog-lag .1 lhe bell. It 00' lhe soldier'•

•



former wore predomil1JJuly yellow. dul< blue and

scarlel in 1861: 00 Imperiali'llroopS in Kw.ngmng

in 1854. Cbekiang in 1860 and fukien in 1861 all

wore while. Chinese piclures fi orn lile l ime often

ponmy Ilunan and l1uai Anny soldiers wearing lhe

rooOO ,ilk hal of regul.r lroops. so this may b ,,

come inlo use .longside lhe lurban as lile imponanceof)ung.ying lroop 10 lhe conflic1 became acknowl_

edged in official circle,.

Otlkers wore a loose. generally purplish. gauze

jackel '.. . • beJ\'ily-embroidered 'I'l lhon robe' of_

len replaced by • plain lIile one for evct)wy use).

On lhe front and back oflbe jacke1 was a fOOl_squ.re

silk JXlnel. embroidered ilh different lype of bird

lOr different grndes of civiUan malldarin. or animals

lOr mililary rnen. Funber dislinclion, of rank were

indicaled by lbe quality of lhe belt_clasp and lhecolour oflhe decorali , bunon fixed 10 the crown of

lhe hal. S}mbol, of p:lJ1icular meril • } Ilow

jackel. rmined 10 only 50 Of (JJ senior mandarins,

and belween one and ll1ree peacock fealhers wom on

lhe h.l. On campaign mosl wore armour 10 denOle

lheir SlalUs . lId carried at lhe bell a quiver com.ining

a S -cif , number of .rrows according to lhe weards

rank. Armour . ., of silk or COllon ro,ffed wilh silk

floss. quilled 10 • Iltickness of up 10 lwo ins .00

reinfOfUd ;lb melal Iud,.

Like lheir T.iping cout\lerp.ns. Imperiali'l sol

diers' arms varied. Regulalions .pparemly required

lllJl each man had a shield. bow. matcltlock. spear

and 1\0,.., s ords, bill in realily lhe majorily were

equipped Wilh 10 more lllan a . ,,0Id .nd a pole.nn

Of a 'pear _ ft loog for ca alry. or to 14 ft for

inf .mry - and evell many of lhese in >COr

co,ldilion (Weslem descripliot\' of Cllinese arms

in, riably in<luded lhe 0Id nmy ). rung.ying or ·

ganisatioll allo .j fey aboU1 half 11>< men of eacllbaualion O be .nncd Wilh a Old or a ,ar. and

about • fifth of tllem eacb willi matchlocks and

jingolls. re.lily ll>ey ...rely had ll1i, many (lindley

reckoning lhat 1101 0 ... ill ten' had a matchlock).

In Ille right h..mds lbe 00.... w' ' ' ti ll con,idered a

more effe<:l; weap tllJn the matcillock. but tOOse

name. age. binbplace. unil. and date of enlistmenl.

DIller parapt...rnalia normally .nached 10 lhe belt

in<luded apu1'St. a lobacco-pooch. a chopslick-case

and • fan-case. Every ImperialiSl soldier possessed.

pipe and • fan (ca,-.Irymen carried lilem in lheir

boolS). plu, carried an umbrella across hi, back.

Soldiers had to provide lheir 0''1' foolwear. usu_ ly fell-s<Jled sUppers. rc laoed by wooden_sok--d

shoe, lOr l l wealiler. in summer lhey Ore bare feel

or sHaw or lealher sandal,. Ca,...lrymen. oo.... , r.

in,-.riably wore blad anar boo,,'.

For head =. Green SlOnd.rd lroopS and

Bannermen wore a round silk bal. wllh a black

lurned_up brim .00 red crown. Bann;.·r ca ,lry ,n

allJch;,d 10 i15 crown a JXlir of lail, . ,ariously de_

scribed .., belni; Cal. fu<. manen. mink or squirrel.

Bra,, , wore a lUrnan. Wilh lheir pigrail wound roundtile head benealh il. wbUe milil; troops are oormJUy

described .., wearing bamboo COOIje.1IJ1S. somelirnes

painted. Turn.ns wen: of a stand.rd colour in each

unit. In Kiangsu in 1862_63 lhe Hu.i Army lrOOjls

wore mostly bit..... red or bbck ltlrn.n,: braves fi orn

Sz.eche......n and ¥W\Il.ln Xovi s operaling in lhe

B.mfl( f ma in X j_ af

Ta.t., IJ A ); sr /861).fi»m R. S...mnOl ,Nar ,;, . of...., N flh

Cbina C.mp:aign of t800

/861 .B a l j m ~ l 1

p ~ p a d <>figli, o.fO l ...he. ,- ,,<sa } .



compeICI1 In ilS use l ~ n d d O come fiom nnnhern

China 001 lne SQUlhern pro,-In s wn.re mosl nr In.

Rrl'cllioo look place. Banoer ca,..1ry in pankular

spi cialised in an:hery. e lilough many.1>o carried

llJlclIIoct.. Some ca,-.Iry unils equippedwih • cemin number or jingalls; .1 lhe Bailie of

Cli.ln@;iaw.n in 1800 lhey were eilher carried slungbe1w.... lWo 1101 SOs SQ ll1al lhe ulpOO SlaOO lrniled

aImg lhe ground. o. dlsmamled. wilh In. jingall

carried on one horse .nd ilS s(atid on al Olller.

Tile im.oducllon o f W ~ s e r n fireanns beg.n o

small scale during lhe 1850:s. but commcllCed in

eameSl from 1861. signlficamly l a l ~ lhan f O Ihe

T.iping•. Enn lhen lhey w..... limlloo principally 10

lne Hunan 000 Hu.i .nnles. The I l ~ r had .1 leaS

100 muskels,oo rilles by Sepleml>e. 1862. 10.lXXl

by mid 1863 and 15.lXXl by spring 18M. i Hung_chang wrole Ibal he eycmually II3d m .m muskc1s

r ingcompared 10 lhe HUllJn Army . 120. (Spe.rs

.00 'Chinese lances'. or lridems. Slill b oulnum_



•

boored muske1s among lhe SO,lXXl HutIJn Anny ,n

encamped before Nanking in JUI. . 18 1.)

Less con,,,mionaJ wealX flS in use 00 ooth sid<s

indoded m:lgazine.f111oo cro:s.>bows capable of firing

eiglll10 len boks in rapid succession: ,hIs, usually

in lh .. ml of barbed .,rows fined ,jlh a rm:wod

propellJm; ,, '< e,_IxIg'<. comaining abool a poor<

o gunJ CM d; aM fined wjlh a IU . .; and slinkpol .••nhen...... , j filled Wilh a oombUSlible subsIJnce

which g;l t o asphyxiating li.mes ,, , lit.

RTILL RYAnillery in 191h Cetllury China differed lillie from

lrnl of 171h cemury Eul Op . and war< often as old.

The guns - u=Uy l>rge nod l I ~ v y in relation 10

their calibre· were m.de liom brass. iron. copper

and woed. occ.,ioo.lly ornmely consm,cloo 10 , .. .mble dragon> (the Taipings OC1ually called can

oons long drngons j. Cilles and fons were provided

Imp ialsu s

fieldedagainst 1M nglo Frmch 1861



WMh large quantities of anillel) ', , lIy moonted on carriages witlloot whecls or any me.ns of

depression or - lion beyond 'a 1 1 of rough

wedge.s'; Chinese: pmcti was 10 l.1y lheir guns 10 fire

I a poim lbey I>oped the enemy wookl h.... to pass.

In consc:qu.--nre their fue was often higilly i n a c ~ m t e ,n l the ]XXIr qwlily of Chi , gunpowder 0Ild the'-''''' co, casti ., of their cannon_ball, comributed 10

lh is \mcen.in gunnery'. Under fire, 110m.. ......, tile

aune..e Slood resohnely to IlIeir guns, more often

th.n 001 10 the laSl man.

Wilen f..ld-anillery was called for, gun, ,uu1d

be moumed on l ,o_whe<:1ed carriageslhat ......mbled

h.m<J.cal1.'l, somelimes with. curnd f, or ordi_

nlIY four_wheeied cans. MOSl guns deployed in the

field were emplaced in entrenched posilions prior to

baltle, but by 1860 a sm.lI_catibre ImperiatiSlpioces were mounled on mule-dmwn carriages,

hough. .s a rule, lhere w..... ' . .ry guns moumed

as tleld-anillery. ImperialiSl gun-carri.ges awe to

1m been painled red if at all. with the barrel , and

fmings paimed bl:lck; T.ipin& gun, were probably

similarly finished. l00ugh one SOUI Ce refers to a gun_

carriage paimed a kad c o l o u ~Though tn. T.ipings possessed ronsidemble

quamities of Western >lid Chinese guns s • mle

Itry had DO f. . ld .nillel) beyooothree or four s ,11

pieces ('rarely reeding. 6 pdr in size) moumed on

the e.nhworXs oflhcir numerous stockaded camps.

In aboul 1860, 11 \ .. ....., Lindley pUI toge1her •

b.nel) for the eh,mg Wnng Ihal comprised ,,-ern

ClUnese guns .nd three WeSlern pieces (a 31 pdr. an

18 pdr and a 'large French cannon') whkhl00k p.n

in the Banle ofHu_kau.After 1&53 tile Imperialists purchased much

Western aniller; , alld they were coSling imitalions by

1 8 5 ~ From 1861 both sides also tried to copy West

ern explosi...e shell5, but Wilh limiled success;

Gordon OOIed thai of lhose lhe Taipings mallufac_

tured. 'nOl one in 20 burslS'.

French sou ,s nOled the use of org.n_gum by

the Imperi. lists al lhe B.nle of Paliakao. These .re

described as comprising a frnmel'-orX fmed with

eighl or ten jingalls that w..... fired eitller simultane<JUS1y or in succession.

C ,.mdplanofafarn wd paliJadcd b,easrwo,*,canlp b Lampt'fi Each su oondedbr a beltj 'p<'nal,,, 0 Ta'pmg of knee_high Jha,pertMbanai , CUIU I€J one ba bOO su,j;es. TenlS 0

> ,hcsefu,-j ulf ~ h e n u d hws ~ . , e<ceredup< mri.grn ,he ,';ernln'if ~ · h r n , wrrh ,he um l

'he ''''J'. C I ~ S 1 e o f e ,,,,and,,,'s- 'emg ,he,hem ....eaiJo scdas I J g a l e ~ v . The c

, , ,,*, in h ddcnu I' ,an.. , U/IM radell .... Thev ,, ,In' add;lrQ.al d'l€ tcs ,I p iud dilch a.d ,bank ... lS,

loophulcJ, so ,e '''s

q,o 0 o QO,D ~ ~o oo'b'tJ'tJ

0 0U _ U 0 0 0 [[]

do dooo DODD 0 0d 0 00 0 0 dddo do



FLAGSChinese armies were accompanied by huge quamities

of in .ssoned sizes.oo colours. mostly lriangu.

lor bUl sometime' square or ,,,n, amoog'l lroe im_

perialisls, 'nf.lon_shape< . They were mode of dyed ilk. usually wiln dcq>ly scalloped or serTalOO edges

in a contrasling 00100 •. fill<d 10. 11-13 fl baml>oo

pole. J. lamprey. present io Shanghai in 1862.64.

said th l among 1M I ,,,peri.lislS OIl llag as carried

per len men, and lh.l some were up 10 11 feel long

and eighl frel ~ Imperialisl Oogs were uniform to

each un;l .00 were .,ioosly described as plain. or

~ l e wiln drngollS. lige,,;, piC1ures of gods. 'yin

.nd yang' symbols, clouds, circle: . zig_zag Unes

l>orizomal stripes or inscriplions. FlJgs of )1mg.ying

for cUSlolnlrily boo' jusl the firs glyph of lheir

.nny c o m m e ~ s name.

T.ipiog f1:Igs appear (0 ha been 1M morecolourful: 'esler... , were daz:zled by lheir displ.y.

of lhoosa lds of f :lgs. of every colour fron' bL>ck 10

crimson . TI,.,.., of H uo ': Hsiu_cb'uan's origin.1 the

co ,. were o common colour and panern (yelkM'

wilh differem-coloored borders KJr each corps), but

ilS Taiping numbers 1J1 W, tlK- colours of unil fugs

prolirer:lted. h,, Y unil leader fron Ihe sergeam

upwards as accompanied by a uiangular fI:lg, Ihe

sire of whkh increased in 6-in. incremems according

10 his rank (l iom 101' II by 1,1' II lOr a sergeanl up 10

7,1 i\ by 7,1' i\ fC • eh e.g-Josiang). W 1f and Ih .

IOOSl senior commanders SU >stiMed larger square

flags. Technkally they were supp s.--d 10 displ:ly In.

off ,s name, p ,, ince, and unil delails, but some

bore religious slogons and by tlK- 1860s it appears

thaI many were actually plain. In addition 10 I ir

fomul anny f\ags, ,.,ngs were also innliJbly accom·

panied by a dr:lgon.;:mbroidered snake.banner . ItS

wore senior ImperialiSl mandarins.

One 1)l'C of Taiping flag thai .hould be men_

tioned is In. huge, plain blac\; one which. ooce

•

o e ofMo ake-runners·

eapl fro , 'heTa plngs d prueChari GQd_ by ;

E peror. NDI; I.f.If,oe ,)

>oisled, obliged men to K>lbw it to IlK- dealh. Those

who lurned back were cut < own by off 'rs placed inlhe rear. Lindley obse -ed Ihal the Im[X'1ialiSl'

rarely. if.,........tood befure a 'black flag' allack.

T EVER-VICTORIOUS

ARMYThe EVA '<IS a corps of Weslero·lrained and

oft d Chinese which foughl fC tlle ImperialiSl'

in II>e Shangha i are•. Founded by an AnlCrican

fllibus er, Frederick Ward, il Slarled life in mid 1M

as art international ballalion of aboIn 100 mercenar·

ies. The men were mostly de rlers, naway seamell

or ad\-emurers. predominamly AllIC'Iicarl and Bril·

ish, loougb almost Y coomry in Europe wilS

repres<.' nled ill ils rallks. Most were dismissed in tn.

summer of 1861, but tOOse hpl Oil became oftkers of

I,XJJ Chinese soldiers thaI Ward nad , ,, iled ill the

kinity of his headquarlers al SWlgkian8 by Febru ·



\ JO l riol ~ o , Sm , 0.1Jo I l an , , ..l )n>an in armuu

c



I 1 ,.,,· < ..... I 0 0«<

h e ~ (; , . j o

] 1nol n.I,,, nwOO no

\

;

E



Sbo > i lMO tl

· . . h .......

l : lnfon - . ...c lUmp_J ; P .._.SU I_e p

G



•

. - b Ch ll1W

i F. ,, . ....

: ,.,n,. (... ,,,,, C hc C,,,,,,

1' , , , ; d I { t ~ · · ; . ~ _ I J c ~ h . .' ,



ary 1862. Thtlr nun,be , 19d i ,_d I<l }JlOO by

~ b y . alld an wm equipped Ib WOS/Cm flf<'alllU.

FoDoooTli 'I:f po.nlC1pOlllOll II I tho of rI ftaI

_lOS lK Impon:allSl'l called IIl1s new «IfPS lbeC ~ u or 1:,'Cr-VicIonoulI Army'.

Ibou@Il W<5I< ...... rru>d)' 'li:rml .0 • sampIy

\\ a....1 FOl'tlTb< Bnl5h aw.on... In Sl\anfl:1Ia. ..........

pamul mponsibol-r ir IK EV... dunna tho.. 'J(}..

milo radlltJ' <:arrIJWgII l p I m l 1/1c T:lIpmgs llw

oplns. \ I l o : r n ~ JIRI IidJog II ,,-.b arms. 0'QIJ1pmnI1.

unlKmns and t l f t l drill Instructors. E\'COWaIIy. fOI.

'1I1l Wi..... dralb in actIOn In SqlC< , 186.2.

1110 r 'Slglla'ion of one of hIS (Edward

Fom:slCr) only a month later and lhe d r > m ~ of tile

next (Henry llutg<vir>e) . t 1110 beginnIng of J863.

Brit.in al>o prm'ided tile EYA ,ith its comrnand<r. ARaj'a) M . t i n ~ capl. in, John lIoliand. ~ m p o r .orily :lfIpointed to lhe posl in J.lJll.l;UY. and then

'l'1a«d in March by Omlel; Gordon of,1Io Roy.J

EngJIlfM'S, ,,00 .... SlJbKoqoJmUy flicbwncd

'CIuneS< Gordon•

... COll>'lhr drspall:b daled a :U\cr Ward's

dcOlb ..cpons.Iw.1ot Po'A lOQ/locd some cro bul Ictk'n by l..I H...,-ch>IIB bento'ft'fl July am

Odobcr 1S62 pocnll)' ,tcr 10 uriI)' ~ . O O O Another

010

lO t . . . . . . . lUi . . Set*..bcr lile EVA

. . . . . . dIed I JSI BoIuI , al 1.100 me. . 1111d

B. ,bon of UIIodcr 'iOO. a 3ft BInIlion of,..... 1M> I Rlik Blnlboa of ....<Vfy I,{IOO, l l

'nlilery of )00, and Hea>y 'ndln)' al 600·

'Ad under 4,000 lotaL Aller BurF · ....'s dr<lIUS6aI

(v.hoch resulted liom his assauk on I bankct flo had

ill lhcld tile ann) . po.y) l lIungo<'bang agreed

ith the n n t i ~ h lhallhe fon:< should be cut,o 3,000

men. bill it ....,.. oclU.:lily dropped belcM' l,Soo rnefI

and oftC'll <. - <1 ~ O O O .' ....ho.'n Gordon assumed romm.:lIld he 100k h

IWn a Slll.1ll number of Brllsh Army olflCtlS .. . hIS

Q/f. Along ..ith hi . attef1ll'l ' to ;l1Iroduee such

,kinnI.baM 011 1 lW' and loolm,. tbls prompICd I1'5Cnunml. ConwqumIly lbottt .. nulJUn dunng the fIrSt monIM allus

wnmlIld Iht IarlIC I . r=IIt W I n:m Ilos doc. . . . . 10

lIarfiIft- IK f<lOtlM; beadquarRft 10 Qu l_ In June1S6) IK dcpari..-eofUOO ........ :wId tho Po'A

~ O J U \ l mT k f<:lm''s IlIJmbeB , , ~ ...st0ft0d 'hroug:b the

FrrJ ri< r ........ 1 . J ( I I J I . f W , . ~ < r f ~£ ...... 1

enliltment ofT p ng Gordon COf15.Idc,..,j

llle TalponS' 'much bettn men' lhan the onhnary

Clunese. aoo 1 til<: end of 1863 tile w-g.,r part of the

EVA 35 IMdc up of ex-relleJ•. Gordon lIa<l such

coofoJc:nce in their loyalty lh. . he Olle'll f.ekled II ,m

.g.in.t their 100e comrades--i ,nnnl only d ~ Y Itheir enlillmcnt. lloweyer. they COII§<'queruly

...... w . l l d t i J ~ tu n '3'1 desi ,,*. nnd by April

1l'6l Jt'po<1ed lMl EV' dnll oM OlllUl$.tllOll......... '01 • '111')' ,. ebb lnrlecd. and l u t t f<:lm'

bc<:. .ha InOf'e tnefk<:1 ,' Ull5llrpnSlngy.thon, _ ia , bst Ew II>Onlhs of _S <:X f tCe

W l l K Po· suffoftd most alll5 'OISI < dials. It ......lin:iIIly on May IlI64 104 fCJn'l@lI oIli<ftI;

and .u:sa men . ......., p i < l[ ... hile IboIIl a third al

tho b u : _600 .....lIcry. 0 0 wInDy and 11 off. . . . . •....... tnll5x-m-d 10 Ih t Hua AmJy

•



in2;, in lheol)', of f1ye foreign ollkers, 19 Chi

NCOsand 120-ISOgunners,

h ~ riwr_l>o.l Ikol

MI..,. lhe anillel)', Ihe ..,.t imlX'r am elemeot of tile

EVA as its flOlilia of armed paddle_steamers backed

by ~ Chinese guoboats, The hungWang

amibuted IUs dere, in the Soochow area almoSl

exclusi\... to the EVA's paddl._steamers. (lindley

wrol. that any on. of them as mort effi:cIi . tllan a

greal anny;n In. fleld.) Ward l>oughl and chJnered

up to • dozen, toough under Burgp i . tlleir num_

Ix were reduced to six and uDder Gordon flfSl

diminish.d to 1 0 and ..... It><:n restored to about

six. The /) Mln was lhe most formidable, an iron

side-wh«1 paddl._steamer 90 II long. and 14 II wido,

i lh • lhree· to four_II draughl thJt aIIo 'ed b.r 10

....goIiale tile most shJllow wat.rways. Her .lma

llL'1ll comprised a 31.pdr in In. bow and • 11.pdr

OOI itzer in the st.m, thoogh son. . of the OIher

.<learners had 00 more thao. 12.pdr bow_gun. Each

' rendered like a ,no,'al>loo fon' by In. addit;oo of

IcophoIed planking round lbe bulwa , desig .d to

fruslrnt. muskell)'.

The Cbi....se gunboats, flned with 9.pdr or 11_

pdr bow_g.uns, were used I gely . .. tmnslX n, (each

being capable of carrying 40-50 m.n), but were

occasionally de10iled 10 suppon co.operaling. IIllper_

ialiS forces.

OTHER DISCIPLINED

CHINESE UNITS

h ~ : w r _ S o < n r ~ \ r , ~ ·This unil, 00sed , Ningpo in O>ekiang, began Wilh

It><: raising io mid May 1862 of a force of 100

Chi nwn by 11> local Brilish l l n ronunander,

Roderick Dew. By ~ p l e m b e r it tOialled LOCO men,

organised in sill companies of ~ under Royal Ma·

rine NCOs plus an artill.1)' conlingem of 5Q..IOO

men. Comm'U1d a s transferred to the EVA in Octo_

ber, and its strength re bed ISXl by .malgamation

with the EVA cooling.em alrc-ady in NinglX'. Par of

this combined , ..... sen to Sungkiang. al Ihe end

of ]862, becoming tile EVA's h Regimom (ref.rred

to in Gordon s time as lbe 'Ning.po Ballalion'), but

I OCO men remained in Chekiaog, and in March 1863

again became independent oflbe EVA as the h aMg-

art h or Enr_Secur. Am\y'. Its conun'llId.r was

an Ameri<.n, James Cooke.

The original 100 merI had worn white t ,bans,

but by the time tl>ore were l they were already

w.aring green, like It><: E\A All separation their

uoifolm a s doscribed as dart blue with g n

f ings and green lurban, repiaced by • white uoi·

form with blU<' facings in summer.

•



T h ~ F r ~ n < o _ C h i . . Corps of Ki This SlnaU unil. e ,,,nlU.lly comprising -100 men plus

40 off rs provided by French army NCOs. was

raised in Shanghai inJu 1861. II inilially includedan millery k... .,m Ih.1 serwd in lhe ·:J.O.-ntile ra_

dius' campaign ,im m 6-pdrs. bul subsequenlly il

appe,rs 10 na,,, become emirely inf.nlly. lis flrsl

commander. Tardif de Moidrey. wem on 10 becomecomm:l.Ilder of1M 'Ever_Triumph.m Army' in Janu_

'Y 1863. alld ,as suc=d<d Joseph Boollefoy of

Ihe French IIJVY For mos1 ofilS exisle il opernledin close c().operal;on eilher wilh French regular

foo:es or as • in ,,1 •. dli 'Y ball.lion oflhe EVA in

Gordon's lime.

T h ~ w r _ T r i u m p h ~ n I Army

Jealous of Itle Sl>CCCSS of lhe British-backed E\A lhe

French eSI'blishod • similar fon e al Ni 01' in ntid1862. Wilh an cquaUy eXOlic mixlUre of Iionalili

•

represenled a ,ng ils omeers, lhough lhe m.jorily

were French 'n. Loc.1 Chinese hams pro idedIhe finance . • lId lhc French aUlhorilies .1 Sh,nghai

suppUed insHuclors. Quickly koo .. Ihe h ang-

chich hun or 'Ever_Triumphalll Army il com

prised 1,20) men Inc time ils firsl comm.nder.

A.E. e Brelooll de Caligny. was kiUed in an allack

on Shows ling in Jan ry 1863. His replace ,nl.Tardif de Moidrey. was killed allacki 2' the same

1 11 a monlh lat.... Under r.ul Neveuc

d'Aiguebellc. ilS nexl commat>der. the furre as

increa-;od 10 oome 2.500 men by M.y 1863. Then lhe

provincial govemer. Tso Tsung_l·.ng. orde '-d Ihal il

be reduced 10 1,500. bUI il still 'bonl m -

slrong in AUgu>l 18 l when ; paMkipaled in lhe

caplure of Hoochow.

The Enr_Triumph,m Army and the EYA e re

similar in many w.ys. They bolh included. 'Euro_pe.n Company' and a bodyguard ofManil. ,n: lhey



boIh used .mwd S e.m.... (lhe ETA bad (\>u hy mid

18(4): .00 lbey bolh used Wes1em .nillel)', lhoogb

lhe ETA see to h ,e f 'ld<d only four or f gun

in mo:sI action,.

~ 1 < a r l l l ~ s Force

\\i'l>en llle EVA lransferred ilS headquaners 10 Quin_

Sif l in June 1863. Li Hung-<:h.ng pUI Sungldang in

lhe llands ofHalUday M anney, an eK_Brilish Anny

surgeon 00 ud be<:n secrelary 10 Henry Burge ine.

MacanlleY was giycn lhe rank of colonel .00 as_

signed al>oo1 l.em ImperialiSllroops Wilh orders 10

lmn Ibem imo disciplined soldiers', b wlUch pur_

pc<sc he look on an unkoown number of foreign

offtcers. Known as M.canney s fon;e'. lhis coOlin_

goon also had a Slean..,.,., lhe KajQw(wl1il iI was slolen

by Taiping sympalhisers), along whh a sizeable ani _

lei) part. comprising al leaS six 12-pdr howil,.,rs

and fi e monars.

K ~ s l e y s Force

TIU, unil, based .1 Fahwa, con,isled of Imperialisrs

lran'ferred 10 rile Brilish in JUlie 1862 fey lraining

and placed under lhe 00IlIIll:IIId of Lieulenanl

Kingsley of the 67rh Regiment It October 1862

~ of ilS men SJ ac1ion .Iongside rhe EVA

and in Noycmber Kingsley and his men were seoll0

SWlgkiallg to join rl>e EVA for a proposed expedllion

againS Nanking. By July I863, 001 1,1 oo.srrollg .nd

commanded by Licll1ellanl Cardew, rhe fur e was III

Quinsan,.nd in lhe aulumn alleasr pan ofil accom_

panied Gordon in rile -.nce towards SoocIlO '.

Wben rhe EVA'. 3ni Regimenr, disbanded because of

miscondocl in AuguSl 1863. was reconsliluled in

Oc1ober, Kingsley's fon:e pro ided rile men.

ANGLO FRENCHINVOLVEMENT

Unh.ppy wirh llle Ch'ing Gowrnmenl s refltSal 10

consider addilion.1 lrading cooces,ions 10 rhose

.greed III rhe elld oflhe Opium War. ll>e seizure of

llle crew of a ship M Arro j regisrered in Hong

Kong and llle murder of a Caloolic missionary by

Ch'ing oltki:lk ere used by Brirain.nd france as an

excuse 10 declare .... on ClUna in 1857. Variously

rdened to as rhe AITOW War rhe Seoood China War

and lhe Sec<Jnd Opium 'ar, lhis conflicllasled. wirh

lengthy inrenni ions, unlil 1860. lIs principal

Ii <:arne .r lhe l>eginning and end of lhis period.

irh lhe c lure of Camon in December 1857 and



the h 00 king in August.Seplember 1860.

Two 11 00 on the coast,1 fo 1.'l T ku _ success_

fully in 1858 .00 disa>lroo,ly in 1859· eonSliwted

mo l of whJl ca , be w n. Th. 1860 camp ign

, '' 'h ed , sizeable Ang]o.Fr.nch anny, bUl only,

LW loou ,nd ,n were ;'11 01' ed in Ihe rapid _

quence ofviclOries scored, Sinbo, T,ngku and th.

T ku Fons in August, and Chilllgkiawan and

r.lial.:ao in Sepwnber.

Coofwingly, ll .xaclly the l ime lhey

were fighting ag.insl > Imperialisls in the Nonh.

Anglo.Freoch troops Sl,lionod .1 Sh.ngh:l.i found

thomsel' s in alliance wilh Imperiali>l forces defelKl_

ing the dly again'l the Taipings. Umil then a sl ',y

tloe'U1rality had been obse ed in China's dvil war.

despite th. Brilish 1Ia ing considered inte 'ention on

beh.1Jf of the M.nehus as early as 1&53. was lhe

Toiping threat 10 tbe sizeable W.Slern conununilies

in Shanghai 00 Ningpo, .00 101M uJde Ihol lhey

represc:ntc-d, tllal fin:d y pel SUJded Ih. British and

Freoch 10 beron. . OCli ,1y i ,,,I\ ed. albeil only

wilhin 30 miles of each of lhese dlies. In pankular

the , ,,'al of the Ch,mg Wang's ad ,nce on Sh,ng_

hJi prompted. number of Anglo_French opornlions

.galtlS1 T.iping forces in Ihe Ioc,UI) be w n Febru

'Yand Nonmber 1862, noIably in the ,.Ued '30_

mHe radius' cao'P ign of March_May which r. ,lted

in the ,e''' ''1) of t.n dlies for the Imperiali>ls.

Dur ing 18ffi-61 garri n forces in Shanghai

generaily comprised some ® I .c ro Brilish and •

similar. bUi uSUJUy smaH.r, number of French

Iroops, largely sean. .n and mari s. Afl ... second

T.iping 'l1 k, inJaml.1/)' 1862, heM·....·er, lhe Brilish

elemenl as increased dramJlie. ily, and a ,raged

.bout 2,500 men until mid 1863. A subslOnti.1 ,-.1

brig.de wo;; a promi ..m f.alUn: of this forre: some

450 or mor. Brili'b and :l(X)..400 Fr.neh seamen 00

marinos look pan in most operaliotlS oflhe '3Q.mHe

r.diu, camp ign. aoo ll>oir overall eom nders

wen: also ,-.1 men - Admiral Hope tor British

and Admiral PrOle (umil bo was killed in May 1862)

tor lhe French. Indi.n troops provided by Ihe 51h

Bombay Nat,,'e Infantl) oo the 22nd Pwlj.bis con_

Sl;Med anolher ,jO ingrediem long,ide ele-

menlS of > Brilish 3151, 671h and 99th Regimoms

and the Freneb 3m Ughl Infaml) ' Banalioo

d'A riq e. Unlil March 1862 ooly. leY u n r ~ of

those i iedtroops had lWily been ;n,,,h-ed in fi.ld

operal;o , .g.inSl the Ta;pings, but ,ft.r Aprillbeir

numbers were increased 10 arour.d 2,lXXl. They were

suppon.d by up to 30 guns, .nd lhe Bri ti 'h in,-.ri ·

•



ably oulnumbered lhe fr.nch.

In all lheir engagemems in In. SlIangh.i are.lhe

:illie.'l acted in concen wilh Iffilli rialisl foo:e,. usually

represemed by lhe her·VicloriOU S Army and occa

sioo.llly local ),mg.ying fOn:es. In .lIied operalions in

lbe NinWO disuicl. h<M........... II was foreiJc<lH'fficcred

ClIinese unils soch as lhe E \ Roderick Dew sNingpo fon:e.oo lhe her.Triumpllam Army which

prmidcd Ihe bulJ; of lhe lroops. supponed by only

, , I numbers of Brili,h and Frellch se ,n (lhough

usually lhey were equipped Wilh . . ...... 1 .nillel)

pieces). Gunboals were also occasionally employed in

boIh lheatres.

The S l l n e ~ n i Volum.... r Corps

In 186l----6: II w , amici paled Ihal Ih. Wes1em com·

munity in Sh.nghai could. in .n emergency. musler

SOIl.., 4-5.0ll men. aboYt halfofwl>om w ~ come

fiom regular lroop. and , ..I brigades as outlined

aboJ\.. wilh lhe b.l.mce made up flOOl the crews of

mcn:ham ships .lld lhe yolum..,rs who conSliluled

u.., Silanghai Volum..,r Corps. Thi, foo:e had fin;(

reen organised by Briti,h .nd American resirems in

April 1853. f<r If....,f.nce during lile di,mm.nce,

r e s u ~ i n g from lhe Small SwUfd upri,ing. II ,IS

disbanded following lhe defe l of lhe rebels in 1855

but i, cd in June 1861 in response lOIn. i re.,ing

risk ofTaiping l 1 a c ~ . By lhell ilS membership ,IS

l ¥ ly Anglo-French bm wilh . plemiful sprin\;.

ling of Americans. Tn. , w.re ISO yolumeers by

August and some hundred, by lhe .nd of 1861.

organised in companies of aboul SO , n. They saw

aclioo only once. ag.insl unruly Imperiali l lroops in

u.., S<Kalled Banle of Muddy Flal in April 1&54. in

which 50 Briti,h and 25 American olumeers 1001;

pan alongside an Anglo.American n.mll brigade.

How........... during lhe T.iping a t l a c ~ on SlInnghai

in bnuary 1861 lhey perfonned lhe duly of guard.

ing nighlly lhe inner line of defences . Tiley were

inili.lly equipped wilh • ,moOlhbore mu,kel ,nd

bayOlIe1. which were laler replaced by • rifle .nd

, , , , , .

Ch<1Fl Gordo. il l Ih ba ,,,,,.: ,her. grlY.i'Osr m< ofa manJ r n. .Jgetl i ,.N1 ~ i l h a black

fl g, in ;.scrip/i , is /X t: ,,,p, lhebadgr .d probabt., Olt J ~ s c r i b . J N<1Fing

hism<7I i O.,mamk,of of Ii ,'kro,'i<'sE,u_I ,C / ,-iOlOS . I,m, . fn clliJrac'et's.

0.. r e t l d ~ ~ . . . _ .

A 30-s1rong ily lroop c,lIed lhe Sh,nghai

MO\llued Rangers added in December 1861.This p,m ided Admirnl Hope wilh scoots during lhe

allied operalions round ShJnghai in 1862. and be·

came inml, cd in a skirmish il h Taiping m.rnuders

in AuguSI. Though initially mounled on horses. lhey

1 soon changed 10 iYe ponies. They wereapparently .rmed wilh sabre, .nd firearm>.

CHINESE TACTICSThough WeSler.. rs con,irered Ihe Chi..se limid. il

would be fairrr 10 describe lhem as supremely cau

I;OUS: they ,, ,, nOlhing merilorious in heroics or self·

sacrifICe. They h.lYe a m.uin, lilal rash ,nd arro·

gam klier s musl be defe.ted : wrole John U i> in

Ille 18JOs.. .lid llle chi.r V;I of In.ir slralegy ;s

extr.me camion and 10\. ofaafl. nOl w;lhout • I.rge

,hare of perfidy .nd falsehood. Anolher obse,, cr

•



wrole lhm Chine , sokliers did 001 c ,ider lhem·

,yes 10 have 'any self.respec110 l«<e, or credil to

gain', so trnl e'...., headlong lliglv broughl 00 dis

grace, .nd as soon as lhe scare w,, .,,,,. they were

ready to fight .gain. Neyenheless, 'esrem oflicers

repealedly rem.1ted 00 • lad: of resolution .mong

Chinese in the foeld and of lheir prefel\' r.ce lOr

oyernwiog li>c enemy by oumbers, qu.mity of fu2;s..

size of guos .nd olwlIe of noise. ratller trnn by

ac1iyely engaging in combal.

On lhe banl<flekllhey would send out . cloud of

skirmisllers .nned with jiog.lls, swools and shields,

while lhe reSl of lhe anny ooyanred io pamllel

coluntils.. The laner would wheel ioto liDe of banle

,,'hen nearing the enemy. usually in Ihree 10 n

Engage ,enl be' .een ,he sl;eableri, na,'I ,.ar ,ed Ti-pins ~ b o a l S ,,,, ,,,dlite(lh,fl_EY,/Firdlyj, l<1Fger pan i f Ihe ,

,manded b.·,/,,/; ,,,,, <:r .. ed b.· e '01 orLIndl ,. o.d.iflO/ilia i f more m del 'din,. / ,perlar , gunboalS s e ond equ,pPeJ n1th a ,,,,,,,,,be,/861 The bon·_g.. , , <:mildbe, o gk ''''po<1anc, i on}.h;',gfro , a J p.Jr a,he y lP andas pJ n-I,h, a seco.d gun bu .teanl ,hal so ,, ,, fined at litebolh ,ldesmolnloi.ed ern.

individu.1 bodies arrayed creseem·like ro Ihreaten

lhe ero>my s from alld flanks simull.lneotlsly. When

O aillble ca alry fOfllled tile wings or lhe rese , wid

.Millery was eitller , ,sed in lhe cenll\' or dimib·

Uled along tile enlire froor. The T.ipings placed

Iheir I OOl\ sr lroops - usually spearmen - in lhe from

ranks and lheir '-er ,n, .nd guard.uoir, in the rear.

probably bccnu lhe ImperialiS froot rnnks usually

coosisled of matchlockmen alld arcllers. Troops

ooth sides maooeu red 10 signa' Iran,mined y

drums. gongs and flag llKI\-e m,.

They often opero>< fire long before the enemy

came imo range, lIoping to scare lhem off Tllis

barrage nlld lhen, in lheory. be followed by a

general adYallCe, cooplOO wilh.n anempt al er.circle·

mem by the flank del.dunenls. In hand·to-hand

Combal rl>e T.iping, wen.' recogni<ied 10 h an

.dy mage: ImperialiSls preferred 10 Sland off .nd

duel with fl re .nns from a diSlaoce. Lindley lOled

,hal whelleyer ,i>c Taipings ,,,,,ged 10 get to close

quaners lhey were ictorious, eveo against foreign.

off. ,..,.j Imperialists such as lhe EVA. HowevC1 , y

h t 1860s hey re raldy abI< 10 close Wilh the

enemy before 'oyerwhelntillg .nil, ,ry and ...gular

•



' 011..1 of muskelry' mowed them down. Conse·

<JI. 'nlly. ,. . iltler .ide usually charged head.on. pre·ferring feinls or.d .kinnishes. which is why Nude.

~ t y deleriorale< imo sham fights in wWch

i>odl sides arefully , oided comacl. Anockers con·

liocled by e...,my who Slnod finn wookl flU back.

often in order. . . Id relre.' by companies, firing

It'S lhey wem; lilen an exchange of muskell)' <lUId be

med A second ad',.llCe mighl foliol bu' i f lhis

100 failed ,he enlire anny mighl quil lhe fleld If 00 ..y we,., made by eilh.... side. oolh wookl Wilh·

IF M . 'each proclaiming lhe eXlennination of theOIlier . Defeated lroops were genernJly pursued at a

S>i: disunce. ho\o. ''''r. • ince in lhe early pan of ttle

Rebtllion tile Taiping.5 seve ,1 limes succffded in

wing unwary ImperialiSls into ambushes by feign.

Fog nighl.

'hen confronted by Iry infantoy uukl

lOOn up in circles. Lindley Wilnessed the Ch g

Wa g s enlire aomy draw up in rows ofSl wredcircles, briSlling with spears and Ilalberds. The flrSl

' contained muskel rs and the second jing.lls.aM 'Iley .'il1CCCSSfully Wilhslood the deleomined

charg<' of..,,-ern1 thollSmld Banner ca,<lIJy. The mus·

keteers mainwned. continuous fire by 'running round

and round . . . loading lhey passed 10 rds the rear

of the circle .nd firing as liley came to lhe from'.

In mOSl oonles roe side or Ihe other was usually

in an emren<lled pus;lio . from which Chinese

troops fought Wilh t more determin.lion Ihan

w >en in lhe open flekl. In the closing l ges of ll>e

Rebellion the T.ipings in pankul , depended he,, ·

ily on Iheir f1eld.worl.:s., and Ille Imperi.list. rarely

anacked 'bern ssfully unless suppone< by II>e

fon-ign..,mcered contingents Wilh their P'O 'erfulWestern anlilery.

TH PL T S

I Tail ;I1/i ~ I I / 1Wangs ll y wore y IIoI>.' and red. Though depicled

on foo here. ll>ey . . . moWlled on ltle Dallleflekl.

and their standard.l>earers. inYari.bly on fOOl. had torun to keep up wilh them.



83: Mongol cocolr), on

Mongol c',, 'ally w ~ r e frequently ~ m p k i e d during

eme'll ies, e:wedally lhose of Ihe Chahar tribe,

which could r,,--ld 8,())) men, (In lheory lhe

Mongols could mu> a quaner of a million <:'1'I'oIry,

buI in pranke, only Ie:sl; lhan alent hOflhis number,)

0'll n; ,lion was in kmhu or '5landards', m,, ,,,, up

ofabool IOn IY>-ling each ofnomin'dly JO(I nl<'n bUI

,u,dly un<lerslrenglh, Like lhe Chines.e, Mongols

,, ed the frolll of lhe head and WOfe lheir hair in a

p i t 1 a ~ , OUler c10llICS were chiclly of lanned lealher

and shee{><kin, worn 0 b. l lY trousers alld a

<:oIlon kaftan Ihal was usually bllle, Armamenl ron-

sUed ofa long sp<:.1f, bcw, matchlock mid sword

CJ I t ~ . . r i o l i s l in illl• dr ,sTo cope wilh cold wealher Iht Chinese wore up 10 a

d o z ~ n roals one ~ another, The OU1crmosl would

prelerabl)- be of shee{><kin or fill, A pair of quilled

lcj;gings was pull<:d ou lhe trou>crs alld ured

10 lhe girdle by loops. Sueh mulliple layers would

occasionally Slop e'''en a rifle bulle ,

Small S.... . rebel

The Small Sword Society ized Shanghai in Sep

Itmbcr I&5J alld held il uluil Febru.lry 1 55 (when

French lmops assi:slcd lhe I m p < r ~ l l i s I S in its r.cap-

lure), They ll<w Taiping as w.1I as T r ~ d nags bur

~ d 00 mililary assi5lance from lhe former,

whooe sphere of influence did not bj- lhen e. end cas

of Nanking.. The majority <Jre red ruroans ruld

abandoned lhe piglail, wearing lheir long hair 'galh

.red up into a knot on lhe crown', John Scanh

rocords lhal lheir dress be1myed Wrsl.m influence,

wlh pocke1s, pe..'es alld lealher bells; ><>me even

wore English shoes and socks, Many had Weslern

fir.mms, including Min; rifles mid ColI ,,'OO-'e...

CJ: Bon ,.,. ca alr)' ,un in orlllOMr

Armourwas Slill worn I>i some Bannermen 'Id mOSl

offICers, more as a m ~ i l a r y insignia Ihan a foml of

dele , II consisled of < e<:oF.llively embroidered

quilled OOIlon (silk kJr OffICers), reinforced wilh iron

or b studs, It was called ring kia or armour wilh

nails', and occasionally still incorpormed a lining of

small melal phI.... Among Banner c ,'all)'n ,n lhe

Frenehntl n oflhe En r-Tri ,,,plwnl Ann} WG, ,dfrom ,, 'emporn,, ' phorograp/r,

colo of lhe quiked fabric was uniform wilhin a

unil, Helm 's were ofSleel or 'alher, olk-n painted

or Olhe ';' decomled, wilh a L IlI plume lube lhal

Ity bore a tun of red hors.ehair or a 'nail red illS-

T I I ~ E cr_\ kluriousArm,

OJ: &rt,eom_Mojor of the Bodj'l Pord

Though se'-'eml contemporary ph<>lographs <:xis {he

only full <le.scripl;on of EVA uniform colours comcs

from Ihe North eM Jleraid of lJ January I&6J,

which us lhal lhe Bodyguard <Jre blue wilh

'ariel facings, and green shoulder Slraps bearing

lheir designalion in Chine characlers', The entire

am>y green l u r b . ~ n s , whi< h earnt lhem one of

lheir W'o Chinese nickll.1mcs, 'green-headed b , es',

(The <>Iher, 'imilalion foreign devil , alluded 10 Iheir

Weslern-Slyle uniforms,) The EVA:< bo,- Chinese

company commanders w ~ r e promoled from among

'll' ant-majors.



£2: Chillese rd ll

The dress of EVA OftkelS . arie< . Cen.inly

unifonn exisle< by April 1861. perhJps lhoe same bluo

jackel. lrousers .00 cap , comprised lhe unifonn of

lhe force while il W 'S Slill entirely composed of

foreigners. Howe,,,r. one sioologisl. H.B. Morse.

'\'I'OIe earUer this century lMl off wore green

unifonns wilh bl:lck braid round lhe cuffs. PhOlo

graphs show jacke1S similar 10 a Brilish Anny palrol.

jack or frock-cOOI. Am rican officers in panicular.

hom·e...... appear 10 1\ ,, remained un.uniformed.

we. . iIlg 'bucc.neerillg. brigand.like dress . . .

slriped Imed and booted Ui<e l >eatrical oondini'.

Wil/d ore 00 unifonn; inslead he usually wen:

eilller a dark blue English frock-coal and • sOOn

cape. or • loose. blue serge lunic. Gordon wore I\is

0\\11 RE uooress uniform.

I

• •

DJ: III/am ,,,,,,,,_ ,UIII m /flIT/1I

The wimer uniform of (he Inf.ntry dart. green.

;lh scark1 r>clogs. and shoold<-r_slrap. In.t were a

diff. ,nl coloor br .>en regiment .1Id 'slamped'

wilh Ill<: regiment', number in Chinese and English.

In (he summer Inf.n y. AMineI) and Bodyguard

al . change< into . comple1. ,nn. uniform wilh

red facings. precisely similar 10 lhe kahkee dre. . wom

by Brilish lmops in India'. The blankeHoli. worn.U

year round. is de... ibed in 1861 as coming ill '.11

m.ru><1 of brighl colours '. His weapon is • smOOlh

bore I ' ,ussion muske . Only Ibe 4th or Rjfle Regi.

ment as equipped wilh rifles· eilher Enflekls or

Dreyse n«dle.guns.

D1: Al1ll1n,.,,,,,o

The Anille1y' , wimer unHorm WilS lighl blue, lh

§c,rteI ,oouldo-r_slrap. and rocings and • broad scar·

k snipe down lhc lrooser.leg. Though some EVA

sokli<1's wore Weslern boals, .nillerymen, wiloom

excepl;on. wore Dlmese slippers and Slockings.

-

Rig ': n , in/c,,.,,,of 1M,\ 0..,10 F Qf1at ToO. orr,.,

cap uu. } I, j ~ l W

IS6(J, , , ~ ~ m l 1 from on< ofB r o { ~ famoo«L J p/lo'ogmplos.

aJllIed jth 1 'r<:U>sion n1uskelS, btll • lew tI:ld En_

field rifle5.

,------,----,-=-=--------,--------------l Diagram, lie ,,,rue ,,,h,,,, ; .Q

Omcufo <>j iocJo' oallP Jcd ,he Pcih aJ

rot _ from Esca}mc deL Q r C ~ Memo . sur Ch , ( I ~ 6 5 ) .

E I: Prim . K i n g , , . I ~ , · s f orre

Tbi. figure is froo, • ske1ch by Lamprey. who de·

serires lheir uniforn, as reing of bl ... serge. w ,n

wilh • luroon lh,l could re block. red or ligbt blue.

Lindley lells U<; lha Illey hod llle numrer 6 T on

lhoeir shoulder.Slr s - lhe regimenl 10 which lh<:ir

Brilish Oftloers belonged. MOSI of lhe fon::e

•

£3: Imp ialist ,a ,Jar;

Tbe IiI': ' on his embroidered cbeSi panel aoo 1 >e

blue bunon on h;,; llal indicate lballhis is a foonh

gtade mililary mandarin. OffICers of lhis seniorily

were rarely found anywhere ar lhe oonlefield.

( 'eSiemers noIe< IlIal lhe more exalled Illeir milk

lbe faSlor lhey r ,ired 10 lhe rear; ooly lhe moSI

junior ere normally fouoo in lhe firing line.)



: I m l , r ; ~ l i s t 8rt

This figure, from .00111...,. Lamprey skelch, depict.';lho' ch.rocleriSlic appeam,,,,,, of such irregul.1'S, lypi.

fied y lho' large lUlban a,id lile gait.r.d or bandaged

shins and bare h-1.

1 2: ~ n c h ; ~ n g w ; ; n f ~ n l r ) m Q nThis ;s .n infall1ryman of lho' Huai Army's Q g-

ch ;mrlt wi or 'foreign arms plaloons'. lrained and

occasioo.Uy h:d by foreign oflkers. Unlike mosl

T.ipinV. such [ml 'ri.liSl unils adopl.d lb. b.yonel

along Wilh lheir WOSlern flre'nTIs, c.rrying il fixod10 lhe musk' .1 all lim since lhey poss ss 00

= .

3: kn·f ; c R Q l r ) m ~ nThe 'Nien bandils '. rebels Jeli , m:l.inly in Sh.n·

lung, Hon.n. Anhw.i .od K;angsu provinces, r -

opernled wilh 1M T.ipings ill1erminell1ly Iron 1&53:

some of lhclr Ie.ders ' ' ':re '' '0 appoill1ed lmngs

Their Slrenglh by in tho siz.e.b1e 'a lry th. l lhey

coold field by tho' 1:l1e 185Qs (lOl.lIing OIl avel Jge20.(0) men .ft .... 18(0). mainly .rmed ;lh swords

.nd long bamboo laoces, Ihough had fireanns.

Infamry were also Jrme< predominanlly Wilh longspe'r>, bm Ibey.1so carriod SWOlds .tId jing.lk 00

I\Jd bolh f.. kJ..guns and he ,)' millery. 10;li.11y '

Nien ore uniforms (reponed in 1 SI10 hJ,,, benl

copied in ooloor .n d Slyle from llle Taipings), bUl

lhese were io • m;oorily. All wore tlleir hair long.

=-ered wilb • red or ) Ilow lurban. ChiolS wore

brown or red jJCk 's.

Sh uehai Ill6O-62

G/: I unch u ~Seamen and mJrines provided the buik of 11>0 Fr.noch

lroops wOO lOOk pan in lhe 'J.O..mlle radius' cam

paign of spring 1862. They .1>0 panicipaled in oper·

'lions ag.insl the Imperialisls in 1857.60, noIOOly

lhe eaplure ofC.nlon.

G2: / n f R n l f m ~ n . ·ronco·Chines, <In: <if

1 ( ; ~ n J l s uWe kJIo . wilb cerlJimy only lh' Ihis unil wore

lumans sniped in blue. wbile and red (JS did lheEYer.Triumpham Army). lhoogh il is clear from lb•

•



only koo 'o picture thai tbeir jackelS 'ere ,hile.

<>lller colours .re hypol >etic.l. a1beillikely.

GJ: Prb Shunghul ~ ; , I ' , , r Corp,

Volumeers were responsible for providing their 0\0011

uniform, which appears 10 have comprised. red shin

.nd ,Wte lrousers in summe., . a skined red jacket

.nd black lrousers ' ilh • red mipe n imer, and •

black trilby ,ilh cock·fealher plume. Hc '.......r, pho.

logrnphs 1J.ken in tbe 1870s indicale Ihal ele ,ms of

summer and 'im.... unifonns ,ere often om ·,. Norll C ~ i n . 1860

11/: S o ~ r l une ,· 1/ ,-,

Fane's Ho ,as ooe ofm Sikh ca alry regi ,ms

th':l1 d in this campaign. The oll>er wasProbyu's, -hose unitorm comprised a dart. bl .grey

tunic, red cummerbund, slale.;;oloored Imoon .nd

wlUte bre<:cl>es. BOlh regimenlS were .rmed ith

piSlOls, carnine, lance and ml ,.r.

Fm.ch K f Ihebr;,lge,, P U,u,,,,,. 2/September 86<1

1/2: S, 7; Cunr Coolie Corp,·

The Camon or Chinese Coolie Corps 'Os raised in

1857. Son ... 2,500 served in Nonh China, carrying

their loads slung om • pole belweeo t men.

Those woo coold spe.k a lillie EngUsh were made

NCO.. A slighlly differenl lIIliform , . . worn in

1857.59, with 'Military Train' on the h. l .nd lheunit delails • diagonal 'rule sash mlber Ihao

patches on lhe bre,sl .nd back.

1/3: Pri,,, ,,, 2nd (Queen s lIuyul) lIegi ,e

This ligure is ba5fd on tl>e drawings of lUI.

erealock. Th. Chinese are said to : .. nicknamed

British iof.mrymen 'H.,S' n ref.re , to tbeir dis·

tinct;v. while .irpipe > e ~ ' l e t s . Similar helmc1s ..re

m by some FretlCh lroops during lhis campaigo,

and Illere exists a picture of 111< all.ck the TakuFons s >ow;ng tbem being om by French guoners.

lI..commc.Md R c . d i n ~W.l. les T'ro Ts gr aMg (1937); Lin<ksay Brine,

nu, T - Pj g R,belU . ;n C ina (I &62): Holgor Cahill,

A r ~ u AdrenlPlrer (19JO); PrescOll Clarte and l.S.

Grogory, Wesler. R porlS f Ih, Taip;ng (19&1): C.A.



Cu , en, Taiping Rebel (1977); WiUiam Hail. Tseng

Ku<>-fim md rhe Toiping II:rll< ;;;on (1927): Egmont

Hake. E ;>ms in Ihe Tneping lI:ebelUmr (1891); ktl

Yu_wen. 7 e Tniping lI:emllltionary Moremrm,

(197J): Augustus F, lindley, Ti-Ping Tien KOI oh

(1886): Thomas Meadows. 7 < Chinese an d rheir

lI:ebdUons (1856): Richard Smilh.Mercena ies and

Mnnda'ins (1978) and Chi , MmIJry Institutions

Dra..... by s< <> h if5m<J/i s. wd rebels a S/Ia ghai.Is5J 5

in troe Mid_Nineleenlh CenlUlY , Jomnai o f Askm

fjsrory. ml VII (1974): SIJnley Spenor, Li Jlllng

chang and tire flllai Anny (1964); T.F. Wode, The

Anny orthe Chinese Empire , The Chinese Reposi

lOry. , 01 XX (1 51): Andrew Wilson. The 'Erer_

Victorious Army' (1868).



NQ ICIl rl,ncnc. en <:ooleu,

.o j c _ . . , _ .... _ . . _ .. _. , .. _ .....-._ _ ~ - - __ ._ ..... _1_-.....0. _ _ _ ~ ........ ____ =m _. . . . _ ......... . , r . - = _ . _ . ~= l . ~ _ ... _

. - .. ,_ ..,-- _ ...1 _,,_ _ ,

- ......

, -

- -, , _....

-= ,_~..__ .._

.. . ,_ . .__ I l ,, , . . . - . . .. .. . . , RlI . . . .

_ 10, _. r _ .- ,....., '-_ .. .....-- _ ~ ,, - ........ 10 . ._ .... p<tio<, ,__ • a _ ... _ lU .._ _._ __ .._. <.<t-- __ __ .._ .._._....... . __ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1n __ ,..__=·__........ _r- ..• _ ._ ............. 0 .....· _,.. . , -., .-...- ___ - . . . -_ ~ , ~ .. -* -C1c.,__- .. ....-I,..-.I. . ............._ ,. . _ . . I • •

...._--_ ....-....- ...... ''''''''''' ....D , ; . DI . . . . . . . , .. r-... ,_r. .-.....,._ _,,_ . ,...-.. _... ~ _ - .......--_E\, . . . . . - __ , • _ _ ...._.....-- .-. - . . .._- .... -. ,..,. 1 _ . . . . . . .-, _.- .....l l ........_ ......·••. . . , . . -.. ... a ........_ ,.._, .._ ..... ~ _ __ ... O o a ~ . - . . ........-.,...-.f.l,.._ . l __ . . _.\........_ ........., _I__ __ ._d ,,_ ,,- -,,_ - , ~ , ~ - _ . _ .._...._..-- ----_ .. ...._ --_.1_ --..,

_ _-

VI t_'. . . ._ , . . . . - .. . _ . . . . __.....__ _ In .._ . . r ~ _ _.. -... ·_uo_ ~ .............._ _... ._ ~ _ - _ . . - _ ~ - _ -..·.._ _ __ •__ ..._ _ .. _11.. ........ i_ , ,,,,, . ., , , , , , ,_...., _-.,... ;...... - . .- . ...,_ ...-...,__ ....__ __ __ _..-

l..._* _ ................ M , ~ _ ~ . . . . . ._- --.., . . . .- .- , .......-..- ......_ru. _ ..... r .. , ._. - - . .. _ ..r wc<-......_ , _,...... _ ..10... .........__ --_d m ....,_,_ ._ .. . __ ..- _ ~ = . . ..-,_---

- _ _. ~ _ , ,r- _ . . ~ ..._ ~ _ C. .. .. .. _ •. ,,, ... . , . . . r_ - ~ _

. . ,- ...... - ._- .... - . . -- ......-::... :.<o... : . : : - : , ~ I . ~ ~ ~ o l l . - : . : - : =~ ..__-.e- _ ............

F..,b ,f.ln

M , . . - , . _ _ loor__

.... 1 - = ,._.._..,...-.;__ ,_ .. _ , .00.--.....__ --.. _.......... 1 , ' . . _ ,M . - -.. . ._ .. . _ ·.. .., _ . .GdJ . ..__ _ . ........... ........-- ~ - . _ - ,_ ... __ ......__ . . .......

8 . ._ __ . . - _,_ ~ _ ._ .... ~ ,,,,,, , - - _..... ,,--.. -_ , 1. _ . , _~ - _, ..,,------ - . _ -. ,_ Go __

. . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .__ _ Doo

. . . , , , ... . . - .. .. .. ,,_ ,_ . K_ ,0 ••. . -a... ................_- __ ..-.-,_a 8. ;, ,·._ ..,.....- ..........._.-, ,,- .....-.- ........_-, , ~ --_..._ .-.C _ , ,_ ..-,.. .. ,_ . . . . . .

.... ( ...... -_ C 1 , ~ s_-._ x ~ ~ , T_ . . }od,. ,::.:x.; ,._ 1M _ oft

._ .._.fI.-o, -.._\moo ....,...-. . . . . U

., Iii ... ~ _ 1M _ ,_ ~ _oM•• I l __ .............. __ , . . . _ _ . . .

, ._ 0<1 . . . . . . . . 010.-....... .-..., -......D 1M .(• • _ _, , ~ _ \ . ~ , So.. . A_- DI = ..-- ~ _ . ,T_ i o . - . . - - - · w ,, - = ~ - -...,.,.,..... ..... _-,-.. _.,_.....- , ,_ ..-. .._ - ,....,.. .a - . . .

_ - - ,...r, '. s...-u _ . . -T_. . . . t - T __ , r Gno. . . . . . . . .

.... _ • _ . ~ . - o - . - - - DR( \A-oII ,oili--.,....._ . .. ...,_ 11_

_ , - •• _ . . . p;.Jon ).0. .

, ......_ , - T.-_ ..... .. f. . . . . T ..r .. .

_ _ _ _ ..._. _ 0- -- ,....., . . . - . ._ - ..... - _ . _ ~ - , ... ,,,..,,,,--. Do- . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .__=-.. ......... Im_ _ .. . ~ _ Toot-. _ ... ..., ,, -• ....., .. , , __ ... Y_ d , , , ;_ . ........_ ,. ..,.,..__ -.._.M._ ,1o.G.-__ . . . - . . .T_ .-- _ , __ _,_,.. ..,,_ .. .f · ~ .... ... ,_. _ - w,_,. ...._ . to. _ .. It _ ,.. . .....-__ ...---.. .... --.. . ~ ~ L --H . . . . . . . . .._---,- ...,._

r-_,_.. ,·_

- _ . . _,

, 1 •'f»1_ - - - . .......... T , , - ..

_. _ T - . .... ~ <;1 . .. _, C __ ·_ ._ ... .. _- , -- ,,----- ...- . _ ~ -- - _ I h , .__ Q<doo . ._ . .

_Td . _ . . . . . . . .

' _. ,_ ............- ... _f_......,.._ _ .__ ..... --_ '- -_ _ u._ <__eoo...r >00 . . . . . . . _ . ~ 00 . ._ •• - , . , . M _ _ .--.lIl_ . . . .« _ · , ~ , _ _ ouI . . .__ . t1,,,.... , , . ; , . ; - . . ._ _..................... -.--............................ , , .....-.-



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Osprey+[MAA]+275.Taiping.Rebellion.1851-66（太平天国起义）

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Transcript of Osprey+[MAA]+275.Taiping.Rebellion.1851-66（太平天国起义）