Battle of the Barrier
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Barrier was fought between British and Chinese forces at the boundary between Macau
and mainland China on 19 August 1840. The barrier ran across an isthmus
separating Macau from mainland China.
s, accompanied by the Louisa cutter and Enterprise steamer, having seamen and marines of the Druid with Bengal volunteers
on board, attacked the barrier. The vessels opened fire on a battery
about 600 yards (548.6 m) away which promptly returned fire. A British officer wrote, "The [Chinese] junks
, which were aground in the inner harbour, were utterly useless, for none of their guns could be brought to bear, though several of the thirty-two pound shots of the ships found their way over the bank, much to the consternation of the occupants of the junks." In less than an hour, the batteries were silenced and the British forces were landed. They consisted of a brigade of 380 men comprising 110 royal marines
, 90 seamen from the Druid, and 180 troops from the Bengal volunteers.
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
and mainland China on 19 August 1840. The barrier ran across an isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
separating Macau from mainland China.
Battle
At about noon on 19 August 1840, British corvetteCorvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
s, accompanied by the Louisa cutter and Enterprise steamer, having seamen and marines of the Druid with Bengal volunteers
Bengal Army
The Bengal Army was the army of the Presidency of Bengal, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia. Although based in Bengal in eastern India, the presidency stretched across northern India and the Himalayas all the way to the North West Frontier Province...
on board, attacked the barrier. The vessels opened fire on a battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
about 600 yards (548.6 m) away which promptly returned fire. A British officer wrote, "The [Chinese] junks
Junk (ship)
A junk is an ancient Chinese sailing vessel design still in use today. Junks were developed during the Han Dynasty and were used as sea-going vessels as early as the 2nd century AD. They evolved in the later dynasties, and were used throughout Asia for extensive ocean voyages...
, which were aground in the inner harbour, were utterly useless, for none of their guns could be brought to bear, though several of the thirty-two pound shots of the ships found their way over the bank, much to the consternation of the occupants of the junks." In less than an hour, the batteries were silenced and the British forces were landed. They consisted of a brigade of 380 men comprising 110 royal marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
, 90 seamen from the Druid, and 180 troops from the Bengal volunteers.