Fleet Ledger

Naval wars from the age of sail to the present day

First Opium War
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Battles
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First Battle of Chuenpi

First Battle of Chuenpi

3 November 1839, Off Chuenpi, at the mouth of the Pearl River

British victory

Admiral Guan Tianpei brought a fleet of war junks and fire ships down to Chuenpi to stop British merchant ships trading, and Captain Henry Smith took the frigate Volage and the sloop Hyacinth in against it. Sailing along the Chinese line and firing broadsides, the two ships blew up one junk and sank three more, and the rest withdrew. Guan's own junk fought on until it was badly damaged. Only one British sailor was wounded.

Royal Navy

2 ships, none lost

ShipTypeOutcome
HMS Volage

Captain Smith's ship

Frigate

Survived
HMS Hyacinth

Sloop

Survived

Qing Chinese Navy

29 ships, 4 lost

Flotillas and other craftNumberLost

War junks and fire ships

About 16 war junks and 13 fire ships under Admiral Guan Tianpei. One junk blew up and three sank; several others were badly damaged.

294

Map

  • Volage and Hyacinth go in to Chuenpi November 1839