3-000-272 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The King's Dragoon Guards closing with the Tartar cavalry in the engagement near Pekin on the 21st of September - from a sketch by our special artist in China, 1860. British forces in China. Sir J. Hope Grant: '...the Tartar cavalry showed in large masses, and advanced rapidly until within 200 yards of our guns...driven away from the right by our fire, [they] hung in large masses on our left front, affording an excellent opportunity for our cavalry to charge, which they promptly seized, the King's Dragoon Guards, under Lieut.-Colonel Sayers, in particular inflicting a very heavy loss on the enemy. On their left, Fane's Horse charged a similar body with great gallantry, whilst the 1st Sikh Cavalry, under Major Probyn...effectually turned the right of the Chinese army...the head-quarters of some Imperial Princes...was burnt by our troops, and the Chinese army retired upon Pekin...Forty-three guns were taken during the action, and the loss of the Chinese was very severe...groups of dead showed the effect of the artillery fire, which had followed their movements till they finally retreated. Our loss is two killed and twenty-nine wounded'. From "Illustrated London News", 1860.