# Siege of Suzhou > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Siege_of_Suzhou > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Siege_of_Suzhou.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Suzhou > Source revision: 1352320333 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles. (January 2026) Siege of Suzhou Part of Taiping Rebellion Firefly, a steamer present during the siege of the Royal Navy Date September - 5 December 1863 Location Suzhou, China Result Anglo-Qing Victory Taiping garrison surrendered Belligerents Qing Dynasty United Kingdom Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Commanders and leaders Li Hongzhang Charles George Gordon Cheng Xuechi Tan SauGuan Li Xiucheng Shi Dakai Hong Tianguifu Hong Xiuquan Units involved Huai Army Ever Victorious Army Gunboat Detachments 14-18 Wans Strength Total Army:28,000-30,0000 Infantry:20,000-25,000 Cavalry:4,000 Artillery:180 pieces Huai Army:20,000-25,000 Infantry:20,000 Cavalry:2,000-3,000 Artillery:150 pieces EVA :5,000 Infantry:3,000-4,000 Cavalry:400-800 Artillery:20-30 Pieces Total Army:200,000 Infantry:180,000-190,000 Cavalry:5,000-8,000 Artillery:60-80 pieces Casualties and losses 100-150 killed and wounded during the siege 300-400 died during the siege 10,000 executed 170,000+ captured **The Battle of Suzhou was fought on 6 December 1863,** between the Anglo-Qing army and the [Taiping](/source/Taiping_Rebellion) army. This battle was also for known the [Suzhou Massacre](/source/Suzhou_massacre), in which by the command of [Li Hongzhang](/source/Li_Hongzhang), 10,000 rebels were executed.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Background By the early 1860s, the [Taiping Heavenly Kingdom](/source/Taiping_Heavenly_Kingdom) was declining after years of bitter fighting against the [Qing Dynasty](/source/Qing_Dynasty). Once the revolutionary force which had captured major territories across the [Sourthen China](/source/Southern_China), the rebellion was being pressed back towards the core strongholds in [Jiangsu](/source/Jiangsu) and [Zheijiang](/source/Zhejiang). The city of Suzhou was the wealthiest and one of the most strategically vital centre in the [Yangtze delta](/source/Yangtze_Delta). Its fall would open the route towards [Nanjing](/source/Nanjing), the capital of the rebellion.[1] The Qing sent the [Huai Army](/source/Huai_Army) under the command of [Li Hongzhang](/source/Li_Hongzhang), which was a provincial force consisting of 25,000 men of which 3,000 was cavalry and nearly 150 artillery pieces (included western modernized cannons).[2] Li's force wassupported by the [Charles Gordon's](/source/Charles_George_Gordon) [Ever Victorious Army](/source/Ever_Victorious_Army) (EVA), with 5,000 Chinese men under the command of European officers and 6 steam powered [gunboats](/source/Gunboats) of the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Inside the city, the Taiping garrison numbered nearly 200,000 men, organized in Wan divisions. There were 14-18 wans each consisting of 12,500 men, and each having 5 [banners](/source/Eight_Banners) in them. Despite their large numbers, the defenders faced shortages of food, ammunition, and modern artillery. Their [morale](/source/Morale) was weakened by the steady advance of the Qing and effectiveness of Gordon's gunboats along the canals. ## The Siege In the autumn of 1863, the Haui army and the EVA under advanced steadily through Jiangsu, encircling the Taiping positions. After successful victories at [Changzhou](/source/Battle_of_Changzhou) and Wujiang, Li and Gordon had reached the outskirts of Suzhou by September. ### October The Huai army and EVA started blockading the city, they besieged the city. Skirmishing and raiding started happening. The EVA fleet consisting of 30-50 [junked boats](/source/Junk_(ship))(having 12-pounder guns) and 6 steamers with up to 32-pounder guns and 12-pounder [howitzers](/source/Howitzer),[3] had started bombarding river outposts and took control of the canals. Li and Gordon's men also captured the [Pan Gate](/source/Pan_Gate) and the [Mudu blockhouse fort](/source/Blockhouse). This disrupted the supply lines and forced the defenders inside the second layer of walls in the city.[4] ### November By November, the siege had entered a decisive phase. The Qing forces tightened the encirclement by storming smaller canal forts and villages, while gunboats also cut off supply lines along the waterways. With outer defense collapsing, the Taiping garrison was forced to clear the walls of Suzhou and get to the [citadel](/source/Citadel). At the same time, Li Hongzhang started negotiating with Tan SauGuan, offering leniency to encourage surrender. Shortages of food and ammunition, coupled with declining morale, made the resistance untenable.[4] ### December By early December, the siege had reached its breaking point. The Taiping garrison inside Suzhou was exhausted, short on food and ammunition, and morale had collapsed after weeks of encirclement and loss of outer defenses. On 6 December 1863, under negotiated terms, the city gates were opened to Hongzhang's army. Gordon assured the Taiping commanders that their lives will be spared if surrendered.[5] ## Surrender ### Terms of surrender After Gordon's guarantee and terms of surrender, Tan Sauguan surrenders. The terms were- i) The Taiping commanders and rebels will be granted a general pardon and will be spared from execution. ii) The Taiping will be permitted to retire with their property and spared from execution. iii) The Taiping will be given a safe passage while leaving the city.[6] These terms were personally discussed by Gordon with the Taiping commanders, trusting these terms, the Taiping surrender the city without resistance. ### The opening of gates After the negotiations were mediated by Gordon, which concluded with promises of general pardon and safe retirement. On 5 December, the city gates were opened in accordance with these terms. Once the gates were opened, the Anglo-Qing army entered without resistance. The Taiping commanders and princes formally presented themselves to Hongzhang and Gordon. The garrison was expected to leave the city gradually over the following days, taking their families and belongings together.[7] ### Capturing the Taiping Instead of being released, the Taiping leaders were escorted under Qing guard to Li's headquarters. This was presented as a surrender ceremony, but in practice was a detention. At the banquet, the princes were seized, and Hongzhang order their execution soon after, they were beheaded despite Gordon's guarantee of safety.[7] ## Aftermath On 9 December, when the surrendered garrison was corralled into the designated areas outside the city walls, awaiting dispersal. This containment made them vulnerable, once the leaders were arrested, by the command of Li, the soldiers were also rounded up and killed in large numbers over the following days. Estimates suggest nearly 10,000 were killed,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] but some contemporary records suggest the number hiked till 30,000.[6] Due to this betrayal, Gordon's reputation fell, and this also made controversy between the British Parliament and Qing Dynasty. The fall of Suzhou opened the route for [Ningpo.](/source/Battle_of_Ningpo)[8] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["The Edinburgh Gazette"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/7297/page/153). *[The Gazette](/source/The_Edinburgh_Gazette)*. No. 7297. 30 January 1863. p. 153. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** John King Fairbank; Kwang-Ching Liu; Denis Crispin Twitchett, eds. (1980). *Late Ch'ing, 1800-1911*. Vol. 11, Part 2 of The Cambridge History of China Series (illustrated ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 202. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-521-22029-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-22029-3). Retrieved 2012-01-18. By the end of the Nien War in 1868, a new kind of military force had emerged as the Ch'ing dynasty's chief bulwark of security. Often referred to by historians as regional armies, these forces were generally described at the time as yung-ying (lit. "brave battalions"). In the 1860s such forces throughout all the empire totaled more than 300,000 men, They included the remnants of the old Hunan Army (Hsiang-chün) founded by Tseng Kuo-fan, the resuscitated Hunan Army (usually called Ch'u-chün) under Tso Tsung-t'ang, and the Anhwei Army (Huai-chün) coordinated by Li Hung-chang. There were also smaller forces of a similar nature in Honan (Yü-chün), Shantung, (Tung-chün), Yunnan (Tien-chün) and Szechwan (Ch'uan-chün). These forces were distinguished generally by their greater use of Western weapons and they were more costly to maintain. More fundamentally they capitalized for military purposes on the particularistic loyalties of the traditional society. Both the strength and the weakness of the yung-ying were to be found in the close personal bonds that were formed between the higher and lower officers and between officers and men. In this respect they differed from the traditional Ch'ing imperial armies--both the banner forces and the Green Standard Army. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Richard J. Smith. "Mercenaries and Mandarins: The Ever-Victorious Army in Nineteenth Century China". Foreword by J. L. K. Fairbank. *Canadian Journal of History* 14.3 (1979): 486–488. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_4-1) Spence, Jonathan D (1996). *Gods Chinese Son*. [WW Norton](/source/WW_Norton). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780393315561](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780393315561). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Michael, Franz H. (1966). [*The Taiping Rebellion ; history and documents*](http://archive.org/details/taipingrebellion0000mich). Internet Archive. Seattle : [University of Washington Press](/source/University_of_Washington_Press). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780295952444](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780295952444).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: publisher location ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_publisher_location)) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_6-1) ["Thousands murdered after British led imperial army takes Suzhou - RogueNation.org"](https://roguenation.org/9-december-1863-british-and-suzhou-massacre/). 2019-08-05. Retrieved 2026-01-04. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_7-1) ["The Project Gutenberg eBook of Ti-Ping Tien-Kwoh; The History Of The Ti-Ping Revolution by Augustus F. Lindley"](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/39180/39180-h/39180-h.htm). *www.gutenberg.org*. Retrieved 2026-01-04. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["TheEdinbumh Gazette"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/7472/page/1237). *[The Gazette](/source/The_Edinburgh_Gazette)*. No. 7472. 4 October 1864. p. 1237. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Siege of Suzhou](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Suzhou) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Suzhou?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.