Battle of Tamsui

Battle context

The Battle of Tamsui was a French defeat at the hands of Qing forces on Taiwan during the Keelung Campaign of the Sino-French War. The engagement was one of the few clear Chinese defensive successes of the war, demonstrating that Qing forces were capable of repelling European landings in contested coastal territory. Within the broader Keelung Campaign, the outcome at Tamsui limited French operational gains on Taiwan and checked the momentum of French naval and ground operations in the region. Chinese casualties were recorded at approximately 200, indicating the engagement was a contested fight rather than a rout, though the French force under Lespès failed to achieve its objectives against defenders commanded by Sun Kaihua, Zhang Gaoyuan, Liu Chaoyou, and Tio Li-xieng.