Battle of Tysami facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Tysami |
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| Part of Piracy in Asia | |||||||
 Destruction of Chui A-poo's pirate fleet |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |
Chui A-poo's pirates | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 John C. Hay |
Chui A-poo | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1 brig 1 Sloop of war 1 steamer |
14 war-junks | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 3 killed 7 wounded 1 brig damaged 1 steamer damaged |
~250 killed or wounded 4 war-junks sunk |
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The Battle of Tysami was an important fight at sea. It happened in September 1849. The battle was between a ship from the British Royal Navy and Chinese pirates. These pirates were led by a famous pirate named Chui A-poo.
The battle took place near Tysami, in a place called Harlaim Bay, China. The British Navy won this battle. It was also a warm-up for an even bigger fight. That larger battle, the Battle of Pinghoi Creek, later destroyed Chui A-poo's entire pirate fleet.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
Chui A-poo was a very well-known pirate leader. People say he commanded over 500 pirate ships during his time. He was a follower of another famous pirate, Shap Ng-tsai. Chui A-poo's main base was in Bias Bay. This bay was next to Harlaim Bay. It was where he kept his ships and built new ones.
In February 1849, Chui A-poo had to leave Hong Kong quickly. This was after a serious incident involving British officers. The British Navy decided to act. They sent a group of ships to find and stop the pirates.
Chui A-poo's Pirate Fleet
At the time of these battles, Chui A-poo had 27 large pirate ships. These ships were called war-junks. Each junk carried between twelve and eighteen guns. They were quite big, weighing about 500 tons each.
In total, about 1,800 pirates worked on these ships. They had around 200 cannons. Most of these cannons were made in England.
The British Ships
Commander John Charles Dalrymple Hay led the British Royal Navy ships. His main ship was the HMS Columbine. This was a 12-gun brig, a type of sailing ship. It had about 80 crew members and 20 marines.
Another ship, the steamer Canton, also joined the fight. We don't know how many crew or guns it had. A Lieutenant Bridges from the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company rented and armed it. The Canton arrived unexpectedly and helped attack the pirates.
On September 27, 1849, the Columbine left Hong Kong. It sailed towards Harlaim Bay. The ship arrived there the next day around noon. They found that pirates had attacked and burned a village. The pirates had then moved further northeast to the village of Tysami. So, the British ships followed them. When they reached Tysami, that village was also burning. Commander Hay reported that smoke filled the air.
The Battle Begins
While near the burning Tysami, at 11:00 pm, Chui A-poo and his men were seen. They were in fourteen large junks. The pirate ships were heading southwest in two lines. Commander Hay ordered his crew to get ready for battle. He raised his flag and began to chase them.
The wind was very calm that night. Hay knew this was good for his steam-powered ships. They could move forward easily. The pirate junks, which relied on sails, could barely move. At 11:45 pm, the Columbine fired its first shots. It aimed at the largest pirate junk closest to them. The British hit some targets but not enough to stop any of the junks.
The battle continued for several hours. The Columbine chased the pirates, firing occasionally. The pirates were looking for a way to escape. But they couldn't find one. The main part of the battle happened the next morning, September 29, around noon.
The Canton Joins the Fight
Chui A-poo's fleet was heading west. The Columbine was still chasing them. Suddenly, the Canton appeared. It was roughly in front of the pirate ships. Lieutenant Bridges, the Canton's commander, saw the chase. He quickly changed course to help Commander Hay.
The Canton headed straight for the pirate junks. It opened fire with its guns. As the Canton started taking fire from the pirates, Hay's ship, the Columbine, also came within range. It joined the fight. After a few more minutes of accurate shooting, Chui A-poo's fleet broke apart.
Three pirate junks were abandoned by their crews. Most of these pirates drowned as their ships sank. Towards the end of the battle, shots from the Columbine hit one of the larger junks. It exploded in a huge cloud of smoke.
Ten pirate junks managed to escape the battle. The British decided not to chase them further. They had an idea where the pirates were going. Also, the British crew had been working non-stop for forty hours. They were very tired.
Battle Results
Reports said that Chui A-poo's pirates suffered about 250 dead or wounded. Over 200 cannons were either destroyed or captured. The captured cannons were taken back to Hong Kong. On the British side, three Royal Navy sailors on the Columbine were killed. One officer and six other men were wounded.
What Happened Next
The ten pirate war-junks that escaped anchored at the entrance of Bias Bay. The British didn't know that thirteen more pirate junks were nearby. Chui A-poo survived this battle. But the danger for him was not over.
Commander Hay decided that the remaining pirate junks should be attacked on October 1. He sent a letter to Rear Admiral Sir Francis Augustus Collier. Hay asked for more ships and men. He then got ready for more fighting.
Admiral Collier sent a small six-gun sloop-of-war called HMS Fury. He also sent boats of marines from HMS Hastings. Under Commander John Willcox, the Fury arrived off Bias Bay. The Columbine and Canton were already anchored there.
The pirates then fled deeper into the bay. But the Royal Navy still had them trapped. Only a small waterway, the Pinghoi Creek, offered a possible way out. On October 1, the British attacked again. They destroyed 23 more pirate junks. They also destroyed Chui A-poo's main base of operations.
See also
