On this day, 140 years ago, January 3, 1885 (November 18, 1884, the Chinese calendar), the Sino-French War: the Battle of Bobu Mountain. The sea confrontation in the Sino-French War shows an isolated fleet. In the late 19th century, the French's demands on Vietnam triggered a military conflict between the French Empire and the Qing Dynasty of China. Since the Westernization Movement in 1861, the Qing Dynasty of China has worked hard to learn from the West in military terms, especially in terms of weapons. When the Sino-French War broke out, China's army was already generally equipped with American-made Remington single-shot rifles, which were comparable to the French army in terms of light firearms, but the artillery, especially surface artillery, was much inferior to the French army. More importantly, in terms of military organization, training and tactics, China's army is still a traditional army, far from being modern, which will allow them to face the French army with flexible tactics and first-class quality. Taste the bitter fruit. In August 1884, the war broke out in full swing. At the end of September, a huge China Guangxi army set out from Lang Son and entered the Lunan Valley, and on October 2 ambushed the French ships "Tomahawk" and "Stick" passing by the waterway. The French commander, General Louis Briger de L'Isler, immediately responded and sent a 3000-strong French team in a small flotilla of gunboats to attack the China army in the Lunan Valley. In the double campaign from October 2 to 15, 1884, three French columns under the command of General François de Neglige defeated the Guangxi Army distributed in Lin, Shuang and Zhou. De Neglije's successful attacks in Shuangzhou and Zhouzhou seriously threatened the base of China troops in Lang Son. Although China's troops suffered disastrous losses in a series of previous battles, they reorganized in the hope of restoring control of Lunan to relieve pressure on Lang Son. In December, China troops secretly marched and occupied Mount Bubu, only 18 miles away from Zhou. This China army consisted of 12000 people and was led by General Wang Debang (a famous general in the Hunan Army who commanded the Northern Lebanon ambush against France in July 1884). Logistic-poor China troops looted all Vietnam villagers near Mount Bob, arousing hatred among the locals. A villager from Linsong told the French army about the secret assembly of China troops. The French army must not tolerate the presence of a China army on the flank of their base in Zhou. General Briger de L'Isler reorganized the Zhou garrison in late December and ordered General de Nigger to lead a force of 2000 men to drive out the China troops at Mount Bobo in early 1885. At the beginning of the battle, on January 3, 1885, the French army began to launch an offensive. The Digte Infantry Battalion starting from the Chu straight line launched a feint attack on the China army, while De Neglige led the main force of the French army to quietly cross the Lunan River south, returning to the left wing of the China army's defense line to carry out a side attack. The French army set out at 6 a.m. on January 3 and successfully crossed the Lunan River at 8 a.m. Then he turned eastward, pointing towards the left wing of the Qing army. However, the French army's geographical intelligence went wrong. The shoal at Thubi in front was originally marked as an area that could be crossed directly, but the water turned out to be unexpectedly deep, so that the French army could not completely cross the river until 4 p.m. The water barracks of Majas, who served as the vanguard of the French army, detected the China army at 4:15. Due to the unexpected delay of the French army, the China army had enough time to redeploy its line of defense. They formed a long front along the Fonco Valley and faced the French army. The French army also detected a China ambush in the forest 800 meters away from the front line of the China army. In any case, due to errors in geographical information, de Neglije's first sighting plan was ruined. Despite this, the French army after crossing the river still launched an attack without hesitation. They were deployed on three fronts: the Water Barracks of Mayas, the Tokyo Rifles Battalion and the Judy Artillery Company formed the first front; the 111th Infantry Battalion, the 143rd Infantry Battalion and the De Saxi Artillery Company formed the second front; and the 3rd Algeria Barracks formed the third line alone. French artillery moved to the top of a hill and opened fire on the China ambush in the jungle. At the same time, the water barracks on the first line approached the jungle, the 143rd Infantry Battalion on the second line crossed the hills and circumvented to the right wing of China's main front to attack, and the powerful 3rd Algeria Barracks stayed around the artillery as reserves. The French water barracks encountered tenacious resistance from the China army when attacking the jungle. Mayas asked his three companies to attack the China from the front and flank at the same time, and kept the fourth company as a reserve. The French's Tokyo Rifles circled around to the other flank of the China ambush to attack while the sailors were fighting. Under the attack of the French army from multiple sides, the China army in the jungle was immediately defeated. They withdrew from the jungle and retreated to the hills behind them to regroup. After occupying the jungle, the leading company of Salles, the French army, charged towards the hill and drove the newly reorganized China army down the mountain. This move exposed Salles Company itself to the firepower of the main front of the China army, and the intensive hail of rifle bullets made the French soldiers unable to lift their heads. The French artillery turned its muzzle to suppress the fire on the China front. At the same time, other French infantry who had already occupied the jungle carried out a feint attack on the China army and successfully assisted Salles Company to withdraw down the hill. At this time, the 143rd Infantry Battalion had circuitous to the right flank of the China, and the battalion's four companies formed two front and back fronts to launch an attack. China resistance was extremely fierce, but the French still managed to occupy a high ground near the China position. When part of the French army reached the heights, a gap appeared in the center of the 143rd Battalion's front line. The China army seized the opportunity to counterattack. Lieutenant Dislow of the French 2nd Front led his reserve company to drive back the China. The entire 143rd Battalion was then moved to higher ground. Soldiers from the 143rd Battalion discovered that the China troops they were facing were wearing tan coats with black stripes. They were told that this was the elite army of the Qing Empire: the tiger soldiers. As the French army closed in on the Qing army from the highland, the Tigers fired a close range salvo, but all shot high. The French army took the opportunity to launch a white-blade charge, and the Qing army was defeated and fled, leaving corpses on the ground. The French army captured the Qing artillery and flag in the position. The French 143rd Battalion had defeated the Qing army's right flank and began to sweep the China defenders from the flank and along the front. The Qing army attempted to launch a counterattack to stabilize the front, but was easily defeated by the French. With the successful flanking advance of the 143rd Battalion, General de Neglije believed that the Qing army was on the verge of collapse. He ordered the French army to press forward on all fronts, while the Qing army took advantage of the night to withdraw. The French 111th Battalion occupied the village, and its Vatil Company advanced to the front of the Fonco Valley. In the latter part of the campaign, before dawn on January 4, a huge China army launched a fierce raid on the Fengke Valley in an attempt to regain the position lost on the first day. The attack was directly supported by artillery fire from the China army's West Fort. In just a few minutes, the attackers 'army completely surrounded Vatir's outpost. The French company defended desperately under the close-range rifle fire of a large number of China troops. Vatil sent his personal guard Meffet back to the center of the Fonco Valley to ask for support from the main French army. Murphet took advantage of the fading night and crawled out of the encirclement of the China. Then he reported the situation of Vadil's company to Colonel Habinger. Habinger may have thought that Murphet exaggerated the situation and only transferred 10 soldiers from the 111th Infantry Battalion to support the battle of Vadir Company. Fortunately, the Tyrande Company on the hill to the right of the Funke Valley observed the battle at the forefront of the Funke Valley and immediately led its company of sailors to support it. At this time, Vatir's company was already close to the distance where it could launch a charge by the China army. Vatir ordered the French soldiers to mount bayonets and launch a charge despite the close-range hail of rifles from the Qing army. Vatir was injured by bullets on the spot while charging, but the French army's white-blade charge had a surprising effect. A large number of China soldiers were quickly defeated. The French used bayonets to drive the Qing army far away, and then withdrew and reorganized. However, the huge Qing army refused to withdraw easily. They reorganized the army and tried to recover from the attack just now. The French army counter-charged with white blades. When the Qing army was reorganizing, Tyrande's reinforcements came to the left wing of Vatil's company. Two companies of the French army attacked from the inside and outside, and the Qing army was defeated. The siege on the front of Fengke Valley has been lifted. At this point, the China army has given up its attempt to take the initiative to attack and began to defend on the entire line. General de Neglije went to the high ground to observe the positions of the China army with binoculars. He discovered that China troops had dug a long trench between the Fengke Valley and the Shunan River. Seal off the road leading to Lang Son. The two wings of this trench are guarded by two tall fortresses (East Fort and West Fort). Behind the Shunan River, there are also a series of small bunkers for the China army on the slopes of Bubu Mountain. In the early morning of January 4, the French army began to attack. Mayas 'water barracks easily drove out the Qing troops stationed in Taiwang Village. On its right, the 111th Infantry Battalion attacked the China trenches head-on. Due to the failure of the China army in previous battles, their fighting spirit had been greatly reduced. After realizing this, the French army directly launched a white-blade charge. The China army was immediately defeated and they were driven out of the trenches by bayonets. The continuous sight of bayonets made the belligerent Gallic cocks boil with blood. The platoon led by Lieutenant de Columbus was too excited and actually launched a solo charge against a China bunker defended by hundreds of people! Fortunately, the deep river prevented them from committing suicide. At the same time, the 143rd Infantry Battalion and Algeria riflemen circumvented to the left wing of the Qing front and launched an attack under cover of artillery fire. The Qing army tried to concentrate its forces on defense, but its group was severely injured by the heavy artillery fire of the French army. At 11:15 a.m., the French army had completely captured all Qing positions. A large number of rifles, artillery, battle flags, baggage, mules and horses of the Qing army were captured by the French army. Statistics from the French army before and after the French army's charge: Water Barracks in Majas (Marine Corps) 3rd Algeria Barracks (North Africans)2 unknown numbered Tokyo Rifles Battalion (Vietnam) 111th Infantry Battalion (French) 143rd Infantry Battalion (French) Judi Artillery Company (French) De Saxi Artillery Company (French) Casualty Statistics at the Battle of Bob Mountain: The French casualties were 19 killed and 65 injured. 600 people in the Qing army died and countless injured.