Green Standard Army
In mid July, the British ships concentrated on Chinkiang and blocked the route between the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal. On the morning of July 21, the British attacked Chinkiang from three directions with four brigades. With the support of an artillery brigade, 2,310 soldiers of the first brigade attacked the Qing army defending the outside of Chinkiang. 1,832 soldiers of the second brigade attacked the west gate with the support of the navy, and 2,155 soldiers of the third brigade attacked the north gate. At that time, there were 1,583 Bannermen in Chinkiang and 2,700 Green Standard Army troops in the south-west suburb. The Green Standard Army had been transferred from other provinces after the fort outside the city had been attacked. The Green Standard Army troops, who had been temporarily concentrated, were not familiar with the terrain of Chinkiang. Except for a small number of muskets, their weapons were swords and spears.