page_title: Retreat from Lạng Sơn
section_title: The battle of Ky Lua, 28 March 1885
hierarchical_section_title: Retreat from Lạng Sơn / The battle of Ky Lua, 28 March 1885
caption_attribution_description: English: Map of Lang Son Campaign
context_page_description: The Retreat from Lạng Sơn was a controversial French strategic withdrawal in Tonkin at the end of March 1885 that brought down the government of the French premier Jules Ferry and brought the Sino-French War to an end under conditions that were considered humiliating for France.
context_section_description: Following their victory at the Battle of Bang Bo (24 March 1885), the Chinese advanced slowly in pursuit of the retreating French, and on 28 March de Négrier fought a battle at Ky Lua in defence of Lạng Sơn.  Shortly before noon the Chinese launched a frontal attack on the French positions, advancing in dense, ponderous columns. De Négrier ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Gustave Herbinger to counterattack the Chinese left wing with Diguet and Farret's battalions.  The attack, supported by artillery, was completely successful, and by 4 p.m. Herbinger had driven the Guangxi Army's left wing from the hills to the northeast of Ky Lua.  By 5 p.m. the Guangxi Army was in full retreat, leaving only a rearguard to discourage pursuit.  French casualties at Ky Lua were 7 men killed and 38 wounded. Towards the end of the battle de Négrier was seriously wounded in the chest while scouting the Chinese positions. He was forced to hand over command to Herbinger, his senior regimental commander. Herbinger was a noted military theoretician who had won a respectable battlefield reputation during the Franco-Prussian War, but was quite out of his depth as a field commander in Tonkin. Several French officers had already commented scathingly on his performance during the Lạng Sơn campaign and at Bang Bo, where he had badly bungled an attack on the Chinese positions.  He was also suffering from malaria, and his physical debility may well have impaired his judgement.
caption: Bang Bo, Ky Lua and the Retreat from Lạng Sơn, March 1885
exif: {}