Battle of the Pearl River Forts The Battle of the Pearl River Forts , or the Battle of the Barrier Forts , in late 1856 , was an amphibious assault and short occupation conducted by the United States Navy against a series of fort s along China ' s Pearl River . It was fought at the beginning of the Second Opium War and was considered an important defeat by the British who were interested in capturing the nearby city of Canton . Background . Sailing off the Chinese coast and had received news of the beginning of the Second Opium War . The two sloops - of - war were tasked with protecting American lives by landing a 150 man detachment of marines and sailors in Canton . After a peaceful landing the Americans occupied the ancient city . Commanded by both Commodore James Armstrong and Captain Henry H . Bell , arrived in Canton ' s harbor and learned of the occupation . " San Jacinto " then landed a shore party of her own . On November 15 , 1856 , after a brief stay and no military contact , the force withdrew from the city . During the withdrawal , Commander Andrew H . Foote of the " Portsmouth " paddled out to his ship . As he paddled past the Pearl River Forts , the Chinese garrison fired on the small American boat a few times but the withdrawal continued . The next day the U . S . seamen had constructed a plan to attack Canton ' s citadel s in retaliation for the Chinese attack on Commander Foote . Battle . Now a force of one steam frigate and two sloops , the squadron under James Armstrong managed their way up Pearl River and launched an attack on Canton ' s coastal forts . USS " Portsmouth " closed in on the nearest of the four citadels and fired the initial salvo on November 16 . For two hours her bombardment continued until the Chinese batteries were silenced . After this first engagement , Chinese and American officials decided to try to settle the matter diplomatically . This failed and on November 20 , Commodore Armstrong ordered his ships to fire again on two more of the Chinese forts . This bombardment lasted until the Chinese batteries weakened a bit , and after " Levant " , commanded by William N . Smith , received a total of twenty - two cannon ball shots in her sails , rigging and hull . Then the landing force was activated , led by Andrew Foote , the force of 287 men quickly captured the first enemy fort , then used its fifty - three guns to attack and capture the second fort . Once taking the second position , the Chinese launched several counter attack s with some 3 , 000 Qing Army soldiers from Canton . In a few more days of intense combat until November 24 , the U . S . force , with help from the blockade , pushed back the attacking Chinese army , killing and wounding dozens of the attackers , capturing two more of Pearl Rivers ' s forts and spiking 176 enemy guns in the process . Chinese casualties were an estimated 500 killed or wounded , hundreds of Qing troops became victims in the long bombardment s and assaults . The Americans land forces sustained ten killed and thirty - two wounded . USS " Levant " suffered one dead and six wounded in her exchange with the Pearl River Forts . Aftermath . After James Armstrong ' s attack on the Chinese fortifications , diplomatic efforts began again and the American and Chinese governments signed an agreement for U . S . neutrality in the Second Opium War . This ended the United States ' participation in the conflict , until 1859 when Commodore Josiah Tattnall in the chartered steamship " Towey Wan " , participated in a battle at the Taku Forts which was ultimately unsuccessful . In 1857 , the British and French would use Pearl River to attack Canton from water , resulting in the Battle of Canton . America ' s opening of Asia continued into the 1860s with conflict , such as the Battle of Shimonoseki Straits and a following bombardment , as well as an expedition to Korea in the 1870s . 12 . Edwin N . McClellan , " The Capture of the Barrier Forts in the Canton River , China " , " Marine Corps Gazette " , v . 5 , no . 3 ( Sep 1920 ) , p . 272 ;