Battle of First Bar The Battle of First Bar was fought between British and Chinese forces at First Bar Island and its surrounding area in the Canton River , China , on 27 February 1841 during the First Opium War . Background . On 21 February 1841 , former Imperial Commissioner Lin Zexu wrote that 1 , 000 regular troops from Hunan and the same number from Yunnan arrived in batches at Canton . Lin met General Hsiang - fu of the Hunan troops in the afternoon and then General Yung - fu the next day . On 24 February , Lin , Imperial Commissioner Qishan , and other officials inspected the defences of the Canton River , and spent the night at Lieh - te , east of Canton . The inspection continued the next day and ended early on 26 February at Ta - huang - chiao , south of Canton . Battle . On the morning of 27 February , the " Calliope " , " Herald " , " Alligator " , " Sulphur " , " Modeste " , and the steamers " Madagascar " and " Nemesis " sailed past the Bocca Tigris along the Canton River . Lieutenant John Elliot Bingham of the " Modeste " wrote , " As these ships sped along , the shore was lined with thousands of the inhabitants gazing on the bold barbarians , many of them , no doubt , secretly wishing them success . " Commodore James Bremer placed Captain Thomas Herbert of the " Calliope " in command of the fleet . After sailing past Tiger Island and Second Bar , they reached near First Bar Island by noon . There , the British spotted the " Cambridge " , a former East Indiaman , hoisting the red flag of a Chinese admiral . The long Chinese field fortifications facing the river mounted 47 guns , and rows of white tents in the neighbouring paddy field s indicated a large number of Tartar troops . Over 40 war junks were further up the river . As the steamers advanced , the Chinese batteries opened fire , which was vigorously returned with shells and rockets . The " Modeste " sailed within of the shore and fired broadside s before the other ships joined the cannonade . The Chinese made a determined resistance , but could not withstand the broadsides . The shells and rockets from the " Madagascar " and " Nemesis " had a destructive effect , setting fire to much of the camp . The " Cambridge " opened fire , but was soon overwhelmed by artillery from the British ships . Her crew jumped overboard to make way for the shore . Although the junks made a large amount of noise , they kept out of range from the British fleet . After an hour , the Chinese batteries were nearly silenced , and the British forces landed . Herbert reported , " I landed with the seamen and marines . . . and stormed the works , driving before us upwards of two thousand of their best troops , and killing nearly three hundred . " Bingham wrote , " As the enemy fled before Lieutenant Stransham ' s party , they attempted to cross a deep branch of the river , in which numbers of them perished , and many were shot . " The British captured the forts about half an hour after landing . During the land operations , Lieutenant Watson of the " Calliope " and other officers boarded the " Cambridge " , and soon captured it after a resistance from the few Chinese crew that remained . The ship was found mounting 34 guns . Orders were sent to the officer to set it on fire . Shortly after dark , the fire exploded its magazine , hurling the masts and beams in the air . Herbert wrote that the explosion was so loud that it " must have been heard at Canton . " A total of 98 Chinese guns were captured during the day . The British casualties were one seaman killed , six seamen wounded , and two marines wounded . The seaman who died on the " Modeste " had the hammer of his musket caught on the ship ' s thwart and when the piece discharged , the ball shot through his head . Aftermath . On 28 February , Lin wrote , " I hear that yesterday the English rebels broke resistance at Wu - yung . The regulars from Hunan were stationed there , and had heavy losses , their Commander Hsiang - fu being also among the killed . " Lin said that 100 trained militiamen came afterwards from Hsiang - fu ' s camp , but did not reach Wu - yung in time for the attack , and that in the afternoon , Qishan , Deng Tingzhen , and I - liang began a meeting .