Although Liu Yongfu's forces did not substantially outnumber the French, they had built two lines of field fortifications to block the road to Sơn Tây.
Meskipun pasukan Liu Yongfu tidak jauh melebihi jumlah Prancis, mereka telah membangun dua garis pertahanan lapangan untuk memblokir jalan menuju Sơn Tây.