In 1858, the signing of the Treaty of Tianjin stopped the potential visit after capturing the Taku Forts that defended the Hai River, which were returned to the Qing army.

[8] Two days later, on 20 September the cavalry discovered the Chinese army in a strong position in front of a canal connecting Beijing with the Hai River, with two bridges at Baliqiao.

[9] On the Qing side, Sengge Rinchen's troops, including elite Mongolian cavalry, were completely annihilated after several doomed frontal charges against concentrated firepower from the allied forces.

[citation needed] With the Qing army devastated, the Xianfeng Emperor fled the capital, leaving his brother, Prince Gong, to be in charge of negotiations.

After Harry Smith Parkes and the surviving diplomatic prisoners had been freed, Lord Elgin ordered the Summer Palaces be burnt down, which started on 18 October without the French, whose commander opposed the move.

The destruction of the Forbidden City was even discussed, as proposed by Elgin to discourage the Qing Empire from using kidnapping as a bargaining tool, and to exact revenge for the mistreatment of their prisoners.

[11] The French commander Cousin-Montauban was later awarded the title of "Count of Palikao" and a decade later, was made the 31st Prime Minister of France by Napoléon III.