The British and French sent a squadron of gunboats, under Rear-Admiral Admiral Michael Seymour, to attack China's Taku Forts.

The Xianfeng Emperor received the news that Canton had been occupied on 27 January 1858.

The British commander Michael Seymour, hoping to force a settlement (the later Treaty of Tianjin), ordered an attack on the Taku Forts as they were the closer path towards Peking.

The fortresses were then looted, where the British and French found many weapons and cannons, both foreign and domestically cast.

British soldiers who fought in the battle were awarded the Second China War Medal with the clasp "Tatu Forts 1858".