The ROYAL IRISH regiment had Captain Charles J. Russell Collinson and two soldiers killed; Lieutenant Scroope Bernard, one serjeant, and fifteen rank and file wounded.
This brilliant success of the British arms filled the Chinese empire with consternation and dismay, and the English General prepared to carry his victorious troops into the heart of the empire, and attack _Nankin_, the ancient capital of China, to which place the fugitives from Chin-Keang-foo had fled for refuge. Embarking on the 29th of July to carry out this important object, the armament proceeded against the celebrated city of Nankin, where the ROYAL IRISH and other corps arrived on the 9th of August, when a great portion of the troops landed, and the ancient capital of China was environed by the British naval and land forces. This decisive step produced the desired results; the court of China could no longer hope that its legions would eventually arrest the victorious career of the British arms, and conditions of peace were acceded to; the Chinese paying an indemnity, and ceding a portion of territory to the British crown.
Thus terminated a war in which the EIGHTEENTH, or the ROYAL IRISH, regiment, had acquired additional reputation; a hostile nation had been impressed with a just sense of the capabilities of the English arms; and important commercial and national advantages had been acquired for the British empire.
Her Majesty, in consideration of the gallantry displayed by the troops employed on the coasts and rivers of China, was graciously pleased to permit the EIGHTEENTH (ROYAL IRISH), twenty-sixth, forty-ninth, fifty-fifth, and ninety-eighth regiments, and Royal Artillery, to bear on their colours and appointments the word "_China_," and the device of the "_Dragon_," in commemoration of their distinguished services.
After the termination of the contest, the EIGHTEENTH sailed from Nankin to the island of Chusan, where they arrived in October: the head-quarters sailed for Koolangsoo on the 17th of November, leaving four companies of the regiment at Chusan.
The regiment remained at Koolangsoo during the year 1843.
On the 1st of April the light company embarked at Koolangsoo, and arrived at Chusan on the 10th of that month. The head-quarters proceeded from Koolangsoo to Chusan in the middle of May, and remained there during the year.
