Battle of Yu Oc

The Battle of Yu Oc took place in the context of defending the advanced post of Tuyên Quang, threatened by a Sino-Vietnamese coalition. A French column commanded by Duchesne was sent as reinforcement and faced Chinese troops and Black Flags at Yu Oc. Despite numerical inferiority, the French achieved a decisive victory through rigorous fire discipline and a well-coordinated attack.

Tonkin was in full insurrection. After the capture of Bac Ninh and Chinese reverses at Fuzhou, Chinese imperial forces attempted to regain the initiative by harassing isolated French posts. The siege of Tuyên Quang was imminent, and France dispatched a relief column. The objective was to drive back enemy outposts at Yu Oc, on the strategic route of Upper Tonkin.

Duchesne advanced cautiously through difficult terrain, in jungle and flooded rice paddies. He used square formation to protect his flanks. Light artillery was effectively deployed to break mass attacks. A coordinated bayonet counterattack dispersed enemy forces. The Black Flags abandoned their positions after severe losses.

The victory at Yu Oc temporarily cleared the route to Tuyên Quang and delayed encirclement of the post. It demonstrated the effectiveness of small French columns in hostile environments. Nevertheless, the siege of Tuyên Quang would begin shortly afterward. This battle confirmed Duchesne's reputation; he would later command the Madagascar expedition.