第二次鸦片战争时期的第二次大沽口之战,是最值得纪念的战斗。咸丰八年六月 (1858年7月),为了加强天津至海口的战备,清政府派科尔沁亲王僧格林沁率师督办海口防务,派礼部尚书瑞麟为直隶总督,协同重修大沽炮台。在大沽口除重建了原来的5座炮台外,又在北岸增建了1座石头缝炮台;并大力加强了双港至海口一线的战备设施;恢复了水师营建制,定额兵士3000名。还从外地增调军队,加强新河、北塘一线的驻守兵力。大沽口防线得以加强。
        咸丰九年二月 (1859年3月),新任英、法公使拒绝与清钦差桂良在上海进行《天津条约》的换约谈判,坚持要 “入都换约” ,决定再犯大沽口,“不惜用武力来打开白河的大门”。美国公使也乘机北上,入京换约。
        五月 (6月),英公使普鲁斯、法公使布尔布隆、美公使华约翰各率舰队由上海北犯。五月十七日 (6月17日),3国舰队22艘,士兵2000多人,到达大沽口外。英、法两国不理会清政府让其由北塘登陆入京的要求,坚持要走大沽口水陆入京换约。并从五月二十日 (6月20日)起,连续向大沽口防线挑衅。驶过拦江沙,撞断铁索,拔出铁戗,蓄意挑起战争。五月十七日联军舰队驶抵大沽口外时,清政府便严饬炮台守军,不得轻启战端;所以在敌舰猖狂挑衅面前,大沽各炮台一直稳忍静伺,没有开炮还击。
        五月二十五日 (6月25日)下午2时30分,英、法联军的8艘军舰,驶近内河向炮台开炮轰击。蓄怒已久的炮台守军,突然撤掉炮帘开炮还击。在新建炮台群和各营垒大小炮位的环轰叠击下,入侵敌舰不断被击沉击伤,大沽口两岸人民也奋起参加战斗,冒死运送给养。下午5时,敌舰队被迫向外海撤退; 但随之又派出10多艘舢板船,满载士兵1000余人,在南岸强行登陆。当时正值退潮,登陆敌兵陷入泥泞之中,纷纷被守军火炮击毙。天明时敌军弃下100余具尸体,狼狈逃回船上。
        经过一昼夜的战斗,打死、打伤敌人470多名;俘获英、美士兵各1人;英舰队司令贺布被击重伤;美军达底拿帮助英军指挥,其坐船被打碎,也仓皇逃命; 法军也有伤亡,其司令也被击伤。此役击沉敌舰4艘,击伤多艘。清军仅阵亡32人; 直隶提督史荣椿、大沽协副将龙汝元牺牲;守备奇车布等也阵亡。
        这次大沽口保卫战的胜利,谱写了中国近代反帝史上辉煌的一页,也是中国近代史上反侵略战争的唯一的一次胜仗,使大沽炮台的声名远播海内外。

        

·1859年6月25日,大沽炮台守军抵抗英法侵略军

        The second Dagu battle during the second Opium Warwas the one most memorable. In July 1858 (the eighthyear of Emperor Xianfeng),the Qing Government sentPrince Sengge Renchin to supervise the defence at theDagu Emplacement. Rui Li,the Minister of the Board ofRites,was appointed as the Governor-General of Zhili toassist Sengge Renchin to rebuild the Dagu Emplacement.Besides the former five cannon emplacements,a newone was built in the north. The defence line fromShuanggang to Dagu was reinforced. The navy battalionwas rebuilt with fixed soldiers of 3,000. New armieswere relocated from other places and stationed fromXinhe to Beitang. The Dagu defense line was reinforced.
        In March 1859,the new ambassadors of UK andFrance refused to negotiate in Shanghai with Gui Liang,the imperial envoy of the Qing Dynasty. They insistedon the treaty exchange in Beijing and decided to attackthe Dagu Emplacement once again. The US ambassadoralso supported the idea.
        In June,the British ambassador Bruce,Frenchambassador Bourboulo and American ambassador Johnled respective fleets marching northward from Shanghai.On June 17,there were 22 warships with 2,000 soldierson board arriving at the Dagu Emplacement. The QingDynasty required them to enter Beijing by way ofBeitang,but UK and France paid no attention to thesuggestion and insisted on the entrance by land and seaof the Dagu Emplacement to Beijing. The Qing Dynastyordered the stationed troops maintain idle to avoidenkindling war. From June 20,the enemies intended toprovoke war before the Dagu line. To initiate the war,they rolled by the bank sand and knocked down the ironchain. The army at Dagu Emplacement remained silentinstead of fighting back because of the order.
        At 14:30 on May 25,eight warships of UK andFrench allied fleets sailed to freshwater and fired shells.The angry defending troops removed the cannon curtainsabruptly and fought back. With the reinforced fire of thenewly-built cannon emplacement,many of the warshipsof the invaders were sunk or damaged. The residentsaround the Dagu Emplacement also arouse to fightand risked their lives to carry provisions. At 17:00,theenemies had to retreat to open-sea. Soon they dispatchedanother 10 barges carrying 1,000 soldiers to land thesouthern bank. The ebbing began. The soldiers werestuck in the mud and killed by the fire of the cannons.At dawn,the enemies ran for their lives to the warships,leaving 100 bodies behind.
        During the one-day and one-night battle,theChinese army killed and injured 470 enemies andcaptured one UK and one US soldiers. The UK admiralHope was severely hurt. The US commander Tattnallran in a flurry because his warship was sunk. A Frenchadmiral was also injured and felt sorry for his casualties.A total of 13 warships got sunk or were badly destroyed;while only 32 Qing soldiers died,including ShiRongchun,Governor-General of Zhili; Long Ruyuan,Deputy General of Dagu Emplacement; and Qi Chebu,Head of the Garrison.
        The victory of Dagu Emplacement Defence isa glorious one in China`s modern history against theinvasion of the imperialists. It was the sole victory of thewars against invasion in China`s modern history,whichmade the Dagu Emplacement famous worldwide.