Taiping campaign: Wuchang, the march downriver, and the fall of Nanjing

Background. The Taiping Rebellion began in Guangxi in 1850. By late 1852, Taiping forces had pressed north into Hunan following the Xiang River, besieging Changsha, occupying Yuezhou, and capturing Wuchang in December 1852 after reaching the Yangtze River. In early 1853, the army moved on toward Nanjing. This sequence involved key leaders Hong Xiuquan and Yang Xiuqing, who directed the campaign's strategic movements.

March Downriver. After capturing Wuchang in January 1853, Taiping forces decided to head east and first take control of Nanjing instead of marching north and directly attacking Beijing. They assembled a force of over 500,000 men at Hanyang, Hankou, and Wuchang. The army moved down the Yangtze River, aiming to take control of Nanjing, which would become the capital of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Fall of Nanjing. The Battle of Nanjing began after the fall of Wuhan on March 8, 1853. Taiping troops captured Nanjing on March 19, 1853, shortly after the Qing government evacuated the city. Hong Xiuquan renamed the city Tianjing, or the heavenly capital, and began ruling through proclamations from his new palace.