0 0 ▁Vietnam ese ▁soldiers ▁attempted ▁to ▁counter att ack . ▁ ▁Admir al ▁Char ner , ▁who ▁was ▁personally ▁direct ing ▁the ▁action , ▁threw ▁back ▁their ▁attack ▁with ▁Colonel ▁L anz ar ote ' s ▁Filip ino ▁troops . ▁ ▁At ▁ 1 0 ▁a . m . ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁Spanish ▁flags ▁fle w ▁above ▁the ▁cit adel . ▁▁ ▁Al lied ▁occupation ▁of ▁Sa ig on , ▁February ▁ 1 8 5 9 – F ebru ary ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁ ▁The ▁cit adel ▁of ▁Sa ig on ▁was ▁enorm ous , ▁and ▁the ▁al lies ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁enough ▁men ▁to ▁hold ▁it ▁secure ly . ▁ ▁R ig ault ▁de ▁Gen ou illy ▁therefore ▁decided ▁to ▁blow ▁it ▁up . ▁ ▁Th irty - two ▁mines ▁were ▁prepared , ▁and ▁on ▁ 8 ▁March ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁the ▁cit adel ▁was ▁w reck ed . ▁ ▁The ▁rice ▁mag az ines ▁were ▁also ▁set ▁al ight , ▁and ▁burn ed ▁for ▁several ▁months . ▁▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁R ig ault ▁de ▁Gen ou illy ▁returned ▁to ▁Tour ane ▁with ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁his ▁forces , ▁leaving ▁only ▁a ▁small ▁g arrison ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁cap itaine ▁de ▁fr ég ate ▁Bernard ▁J aur ég ui berry ▁to ▁hold ▁Sa ig on . ▁ ▁J aur ég ui berry ' s ▁force ▁consisted ▁of ▁a ▁company ▁of ▁French ▁marine ▁inf antry , ▁a ▁company ▁of ▁Filip ino ▁light