▁adm iral ▁Charles ▁R ig ault ▁de ▁Gen ou illy , ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁events ▁of ▁the ▁Con quest ▁of ▁C och inch ina ▁( 1 8 5 8 – 6 2 ). ▁Sa ig on ▁was ▁of ▁great ▁strateg ic ▁importance , ▁both ▁as ▁the ▁key ▁food - produ cing ▁area ▁of ▁Vietnam ▁and ▁as ▁the ▁gateway ▁to ▁C och inch ina . ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 8 , ▁Admir al ▁Charles ▁R ig ault ▁de ▁Gen ou illy ▁attacked ▁Vietnam ▁under ▁the ▁orders ▁of ▁Napoleon ▁III ▁following ▁the ▁failed ▁mission ▁of ▁diplom at ▁Charles ▁de ▁Mont igny . ▁His ▁stated ▁mission ▁was ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁per sec ution ▁of ▁Catholic ▁mission aries ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁ass ure ▁the ▁un imp eded ▁propag ation ▁of ▁the ▁faith . ▁For ▁his ▁descent ▁on ▁Vietnam , ▁R ig ault ▁de ▁Gen ou illy ▁had ▁a ▁force ▁of ▁ 1 4 ▁war ships , ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁French ▁marine ▁inf antry , ▁and ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁troops ▁from ▁the ▁Spanish ▁g arr isons ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁( 5 5 0 ▁Spanish ▁inf antry ▁and ▁ 4 5 0 ▁Filip ino ▁light ▁inf antry ). ▁ ▁The ▁al lied ▁force ▁land ed ▁at ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Tour ane ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁and ▁occupied ▁the ▁city ▁after ▁a ▁brief ▁bomb ard ment . ▁However , ▁the ▁al lies ▁were ▁soon ▁placed ▁under ▁sie ge ▁by ▁the ▁Vietnam ese ▁and , ▁unable