Baishaling Incident

The Baishaling Incident also known as the Battle of Passaleão, took place in August, 1849. Immediately after a Chinese mob assassinated Governor Ferreira do Amaral on August 22, Chinese Imperial troops mobilized at the Macau-Chinese frontier. The Portuguese population of Macau viewed as an overtly threatening move by the Chinese to invade Macau. On August 25, with a numerically smaller group of 36 soldiers from his Artillery Battalion, against a defending force of 400 men and 20 cannons, the then Second Lieutenant Mesquita attacked and pacified the Chinese fort at Baishaling. This coup guaranteed Macau's security and upon his return to the city, Mesquita was received as a national hero.