In August 1841, British Vice-Admiral William Parker led two thousand men and part of the fleet north to the important Fujian port of Amoy. The commander of that region, Yen Po-shou, was supposed to shatter the English forces as soon as they approached. However, when the expeditionary fleet anchored off Amoy’s approaches on 26 August, Parker found the Chinese gunners could not keep a concerted fire going long enough to prevent landing parties from taking the artillery emplacements. The British slipped through and quickly occupied the hills surrounding the city. The next day, they marched into it.