Admiral Charles Rigault de Genouilly had led a French force, with support from Philipines based Spanish troops, into Indo-China the previous year.  With the stated aim to protect Vietnamese adherents to the Catholic faith, he had captured the port city of Da Nang in September, 1858.  Unable to move into the countryside due to intense Vietnamese resistance, the French decided to range further south and, leaving a garrison in Da Nang, sailed a force for Saigon, an important supply point for the Vietnamese resistance.  On this day, the mostly undefended city fell, initiating almost a century of French control. (By John Osborne)

Admiral Charles Rigault de Genouilly had led a French force, with support from Philipines based Spanish troops, into Indo-China the previous year.  With the stated aim to protect Vietnamese adherents to the Catholic faith, he had captured the port city of Da Nang in September, 1858.  Unable to move into the countryside due to intense Vietnamese resistance, the French decided to range further south and, leaving a garrison in Da Nang, sailed a force for Saigon, an important supply point for the Vietnamese resistance.  In a little over two weeks, the mostly undefended city was in French hands.  (By John Osborne)