Battle of Ulaan Butung

Timeline

1. 1690Ulaan Butung · HexigtenIn 1688 Galdan attacked the Khalkha in force; the Tushiet Khan and the Jebtsundamba Khutuktu fled south to the Qing. In 1690 Galdan continued south to the Ujimqin and Hexigten area. Kangxi appointed his brother, Prince Yu of the First Rank Fuquan, as Pacifying-the-Far Grand Marshal, and himself advanced to Borokhoton to direct the battle, preparing for a decisive engagement at Ulaan Butung.
2. 1690Ulaan Butung · HexigtenGaldan bound camels' legs and laid them down with stacked chests to form a camel fortress, blocking Qing cavalry charges. The Qing bombarded with firearms and artillery; casualties on both sides were roughly equal. Grand Minister of the Household Tong Guogang was killed by cannon fire. The Qing failed to break the camel fortress in one stroke, the battle bogged down, and the planned encirclement and annihilation was not achieved.
3. 1690Ulaan Butung · HexigtenAfter the battle Galdan sent envoys with greetings and quickly withdrew north; the Qing, hampered by supply problems and command disagreements, could not pursue in force. Tactically no clear victor emerged, but Galdan failed to establish himself south of the Gobi. Kangxi thus confirmed he must personally campaign north of the Gobi; the decisive battle of Jao Modo six years later grew out of this engagement.