The final stage of the campaign to invade Nanking began ten days after the fall of Shanghai. On June 29, 1842, a reconnaissance squadron of five ships, namely: HMS Starling, HMS Plover, HMS Modeste, HMS Clio and HCS[1]. Phlegethon, went up the river to look for deep water channel. On July 4, Phlegethon returned and reported a free passage; the expeditionary force started the advance two days later. The squadron was made up of 63 ships, comprising 15 vessels in the fighting-escorting contingent and 48 vessels in the transportation one. There were eight armed steamers; all but one were owned by the East India Company. Ching-Keang-Foo, the last fortress that guarded Nanking, was attacked on July 21 and fell to the British on the same day. On August 3, a part of the fleet got under weight and began its advance to Nanking. By the 9th the whole had arrived and the debarkation began. On the 11th all thing were in readiness for an attack. Peace talks got underway the following day and in less then three weeks the Treaty was concluded and signed. Not a single shot was fired since the arrival of the expeditionary force at Nanking, except for the gun salutes executed upon the boarding of the head of the Dai Ch'ing mission on HMS Cornwallis on August 29, for the signing of the Treaty.
Following the signing of the Treaty, the force began its withdrawal on September 14, 1842; by October 6 the expeditionary force had completely withdrawn from the Yangtze River.
Order of Sailing of the Squadron
| Name | Particulars | |
| Advanced Squadron - Surveying | ||
| Starling | HMS Lark Class cutter; 1829-44; 6 guns; normal 30 crew; CO: Cdr. Henry Kellett, RN [Final rank: VAdm. 1868]. | |
| Modeste | HMS; 18 guns; CO: Cdr. R.B. Watson. | |
| Phlegethon | HCS armed steamer; CO: Lt. J. McCleverty. | |
 HMS Plover, Illustrated London News 1848. | ||
| Plover | HMS survey cutter; previously mercantile ship Bentinck; purchased 1842, sold 1854; 6 guns, CO: Cdr. Richard Collinson, RN [Ret.Adm. 1875]. | |
| Clio | HMS; 16 guns; CO: Cdr. Edward Norwich Troubridge, RN [Capt. 1842]. | |
| Medusa | HCS armed steamer; CO: Lt. Hewitt. | |
| General Squadron | ||
| Cornwallis | HMS; 72 guns; CO: Capt. Peter Richards, RN [Ret.Adm. 1865]; flagship of RAdm. William Parker, C-in-C, naval forces. | |
| First Division | ||
| Fighting Contingent / Escort Ships | ||
| Calliope | HMS armed steamer; 26 guns; CO: Capt. Augustus Leopold Kuper, RN [Adm. 1872]. | |
| Vixen | HCS armed steamer; CO: Capt. H. Boyes. | |
| Transports | ||
| Marion | Lt. Gen. Hugh Gough, C-in-C, land forces, and general staff. | |
| Atiet Rahoman | Sappers and miners. | |
| John Fleming | Sappers and miners. | |
| John Cooper | Coals. | |
| Urgent | Victualler. | |
| Alibi | Victualler. | |
| Trio | Followers. | |
| Martha | Coal and followers. | |
| Second Division | ||
| Fighting Contingent / Escort Ships | ||
| Blonde | HMS Apollo class frigate; 1819-1895; 42 guns; 1,130 tons; CO: Capt. Thomas Bouchier, RN; [renamed HMS Calypso in 1870]. | |
| Auckland | HCS armed steamer; CO: Capt. R. Ethersay. | |
| Transports – artillery brigade | ||
| Sophia | Royal Artillery. | |
| Rustomjee Cowasjee | HQ, Madras Artillery. | |
| Palmys | HQ, Madras Artillery. | |
| Gipsey | Power and horses. | |
| Lady Flora | Power and horses. | |
| City of London | Horse artillery. | |
| City of Defiance | Horse artillery. | |
| Livingstone | Artillery followers. | |
| Lysander | Artillery followers. | |
| Third Division | ||
| Fighting Contingent / Escort Ships / Troop Ships | ||
| Belleisle | HMS troop ship; CO: Capt. J. Kingcomb; carrying Maj Gen Saltoun, and 98th Regt. | |
| Jupiter | HMS troop ship; CO: Lt. G.B. Hoffmeister; carrying 26th Regt. | |
| Queen | HCS armed steamer; CO: Master W. Warden. | |
| Transports - 1st or Right Brigade | ||
| Robates | Flank companies, 41st Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Surat Merchant | Followers. | |
| Flower of Ugie | Followers. | |
| Burhampooter | HQ, Bengal Volunteers. | |
| Maria | Bengal Volunteers | |
| Tamerlane | Bengal Volunteers | |
| Percy | Bengal Volunteers | |
| Warrior | Bengal Volunteers | |
| City of Palaces | Bengal Volunteers | |
| Fourth Division | ||
| Fighting Contingent / Escort Ships | ||
| Endymion | HMS; 44 guns; CO: Capt. Frederick William Grey, RN [Adm. 1865]. | |
| Sesostris | HCS armed steamer; CO: Capt. H.A. Ormsby. | |
| Transports - 2nd or Center Brigade | ||
| Orient | Maj. Gen. Schoedde and 55th Regt. | |
| Coromandel | 55th Regt. | |
| Worcester | 55th Regt. | |
| William Turner | 6th Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Walmer Castle | 6th Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Runnymede | 6th Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Gertrude | Followers | |
| William Money | 2nd Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Urgent | 2nd Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Duke of Bedford | 2nd Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Rohomany | 2nd Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Fifth Division | ||
| Fighting Contingent / Escort Ships | ||
| Dido | HMS; 20 guns; CO: Capt. Henry Keppel. | |
| Tenasserim | HCS armed steamer; CO: Capt. P. Wall. | |
| Transports - 3rd or Left Brigade | ||
| Apollo | HMS troop ship; CO: Cdr. Frederick; carrying Maj. Gen. Bartley and 49th Regt. | |
| Minerva | 49th Regt. | |
| Rattlesnake | HMS Atholl Class troop ship; 1822-60; 28 guns; carrying 18th Regt.. | |
| Ernaad | 18th Regt. | |
| Belle Alliance | 18th Regt. | |
| Ernaad | 18th Regt. | |
| Mallaked Behar | 18th Regt. | |
| Cusetjee Cowasjee | 11th Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Pekin | 11th Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Victoria | 11th Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
| Faize Robanny | 11th Regt., Madras Native Infantry. | |
[1] HCS means Honorable Company's (East India Company) Ship. The ships were seconded [leased] to the expeditionary force. Total payments due to the East India Company by the British government for reimbursement of its cost in the First Opium War stood at £572,000 in the beginning of July 1842.
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