23. The Anglo-French force withdrew from Beijing as negotiations resumed
The successful Anglo-French force was withdrawn from the city and encamped outside it on October 6. It was in camp when Harry Parkes and the surviving members of his diplomatic party were discovered and released on October 8. The British overall commander of the Anglo-French force, James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin heard the story from Parkes and was outraged that diplomats protected under a flag of truce would be so violated (Parkes omitted to tell his lordship of his personally insulting the Qing diplomats). Lord Elgin ordered the Old Summer Palace, which had already been subjected to looting, to be completely destroyed by burning and wrecking.
Lord Elgin also suggested the destruction of the Forbidden City, as a means of humiliating the Qing dynasty and the Emperor personally, and as punishment for the use of kidnapping and torturing those under diplomatic immunity. Russian and French envoys traveling with the force demurred, and persuaded Elgin that the destruction of the Old Summer Palace was sufficient for his purposes. At the time, portions of the Forbidden City were over four centuries old. The destruction of the Old Summer Palace was begun on October 18 and involved over 4,000 troops over three days to raze the ancient structures of which it was comprised.