The Ever Victorious Army attacked Cixi on 20 September. As well as being trained in artillery and rifle usage, they were accompanied by the gunboats H.M.S. Hardy and Confucius. Frederick Ward led from the front and was hit in the stomach by a musket ball. However, he remained on the battlefield until victory was certain.

Mortally wounded, Ward lived for one day before succumbing to his wound, but not before making sure he wrote a will in which his Chinese wife and his brother and sister would be secured. The command of the Ever Victorious Army was passed to Major General Charles George Gordon, who continued the string of victories. For his deeds against the Taiping rebels, he received honours from both the Tongzhi Emperor, who took the throne in 1861, and from the British government. People gave him the nickname "Chinese Gordon."