 On July 20, Batang rebels and the Green Standard Army under Ma Weiqi clashed in battle for the first time since the Batang monks assassinated the Qing Manchu official Fengquan on April 5, which started the rebellion.The Chinese responded to the Tibetan rebellion with punitive expeditions.In the summer, the Sichuan Army under the command of Chinese General Ma Wei-ch'i launched the retaliatory "expedition" against the Tibetan Lamas and their rebels, crushing the Tibetan rebels at Batang, totally destroying their monastery.