Marie Joseph Fran?ois (Francis) Garnier (Vietnamese: Ng?c Nhi; 25 July 1839  21 December 1873) was a French officer and explorer known for his exploration of the Mekong River in Southeast Asia. In 1873 Garnier was sent to Tonkin by Admiral Dupr?, the governor of Cochinchina, to resolve a dispute between the Vietnamese authorities and the French entrepreneur Jean Dupuis. Persuaded that the time was ripe for a French conquest of Tonkin, Garnier captured Hanoi, the capital of Tonkin, 20 November 1873. A few weeks later Liu Yongfu, a soldier of fortune, and 600 Black Flags attacked Hanoi. In the ensuing skirmish Garnier was killed. The French government disavowed Garnier's adventure and hastened to conclude a peace settlement with the Vietnamese.