Over the past half month, the Republican military has been reported frequently. Chen Tianhua used his troops like a god, and went south along the Yangtze River from the three towns in Wuhan, and was unstoppable.

He immediately settled major cities and towns along the river such as Anqing, Wuhu, Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, Changzhou, Suzhou, etc., and wherever he went, it was like the autumn wind sweeping away the fallen leaves, destroying withered and rotten.

This kind of situation, foreigners naturally dare not offend Chen Tianhua easily, so as not to harm their own interests in the future southern regime.

At around 9 a.m., with the roar of naval guns and Jianggong guns, the Battle of Jiangning finally started.

"Order all the heavy artillery and shore defense artillery on the fortress to open fire hard on me, and those who retreated and fought in the face of battle will be killed immediately." Zhang Xun ordered loudly.

To this end, his Jiang Defense Forces Command sent a supervision team to various shore defense positions.

For this battle, he moved the Jiang Defense Army headquarters from Pukou Crossing River to the foot of the Shogfu Mountain behind Xiaguan Wharf.

"boom…"

"Boom...Boom..."

“…”

The enemy and us did not have any temptations, and from the beginning they entered a fierce battle. The naval guns and shore defense guns were each in their own way.

The mixed fleet's ship guns have a large caliber and a huge number. The combined ship guns of the battle include 200 heavy artillery pieces.

There are also many artillery artillery in the Jiang defense army, which are scattered and hidden.

Mufu Mountain, Wulong Mountain and Shizi Mountain, there are more than 70 new and old artillery on these three fortresses.

The new and old shore defense artillery, field artillery, etc. along the river combined, there were more than 40, totaling 120 artillery.

In this way, the first phase of the Jiangning Battle, the peripheral war, began the largest artillery battle in the history of the late Qing Dynasty.

The sky in the northern part of Changning's outer city and the river surface were traced red, and the smoke filled the sky and the sun. These were all caused by the flying shells on both sides.

But as time goes by, the watershed between the advantages and disadvantages of both sides of the battle gradually emerges.

The Republican Army had a large number of naval guns, large caliber and fast firing, of course, it was because of its strong firepower, which gradually suppressed the Qing army's firepower.

After more than two hours of fierce fighting, the Qing army's fortresses and river defense fortifications were all destroyed by powerful naval guns, but the Republican warships were also damaged a lot.

At noon, one shallow water gunboat on the river was sunk, two were seriously damaged, and five were injured and exited the battlefield.

This is the first time that the huge Yangtze River fleet has sunk, injured, and withdrawn from the battlefield since the Republican Army formed an army.

The intensity of the artillery battle can be seen.

After a long time, the virtual and real sides were clearly understood, and there was no mystery to speak of.

All the shore defense cannons along the river were destroyed. Under the cover of the Makchin heavy machine guns and rapid-fire cannons on the warships, the Republican infantry began to surge towards the river bank like a tide.

"Run!"

"Road ashore and go into the city!"

“…”

Losing the beachhead position, Zhang Xun's Jiang Defense Forces were forced to retreat into the outer city, making full use of the high and solid walls to fight stubbornly.

The Grand Marshal of the Republic Army, standing on the flagship of the Blood Wolf, and Chen Tianhua, also the commander-in-chief of the Republican coalition forces in this Jiangning Battle, sneered, suddenly his face was retracted, and he ordered to several combat staff and adjutants:

"After sending the order, Li Xinghong's first division will attack Shangyuan Gate and Foning Gate with all his strength, while the Zhejiang Army's Sun Yong Division will feign attacking Guanyin Gate and Yaohua Gate in the east of the city. Song Xiaoniu's brigade takes a speedboat to enter the outer Qinhuai River and attack Jiangdong Gate."

"All naval guns bombard the Jiangdian defense positions such as Shangyuan Gate, Foning Gate and Jiangdong Gate. Don't be afraid of wasting shells. I will bombard me continuously and explode a series of gaps."

"As for orders..."

The combat staff and adjutants saluted their boots and turned to the coalition command that was rebuilt in the conference room, where there were spark-type radio stations. Each of them conveyed the commander's military order to the target troops.

Chen Tianhua is a war drama that uses steel to exchange for the lives of soldiers. He wants to show his power and military power from these Zhenjiang and Jiangning battles, and from now on, the enemy will be frightened.

Just after noon, all the troops on the beach used a simple lunch, and each wiped their mouths and prepared to fight.

During the short meal and rest period, the wounded were carried onto the warship and treated very calmly.

Chen Tianhua has always attached great importance to the logistics support of the battle, food, and military uniforms. The key is to deal with the wounded. His warships and ships are the best battlefield hospitals with first-class medical conditions.

Sufficient strategic material reserves and a complete logistics support system allow the majority of officers and soldiers to rush forward without any worries.

These are simply incomparable and imagined by the Qing army opposite.

Of course, the Republican coalition, both officers and ordinary soldiers, knew in their hearts that the battle that began in the afternoon would be cruel and fierce, and anyone could die here, but there was no choice but to move forward, attack into the city, and fight for the final victory.

In the north, east and west of Jiangning's outer city, in front of the tall city walls that last dozens of kilometers, the sound of war drums, horns, and horse neighing sounded throughout the sky.

In less than an hour, 20,000 Republican troops and 10,000 Zhejiang troops rushed outside the city gate like a tide, surrounding the city and surround it.

There is a great momentum to push down the Ming city wall.

The five-colored flags of the Republican Army and the flags of the chief generals of each division are waving in the wind and arrogant.

On the top of the Ming city wall, the yellow dragon flags of the Qing Dynasty were also flying and facing each other.

According to the arrangement of the pre-war mobilization meeting of the Republican coalition, the focus of this attack was Shangyuan Gate and Foning Gate. These two outer gates are Jiangning Prefecture City, facing the northern gate of the Yangtze River, and the most important pass. It consists of Guanyin Gate, Yuejiang Tower, Yifeng Gate, Dinghuai Gate, Qingliang Gate, etc. to form a riverside defense system.

The main city wall is three feet high, that is, twelve meters and ten meters wide. There are a total of retreating Jiang Guards, and there are more than 28,000 guards. There are light and heavy machine guns and mortars on the city wall, ready for battle.

Although their forts were destroyed, a few field artillery were still withdrawn. They moved the grounds and temporarily built heavy artillery positions to support city defense.

Zhang Xun, commander of the Jiang Fangjun, graduated from the Beiyang Military Preparation School. He is a brave and good warrior. He is 56 years old this year. He participated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, resisted the Eight-Nation Alliance, suppressed the Boxer Regiment, and experienced many battles.

He expressed his opinion to Governor Zhang Renjun that he was willing to live and die with the city.

With the order of the coalition commander Chen Tianhua, the war drums outside the outer city walls were like thunder and the horns were roaring.

The naval guns were first shown their power, firing at several target city gates, and he wanted to use heavy guns to open a large gap in the city wall.

"Boom...boom..."

"Wow... rumble..."

Heavy artillery is powerful, the most sturdy city wall, and it is bombarded by artillery shells for a long time, and the final result is collapse.

Three large gaps were blown open in the outer city wall of Ming Dynasty, and all the artillery positions and fire points on the city wall were destroyed by artillery fire.

To attack the city, you must rely on heavy artillery.

The 20,000 Republican coalition that arrived first took the lead in launching a siege.
Chapter completed!