The Battle of Saerhu was not only a strategic decisive battle in the Liaodong War between the Ming Dynasty and the Later Jin Dynasty, but also an eternal pain for the Ming Dynasty.
It is said that Emperor Wanli burst into tears after receiving the news of the tragic defeat in the Battle of Sarhu.
Regardless of whether this is true or not, it is an undoubted fact that after this battle, the initiative in the Liaodong War fell into the hands of Jianlu.
At that time, the Ming army was claimed to be 470,000, but in fact it was only 112,000. Among them were more than 10,000 Korean troops and Ye He troops. They attacked in four directions. In the end, the three directions were defeated miserably, and 50,000 troops were lost.
The Jianlu troops numbered around 60,000, and they were all elite men and horses, fierce and good at fighting.
Now, the Dongjiang Army once again pushed into Sarhu, but it only came all the way. Whether it was the Navy, the Front Association, or the Flying Cavalry Regiment, as well as the four elite battalions led by Guo Dajing personally, none of them were defeated by the Jianlu
Chance.
Moreover, this is a powerful army that is sincerely united, has unified orders, and is full of desire to fight. It is absolutely impossible to repeat the same mistakes.
In less than a day, the flying cavalry regiment rushed to Sarhu and met with Mao Chenglu's troops.
Mao Chenglu immediately commanded the troops to cross the river and land, established a stable bridgehead, garrisoned it with 6,000 elite troops, and launched a tentative attack on Jiefan Village.
One day later, Guo Dajing led four battalions of soldiers and rushed to Sarhu City.
It is called the Fourth Battalion, but it is a special operations battalion. It is composed of elites from the headquarters drawn from the right, rear, and center departments. Each battalion reaches 4,000. The Zuo Xie also dispatched 3,000 troops as Guo Dajing's direct bodyguard.
This main force of nearly 20,000 people is the most powerful force of the Dongjiang Army in terms of weapons and equipment and the quality of its soldiers, and it is confident of victory in wiping out the Jianlu.
Accompanied by the generals, Guo Dajing inspected Sarhu City and paid homage to the Ming soldiers who died here.
Standing on the city of Sarhu, Guo Dajing held up a telescope and looked around. His mood was up and down and he could not calm down for a long time.
Sarhu City, located on the Sarhu Mountain on the south bank of the Hun River, was originally known as Sarhu Village and was a small city built by Nurhaci after the Battle of Sarhu.
With the Hun River behind them, the Jianlu were afraid of being cut off from their retreat, and due to insufficient troops, they had no choice but to abandon the city and instead devote all their efforts to defending the Jiefan City across the river from Sarhu.
In the field of view of the telescope, Tiebei Mountain on the other side has dense trees and rugged rocks. It is surrounded by water on three sides and mountains on one side. Its geographical location is extremely dangerous.
The Jiefan City in Tiebei Mountain, also known as Jiefanzhai, has an inner city and two acropolises in the east and west according to the trend of the three hills in the east, middle and west.
The three cities are located on a ridge. The east and west acropolis are the two wings that protect the inner city. The total circumference is 4,600 meters. The relative height of the city wall from the ground is 45 meters, and the highest point can reach 100 meters.
Among them, the inner city of Jiefan City is located on the ridge of the main peak of Tiebei Mountain. The straight line distance from east to west is more than 1,000 meters, and the circumference is more than 2,500 meters. It is in the shape of a long and narrow strip running east to west, and the situation is dangerous.
"Back then, Du Song led 30,000 elite troops to arrive at Sarhu first, set up his camp on this mountain, and sent another troops to cross the river to attack the Jiefan stronghold. Unexpectedly, Jianlu had already ambushed the surrounding area, so he took advantage of the division of troops to break through the stronghold, and then laid siege to it.
Its troops crossing the river..."
Liu Xingzuo was casually telling the generals about part of the Battle of Sarhu, not only to explain the importance of Jiefan Stronghold, but also to show off.
"The current Jianlu no longer have the strength to fight back. They have even given up on this city. They are just concentrating their troops and relying on the dangerous terrain to hold on to the Jiefan stronghold."
Guo Dajing put down his telescope, smiled faintly, and stared at Mao Chenglu and others who climbed onto the city wall.
"The general will finally meet the commander-in-chief." Mao Chenglu and Zhang Tao came forward and bowed to salute.
Guo Dajing stretched out his hand to help us, and asked with a smile: "You two have fought hundreds of miles, it's been really hard. How is the battle ahead?"
Mao Chenglu and Zhang Tao hurriedly expressed humility, and then Mao Chenglu introduced the situation of the attack on Jiefan City.
"The mountain is steep, and two people cannot walk side by side at the narrowest point. Although our army attacked from multiple directions, Jiefan City is indeed easy to defend and difficult to attack. The Jianlu resisted desperately, but our army made little progress." Mao Chenglu reported calmly, and there was no
Showing some embarrassment.
"But the artillery bombardment also caused certain casualties to the enemy, and soldiers could still pass along the river bank, so they could bypass Jiefan City. However, it is narrow and difficult to pass through, and the passing speed is slow."
This was originally a difficulty that was estimated in the battle plan. Moreover, in terms of military strength, thousands of troops did not have much advantage. It was obviously a bit harsh to attack and capture Jiefan City by force.
Guo Dajing slightly chinned his head, turned to Zhang Tao and asked: "Commander Zhang, how is the waterway? Can the survey be completed?"
Zhang Tao bowed and said: "Jiefan City is at the intersection of the Hun River and the Suzi River. It is difficult for large ships to go straight upstream. There is no problem for small ships to sail close to the shore."
Guo Dajing pondered for a moment and said slowly: "In that case, we will act according to the original plan, and there will be no delay in attacking the city and pursuing the pursuit."
If there are enough troops, there is no need to attack the fortified city first and then pass through it. Just like Liaoyang City, it cannot stop the Dongjiang Army's northward advance.
The same is true for Jiefan City. Although it is dangerous to build against the mountain, it cannot completely block the river below the mountain. It is difficult to go up the mountain and it is not easy to go down the mountain. If the Jianlu wanted to rush down from the mountain to stop the attack, they would give up the advantage of the geographical location.
"The middle camp, the rear camp, the right camp, and the special operations camp, led by the two generals Kong and Shang, will go around Jiefan City along the river bank, break through the enemy's blockade, and cut off the enemy's retreat from Jiefan City;"
"The former association, commanded by General Mao, continues to attack Jiefan City to contain the troops in the city;"
"The Flying Cavalry Regiment then took action, advancing by land and water, bypassing Jiefan City and pursuing Jianlu."
Under Guo Dajing's repeated orders, all the generals bowed down to accept the order and immediately went down to make arrangements.
Using tactics similar to those in Liaoyang City, the enemy in the city was surrounded, making it difficult for them to act as a deterrent. At the same time, the Flying Cavalry Group launched a hot pursuit.
This kind of tactics requires strong troops, and Mao Chenglu's support alone is not enough to implement it. As for the Flying Cavalry Regiment, Guo Dajing did not want it to lose men and horses prematurely.
Jianlu may block the attack on the river bank, but there is not much favorable terrain to rely on. Although it is narrow, neither the enemy nor we are able to deploy their troops, and it is a battle of human resources and attrition.
Even if Jianlu's blockade could delay the attack, under the fierce attack of the Dongjiang Army, the losses would still be great, which would still make Guo Dajing somewhat satisfied.
Guo Dajing relaxed and sat on the top of the city, looking into the distance. The troops were crossing the river by boat. After forming the team, they began to take action. The battle was about to start soon.
Although the troops are exhausted from the rapid march, they have not yet reached their limit. And this battle will be the last for the infantry. The rest is the pursuit of the flying cavalry.
"Here, our Ming army lost tens of thousands of troops, and the war in Liaodong got out of hand." Fang Zhenghua looked around and sighed, "Now, the Jianlu have been defeated, and they are no longer in trouble.
Although this is the main battlefield, it is only a fierce battle between Jun Song's troops and Jianlu. Speaking of which, it is also luck. The corruption of the Ming Dynasty was finally punished by heaven.
If the Ming army stationed in the camp on Sarhu Mountain had not encountered heavy fog and the Jianlu wanted to capture it, they would have to pay a higher price.
Unfortunately, from the battle plan formulated by the commander-in-chief of the Ming army, Yang Hao, to the officers and soldiers of each Ming army, they all showed numerous shortcomings. The final defeat was not too unexpected.
"Yang Hao was originally a mediocre man who was greedy for life and afraid of death. He lost his master and humiliated the country, but he was promoted as a commander-in-chief by civilian officials. This is actually the biggest drawback of using civility to control military affairs. Just like Yuan Chonghuan, he will never be able to atone for his sins."
"The imperial court was short of food and pay, and the generals were greedy and exploitative, so that the soldiers had no fighting spirit; the equipment was poor, and although there were many firearms, melee combat was broken at the first touch."
"The Battle of Saerhu was defeated without a fight. In fact, the country was poor and the people were poor, and the military and government were ineffective. Furthermore, the court used inhumane people. In the eyes of the court, the standard of so-called knowledgeable soldiers was too low. And for those who have experienced hundreds of battles,
The generals are very harsh."
Guo Dajing sat in his chair and expressed his emotion to Fang Zhenghua in a cold tone. All the reasons he analyzed were inseparable from the responsibility and fault of the imperial court.
Fang Zhenghua blinked his eyes and looked at Guo Dajing, who was sitting firmly, and was speechless for a moment.
If the appointment of Yang Hao was due to Wanli's mediocrity, what about Yuan Chonghuan? Can Chongzhen be free of his involvement?
Guo Dajing just came close to stating such a simple conclusion: the king is foolish and the minister is mediocre.
This is also a blow to Chongzhen. Isn't it necessary to send Gao Qiqian who knows the soldiers to Liaodong? Through Founder's transformation, Chongzhen will know that the standards of knowing the soldiers cannot be double-standard.
The standards for civil servants and eunuchs are extremely low. Military generals must be careful and listen to the command of the supervisory army, and they will definitely not be able to win the battle. There are enough historical lessons from this.
………………
Jiefan City.
The slave chiefs, headed by Mandahai, with Yasiha and Soboduo as their deputies, led more than ten thousand captives to hold on and block the pursuit of the Dongjiang Army.
According to Dorgon's order, Jianlu must hold on for more than four days to provide guarantee for the safe retreat of the brigade.
In order to complete their mission, Mandahai and other slave chiefs concentrated on guarding it with all their strength, and they still had some confidence. After all, the dangerous terrain that was easy to defend but difficult to attack was their biggest reliance.
Although the offensive of the former association was not at full strength, it did encounter considerable difficulties. It was difficult to deploy its troops, and the steep and difficult mountain roads made the upward attack repeatedly frustrated.
"That's the enemy's main force coming up." Yasiha narrowed his eyes slightly and pointed, "including infantry and cavalry, there are 50,000 to 60,000 troops."
Mandahai said slowly: "It seems that the enemy is bound to win and will attack with all his strength soon."
Soboduo looked at the Dongjiang Army crossing the river, sighed silently, and said: "The enemy is chasing very fast, and there should be only more than a day behind the main force."
This was based on the speed of the infantry. If it were the cavalry, Sobodo believed that they would have chased them and started a fierce battle. Fortunately, there was still the dangerous location of Jiefan City, which could stop the enemy's advance.
Judging from the momentum of the Dongjiang Army's pursuit, it is certain to enter Jianzhou. Now, we can only try to buy time so that the brigade can withdraw to a safe area.
But where is this safe place? This does not depend on oneself, but is determined by the determination and strength of the enemy.
If the enemy has enough horses, can organize enough cavalry, and can carry enough food and supplies, and pursues them relentlessly, it will be a big trouble.
"The enemy is going to attack again." Mandahai's voice became deeper, "There are a lot of troops dispatched, and it will not be a tentative attack again."
Sobodo just glanced around briefly and then shifted his gaze to the river bank, feeling an ominous feeling in his heart.
The enemy seems to be showing signs of bypassing Jiefan City along the river bank, which makes it a bit difficult to deal with.
Although there are arrangements to prevent this move, fighting the enemy on flat ground will lose the advantage of geographical location and it may be difficult to withstand the enemy's fierce attack.
Just as he was about to open his mouth to remind Manda Hai, Sobodo suddenly turned his head and his eyes were fixed.
Dozens of rockets soared into the sky from the mountains and forests, passed over the city wall, and smashed into the city. A moment later, explosions started to sound one after another.
Streams of fireworks rose up in the city. The Dongjiang Army used a large number of explosive bombs and prepared to burn the city wall.
Jiefan City only has two gates, the north and the south. Although it is difficult to attack, it is also difficult to attack out of the city due to the restrictions of the mountainous terrain.
Mao Chenglu also discovered this when he commanded his troops to conduct an exploratory attack. Although he failed to attack Jiefan City, he occupied part of the mountains and forests outside the city, where he could deploy mortars and bombard them with rockets.
It was already the last battle for the infantry. Except for the rockets carried by the Flying Cavalry Regiment, the Dongjiang Army no longer had to worry about using ammunition, and there was no need to worry if it would all hit Jiefan City.
With the launch of the first round of rockets, the mortars that were carried up the mountain also opened fire. Due to the terrain of the mountain, each firing position was small and could only place a few artillery pieces, but the total number was dozens.
The shells and rockets poured into Jiefan City almost without interruption. Soon, a fire broke out in Jiefan City, and the smoke became bigger and bigger.
Man Dahai and other slave chiefs had already hid under the city under the protection of their own soldiers. Some of them frowned, while others had a look of horror on their faces.
Although this was not their first experience with such a ferocious bombardment, it was still thrilling. The ground was shaking and trembling, the loud roar was deafening, and in their eyes were flashes of exploding lights, rising smoke, and balls of fire.
Chaos broke out in the city, with people shouting, horses neighing, and screams. During the almost continuous bombardment, the fire spread, and the captives were busy avoiding it, unable to carry out effective firefighting.
"Fortunately, most of the food and supplies have been placed in safe places." Yasiha looked at the miserable scene in the city, feeling helpless and a little lucky.
It is difficult to prevent a fire attack. The houses in the elephant city cannot be moved no matter what, and there is a high probability that they will be burned down.
However, the slave chiefs also anticipated this situation, dispersed the food supplies, and took as many fire prevention measures as possible.
Mandahai had a gloomy face, very dissatisfied with Yasiha's congratulations, and suppressed his anger.
Sobodo had no expression on his face, listening to the explosion and guessing how the enemy would attack. In fact, he was more worried about the enemy's movement along the river bank and bypassing Jiefan City.
"Master Beile, I will go to the West City to take a look." Sobodo finally couldn't bear it anymore and stood up and said: "If there is any situation, I will send someone to report it immediately."
Mandahai pondered for a moment, nodded and said: "Go ahead, be more careful!"
Sobodo bowed and thanked him, then led a dozen of his soldiers to stick to the city wall and headed towards the Western Acropolis.