The rays of the rising sun also shine on Yuanjiang City. Surrounding the city are damaged shield carts and ladders. The land is stained with dark black blood, broken pieces of cloth, and incomplete weapons. The fighting battlefield is bathed in the changing sunlight, and it looks...
Desolate and sad.
Chen Guogong and Wu Zisheng led several generals to stand on the northeast wall of Yuanjiang City, constantly giving instructions and discussing to make adjustments and improvements to the current defense.
There are already damages on the city wall, which are the result of bombardment by the Qing army's Hongyi artillery. Although covering it with straw mats weakens the power of the artillery shells, it cannot completely offset it.
The offensive and defensive battle has been going on for ten days. The Qing army has shifted from siege on all sides to a focused attack. The northeast is the breakthrough point chosen by the Qing army. This can be judged from yesterday's fierce battle and the location where the Qing army's artillery is concentrated.
"Yesterday the Qing army's offensive was extremely fierce, with heavy casualties. We counterattacked again at night. I'm afraid they won't be so energetic today." Xu Mingchen held the city wall and looked at the trenches below the city with a relatively relaxed expression.
In the past few days of attack and defense, the Qing army had indeed suffered a lot of losses. Faced with trench fortifications that were no more than twenty meters apart, the Qing army had to clear these obstacles outside the city if they wanted to attack the city. However, there was no trick.
It may be hard to chew. But the rebels' equipment, grenades, soil bombs, landmines, and direct-fire cannons, are obviously more conducive to trench warfare.
Using the shield car as cover, the Qing army finally captured a trench. In the blink of an eye, countless grenades and soil bombs were thrown from another trench, or they were killed by the explosion of pre-ambushed mines. Then the defenders counterattacked along the communication trench.
come over.
Use shield trucks to fill the trenches. Rockets and fire bottles flew over again and set the shield trucks on fire in the trenches. The fire prevented the Qing army from continuing to attack.
During the day, they worked hard to capture several trenches. At night, the rebels continued to launch counterattacks with the support of artillery on the city head. They used grenades and earth bombs to blow up the Qing soldiers.
In this cruel and fierce trench warfare, the enemy and we fought back and forth repeatedly. Although the trenches were filled with earth and wood one by one, and the Qing army's offensive was getting closer and closer to the city wall, they suffered heavy casualties.
The casualties of the rebels in the city have exceeded 5,000, while the number of casualties of the Qing army was only a lot more. By fighting a war of attrition with the Qing army under Yuanjiang City, this goal has obviously been achieved.
"The enemy may not attack the city again." Chen Guogong Wu Zisheng put down his telescope, pointed at the Qing army's position outside the city, and said with a serious face: "The enemy is concentrating their artillery, and they will definitely use artillery to continuously bombard the city, destroy our city walls, and injure us.
Guard."
"Only a dozen of the enemy's Hongyi cannons can hit the city wall. Our army can still repair it. If we want to break the city, it will take ten and a half months." Zhao Desheng pondered for a moment and said: "Reinforcements will arrive by then.
Our army can win."
"I'm afraid we won't have to wait that long." Wu Zisheng smiled faintly, stretched out his hand to call an officer, and asked: "Can the Tianwei Artillery bombard enemy artillery?"
Although the officer's position was not high, he was an artillery instructor who came with the Tianwei Artillery. He had already measured the distance of the Qing army's artillery and knew it well. He saluted with a military salute and replied fluently: "Condescendingly on the city.
.It can destroy the enemy's artillery. However, I feel that we should wait until all the enemy's artillery is concentrated, and then hit it hard while it rests and cools down."
A young officer not only answered clearly, but also dared to express his own opinion. Both Xu Mingchen and Gao Yingfeng were a little surprised.
But Chen Guogong and Wu Zisheng did not look displeased. He nodded and said kindly: "I will follow your advice and make preparations first!"
After the officer left, Zhao Desheng smiled and said: "I remember that he joined the army in Tengchong. Because he was literate and could calculate accounts, he was transferred to the artillery team. In less than a year, he was no longer dull.
He looks like he is ready to make a career."
"The waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves ahead, I am old!" Chen Guogong Wu Zisheng said, half jokingly, half self-deprecating: "When the martial arts hall prepared by His Highness Min is established, you must find a way to learn from it. In the future,
, only then can you have a bright future.”
"It's a pity that I don't know much about literacy, I'm afraid-" Xu Mingchen shook his head in confusion.
"Then learn!" Zhao Desheng said enthusiastically: "Your Highness doesn't like sour Confucians who are arrogant and arrogant, but it's not okay to be rude and shameless!"
Wu Zisheng nodded with a smile and looked to the west, because the news had been cut off. He only knew that Zhu Yongxing was going to attack the Qing army in Yuanjiang, but he did not know the specific time. However, he guessed that it was not far away.
……………
Yuanjiang City in the south of the Yangtze River emerged from the quickly dissipating morning fog, bathed in the changing light of the morning sun. It stung Wu Sangui's eyes, and he couldn't help but grit his teeth.
During the exploratory battle around the pontoon, Wu Sangui thought he had figured out a way. Although it was difficult to deal with, he could still capture Yuanjiang. But in the subsequent fighting, he realized that it was obviously his underestimate that was difficult to deal with. Yuanjiang's
The city defense was hard and tough, hard enough to break his front teeth, and tough enough to make the siege troops miserable.
The shield car is still effective, but after being trapped in the trench battle, the enemy will have various weapons and changing tactics. Bombs thrown in the face, hard-to-prevent steel wheel fire, artillery shells fired at large angles,
Coupled with the continuous intensive musketry attacks and the unrelenting counterattack, the Qing army, which was not adapted to these tactics at all, suffered heavy casualties but made extremely slow progress.
The siege on all sides failed. There were many defenders in the city and there was still a lot of strength left. The bombardment of the Hongyi artillery did little damage to the enemy troops in the trenches. The Qing troops fighting in the trenches were surrounded by strange and changeable enemies.
Even under vicious blows, he is unable to exert his talents.
Yesterday's key attack was the one that made the most progress. The Hongyi artillery was pushed within the effective range and caused some damage to the city wall; the soldiers continued to attack in batches regardless of casualties, from morning to dusk, and finally broke through the city wall.
The trench outside reaches under the city wall.
However, the results obtained with heavy casualties were reduced to nothing under the strange-looking city walls. Wu Sangui and other Qing generals finally understood the power of this kind of city wall. The intensive crossfire caused the Qing troops who attacked the city wall to be attacked from many sides.
Killings. Although the Hongyi cannon also caused casualties to the enemies on the city, more Qing troops fell on the way to the city wall.
Finally, a ladder was built up the city wall, but the bombs were thrown down all over the city. Fortunately, the Qing army was not killed by muskets and bows and arrows, but it was still difficult to escape the bad luck under the city wall.
Wu Sangui was personally commanding at the front line at that time. Although he was so angry that he gritted his teeth, he could still remain calm and withdraw his troops. When faced with the brand-new city defense facilities and tactics, Wu Sangui knew that it would be useless to continue to use human lives to fill the problem, and he must find a way to crack it.
.
In several days of siege battles, the soldiers had suffered 6,000 casualties, and the auxiliary troops had also lost more than 3,000. Before the city was breached, it was normal for the attackers to suffer more casualties than the defenders. But the city was broken.
After that, by killing and injuring the defenders who had no city to rely on and whose fighting spirit collapsed, they could level the number of casualties or overtake them.
However, the current war of attrition made Wu Sangui feel that the gains outweighed the losses, and the fierce counterattack at night made him realize that the defenders still had strength and could not be captured in a hurry.
Since there is no need to rush and there is no other way, we can only adopt the tactic of besieging and bombarding the city. Ten heavy-duty Hongyi cannons. Each weighs two thousand kilograms and fires ten kilograms of cannon. The effective range is one and a half miles. They should be used intensively.
It can be used as a siege method.
According to the Qing army's tactics of bombarding the city, the artillery shells were to hit the middle and lower parts of the city wall, that is, "When the cannon is raised, do not hit the upper parapet of the city. Instead, hit the middle of the city until it is very ruined before we allow our troops to advance."
Now the Qing army can push the Hongyi artillery as close as six or seven hundred meters away from the city, blasting the city wall, and the success rate of collapse is very high. Although this may take two or three days, or more, it will
It is a sure way to reduce casualties.
Wu Sangui withdrew his gaze towards Yuanjiang City, turned slightly, and said to Liu Xuanchu beside him: "The enemy reinforcements are coming. To the east are the puppet prince Ma Bao and a Yanqi sneak attack army, and to the west are the various native chiefs.
Join forces, the war in Yuanjiang is getting bigger and bigger!"
Of course, the actions of the army led by Ma Bao could not avoid the detection of horses and scouts by the Qing army. The men and horses of Xiangma Weixing were also detected. However, the five thousand native soldiers who acted as the vanguard in the west were regarded by Wu Sangui as a joint force of chieftains from various families outside Yuanjiang.
, he did not know that the army led by Zhu Yongxing was behind these soldiers.
Liu Xuanchu smiled slightly and said: "Your Majesty has made careful arrangements, so what can the enemy's reinforcements do to me? Besides, if we repel the enemy's reinforcements, the defenders in Yuanjiang City will be frightened and desperate, but it will actually help our army to break the city."
Wu Sangui pursed his lips, his smile flashed away, and he said in a deep voice: "Ma Bao has a reputation for being brave, so we should not underestimate the enemy. Ma Weixing walked to the south bank again, and it is difficult to distinguish the true and false of the two armies. There is nothing to worry about when the native chieftains join forces."
"Ma Bao is so brave. How can the prince's fierce general Ma Yaozi be weaker than him?" Liu Xuanchu said with a smile: "Ma Weixing is an unknown person. The prince sent Xia Dutong, who was both brave and strategic, to fight. The local chiefs joined forces, and there was also a loyal camp to resist.
Is there any reason for the superior to ignore the inferior?"
Wang Fuchen, a native of Shanxi, first joined the peasant uprising army in the late Ming Dynasty, and then joined the Ming Dynasty general Jiang Yu camp. He was famous for his bravery and good fighting skills, and he was the leader of the three armies. He also had the style of a general. Because he was good at riding and shooting, his horse was as fast as flying, so he got a nickname
, known as "Ma Yaozi". After surrendering to the Qing Dynasty, he was appreciated by Shunzhi and awarded the title of first-class bodyguard before the emperor. He also went to the southwest with Hong Chengchou to fight. After Hong Chengchou returned to Beijing, he became subordinate to Wu Sangui.
Wu Sangui had heard the name of Fuchen for a long time and liked him very much for his character and talents. He treated him as his own nephew. Whenever he had good food, beautiful clothes, and the best utensils, he would be given to him first if others could not get them. Wang Fuchen deeply loved him.
Moved, he became devoted and loyal to Wu Sangui.
Xia Guoxiang, Wu Sangui's son-in-law, had both civil and military skills and was highly trusted. Historically, by the time of the San Francisco Rebellion, he had become the de facto number two figure in Wu Sangui's camp. His influence was so great that he could abolish the establishment without authorization.
He was in charge of command in Jiangnan, and Wu Sangui was relieved.
Although the Zhongyong Battalion lost more than half of its troops in the fierce attack and defense at the foot of Yuanjiang City, after supplementing the two battalions of the Volunteer Battalion, they still had more than 4,000 troops. Against thousands of native chiefs' soldiers, there seemed to be no suspense about victory.
Wu Sangui made the most correct and reasonable arrangements for the three reinforcements he currently had, and did not underestimate the enemy. Therefore, Liu Xuanchu was full of confidence and felt that the strength of the troops facing each other was greater than that of his opponents, which is the so-called upper Si vs. lower Si.
, winning is of course a matter of course.
Wu Sangui felt proud, but pretended to be reserved. When he heard the rumble of cannons from the south of the Yangtze River, he knew that the bombardment of the city had begun. He felt certain that he and Liu Xuanchu would return to the camp.
……………
Wu Sangui was indeed not simple. In addition to facing reinforcements, he also strengthened the protection of the pontoon bridge. As long as the connection between the north and south sides was smooth, troops could be mobilized to cope with sudden changes.
But the pontoon bridge, which lacks the protection of boats, still has weaknesses. Of course Wu Sangui would not have thought that the enemy would actually have a navy to participate in the battle. Although it was hastily assembled and the ships were of different models, the momentum of going down the river and the wind, and
After carrying sky-blasting cannons and newly improved artillery shells, this simple navy still brought unexpected changes to the battle situation.
Red artillery flames flashed on the Qing army's position, and clouds of white smoke rose up, obscuring the figure of the Hongyi cannon. When the white smoke dispersed, the Hongyi cannon appeared again, and there were people busy around the cannon.
of Qing soldiers.
Broken bricks and soil continued to fall from the city wall, clattering to the ground. The defenders could no longer be seen on the section of the city wall that had been intensively bombarded, but behind the city wall, wood, bricks and stones were being transported continuously, ready to be fired at the cannon.
After stopping, repair the damaged wall.
Surrounding this section of the city wall, other soldiers and auxiliary soldiers were digging trenches and building walls, preparing to build another line of defense that would block the influx of enemies from the gap after the city wall collapsed.
On one side of the city wall in the area being attacked, the artillery instructor and several of his subordinates re-measured the range, then directed the soldiers to lift the Tianwei Cannon up, set it up and begin to adjust the angle.
"Place ten more guns over there." The artillery instructor pointed and said, "Wait until the enemy's artillery cools down and rests before firing again. This will buy more time. We can fire a few more guns before the enemy moves the artillery.
wheel."
A total of twenty-six Tianwei cannons were transported to Yuanjiang City, each with ten shells. The artillery instructor wanted to destroy the enemy's artillery in one fell swoop. He had to paralyze the enemy and wait for the best opportunity. For this reason, he would rather give in.
Even if the city wall is destroyed, it must be patient.
"Wolf smoke -" someone shouted, and more and more people turned to watch, making louder and louder noises and discussions.
Between the mountains more than ten miles west of Yuanjiang City, a column of smoke was rising. The addition of wolf dung and sage grass made the smoke very large and clearly visible.
The artillery instructor did not know the layout of the entire Yuanjiang Battle. When he thought about it, he probably had reinforcements coming from the outside and lit up smoke to communicate.
But things were obviously not as simple as he thought. Duke Chen Guogong and Wu Zisheng had already quickly climbed to the city and issued an order with a stern face, "Within one hour, all the Tianwei cannon must be transported to the west of the city."
The artillery instructor opened his mouth and wanted to fight for it, but Wu Zisheng emphasized again in an unquestionable tone: "Anyone who disobeys the order will be killed!"
"Yes!" the artillery instructor hesitated for a moment, knowing that things were not as simple as he thought, so he stood at attention and responded loudly.
Chen Guogong Wu Zisheng's face turned pale, and he nodded slightly. Regardless of the danger, he quickly passed through the section of the city wall that was bombarded by Hongyi cannons under the protection of several personal guards. The battle was imminent. Although it was a bit sudden, if the emergency arrangements continued, it should be
There's still time.
Smoke was also lit on the city, echoing the scene from the west.
Wu Sangui and other Qing generals also saw the rising smoke, but did not think the situation was serious. Thousands of native chiefs soldiers in the west were already expecting it, so it was appropriate to light the smoke to communicate with the city, at least they could
Increase the determination and will of soldiers to defend the city.
But they did not expect that the rising smoke was not only a communication with Yuanjiang City, but also a notification to the navy on the Dong'e River that they could begin to break the blocking operation.
……………
Zhu Yongxing is leading an army through a canyon. With thousands of native soldiers as bait and cover, and local natives as guides, this neglected army will suddenly appear on the south bank of the Yuanjiang River.
At the critical moment, reinforcements dropped from the sky, flags and flags fluttered, and the force was overwhelming; the friendly troops facing annihilation cheered loudly, burst into tears, and their morale was boosted. This is the rendering in movies and TV series. Although it is ups and downs and exciting, it is
But it is difficult to appear on the real battlefield. Even if there are modern communication methods, who can know the time so accurately. And Zhu Yongxing does not want to play this kind of heart-pounding pretense game. He only wants to defeat the Qing army and does not dare to risk it.
Yuan Jiang is in danger of being lost.
Of course, for this battle, Zhu Yongxing also thought and calculated again and again, trying his best to make the various units cooperate better. However, errors in time are inevitable. There is no need to pursue perfection, as long as the goal is basically achieved.
.
It’s better to be a big-footed girl! Zhu Yongxing has abandoned his horse and is walking. Mengzhu and Longer are wearing leather armor. Although their foreheads are sweating, they can keep up. Several female guards from the Mengshan Ke tribe and the Baiyi tribe are also
He is strong and strong, and few Han daughters can match him in running and walking.
More than a dozen soldiers in colorful clothes appeared on the top of the mountain ahead. As outposts and guides, their ability to run and climb in the mountains and forests made Zhu Yongxing, an old donkey, feel ashamed. The Qing army was often called the mountain.
The people are called "mountain monkeys", but it is difficult to compete with them in the mountains and forests.
The ruler is shorter and the inch is longer. The Qing army is good at field battles and regular battles, while the mountain people and native soldiers jump like flying in the mountains and forests, as if they are walking on the ground. The key is how to make full use of their strengths and not to short-circuit the enemy.
Long stupid thing.
Those who had the same idea as Zhu Yongxing were the combined troops of the Qing army's "Zhongyong Camp" and "Yiyong Camp". These more than 4,000 troops were setting up camp ten miles west of Yuanjiang City, preparing to defeat the coalition of native chiefs in a field battle.
The two battalions combined had seven battalions of soldiers, more than 8,000 people. After a tug of war under the city, these "stepmother's children" suffered heavy casualties, giving full play to their role as cannon fodder. The main generals were Shi Wen, Deng Wanggong was killed, Liu Zhifu, Zhao
Wu was seriously injured, and it can be said that his muscles and bones were completely damaged. (To be continued...)