Chapter 172 Why is the Ming army moving so quietly at night?
After leaving the pass, the road was actually easier than inside the pass. After receiving the news, Cao Ruohai dispatched an assault regiment and a brigade of soldiers to escort the 400-man artillery team.
He was very impatient while waiting for these cannons. He was suppressed and beaten by the Qing army's artillery for two or three days. He had never experienced this cowardice since the formation of the New Army. He was charged through the formation and almost wiped out the entire army.
, but when have you ever suffered such a loss with firearms?
After spending most of the day, the artillery team finally reunited with Cao Ruohai's main camp.
"Mr. Song, how could you come to the battlefield in person? If something unexpected happens, I won't be able to explain it." Cao Ruohai had received information about Mr. Song's departure from the border in advance, so he made a special trip to greet him outside the camp.
He couldn't help complaining that it was hard to say that an old man would be involved in a war. What's more, this old man was treated as a national treasure by the emperor.
Cao Ruohai's words made Old Song angrily twitch his beard. "General Cao, don't worry. I came to the front line to help the army fight, not to cause trouble. How far is the prisoner's artillery array from your camp? It's probably
How many heavy cannons."
"The Japanese army's artillery formation is nearly thirty miles away from the main camp. It is five or six miles diagonally to the side of our surrounded camp, diagonally blocking the main camp's reinforcements. Their heavy artillery that can fire more than five or six miles should have three
About ten gates.”
"About thirty miles? Is the road to the battlefield as easy to walk as it is today?"
"The road is similar to the one outside the entrance leading here. The ground is frozen solid now, so it shouldn't be difficult to walk."
"That's fine. We'll set off tomorrow at midnight. We should be able to reach the battlefield after dawn."
"Third watch? Sir, it's extremely dark outside, and the weather has been gloomy and moonless in the past few days. I'm afraid there may be problems with marching in the dark."
"It's okay. I brought a new horse lantern when I came out this time. It can be used for night lighting and will not hinder night walking." After saying this, Master Song Yingxing brought the new horse lantern and asked Cao Ruohai to look at it.
Looking at the oil lamp wrapped in glass and iron in front of him, Cao Ruohai looked at it curiously for a while. This thing is windproof and can be shaken casually. It will probably be very convenient for walking in the wilderness at night. "Sir, this is a good thing.
Ah, it can be hung on a horse to march at night. If the army has this thing, it will be much more convenient for night raids."
"This was originally made for cavalry to fight at night. Otherwise, why would it be called a lantern?" The glass can already be burned, but the color is a little yellowish or bluish. Pure transparent glass cannot be burned, but it is used for
It can barely be used as a windproof cover. The glass currently produced by the glass factory in the factory area is mainly used for lampshades.
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Umbrella/p
The sky turned white, and it was the coldest time of the day. Kong Youde, the obedient king of the Qing Dynasty, was already busy in the camp.
"Be careful when heating up the cannon. Don't use strong fire as soon as it comes up. Use small fire to warm it up slowly. The cannon is our life. If anyone neglects it, I will not take it lightly." Kong Youde once again took the trouble to warm up the cannon on the battlefield.
The soldiers under my command said that they should take good care of the cannon. It was cold and freezing, and the iron cannon was brittle from the cold, so it was necessary to use fire to let the temperature of the barrel rise first. The work of heating the barrel also had a technical content
Yes, the gun body must be heated evenly, and the temperature must be raised slowly, without sudden cooling or sudden heating.
Kong Youde valued artillery more than life. It was precisely because they had an artillery unit that they were looked down upon by the Manchus. Since the Manchus rose to power, there were not a few traitors who surrendered to them, including military leaders.
, but why are only the three of them granted the title of king, and the army still retains its organizational structure and has a certain degree of independence? It is because they have the heavy artillery team that the Manchu Qing Dynasty lacks most. King Sanshun relies on technology to make a living, how can the others compare?
?
The Manchus and Qing Dynasties were very realistic. No matter how high your status was in the Ming Dynasty, people only looked at what you brought to them and how valuable you were. Like Hong Chengchou, although he was the biggest surrender to Ming Dynasty officials, the Manchus and Qing Dynasties did not want to see it at this time.
He. In history, the most prosperous period after Hong Chengchou surrendered was when the anti-Qing movement in the south was on the rise, several provinces were recovered, and the Qing government almost lost control of the Han Dynasty, so he was used to clean up the mess. At that time, he was ruthless
He was so fierce. When the situation stabilized later, he stepped aside again.
Kong Youde, who knew his own value, naturally treasured heavy artillery. With heavy artillery, he had status in front of the Manchus. Even if he was a member of the royal family, he had to be polite to them and not treat them like other Han soldiers and generals.
Easily become cannon fodder.
Just as Lao Kong and his men were firing up their artillery, a group of Manchu and Qing cavalry rushed into the military camp.
"King Gongshun, why aren't you in the main tent?" The person who came was Nikan, a Manchu nobleman. He went out with the army this time to help Azige and others.
"It turns out to be Beizi. I am keeping an eye on the men and women, fearing that they will make mistakes. What is the important matter for Beizi here?"
"There has just been news from a reconnaissance cavalry that a Ming army is approaching the besieged area. Prince Ying asked you to prepare to block the enemy. The approaching troops seem to have heavy artillery, so be careful."
The Ming army has heavy artillery? Kong Youshun was a little moved after hearing the news. Before, the Ming army did not have heavy artillery, so he could fight as he wanted. Now that there are heavy artillery, the situation may have changed.
I don’t know where the cannons came from. It seems that the Ming army did not have any formal heavy artillery that could be adjusted. There should be very few cannons made by the Westerners. If the cannons that came were made by the Ming army themselves,
As for heavy artillery, you shouldn't have to worry too much. The quality and performance of this kind of artillery are average, and they can't compare with the fine artillery in your hands.
"How far is the Ming army from here?"
"It's probably about ten miles away, right? When we found them, they were almost driving over."
"Traveling artillery at night? Why didn't we receive any news at night? With such a large group of people traveling at night, how can we not see the light of fire in the middle of the night?"
"The Ming army seems to have no torches, and the reconnaissance cavalry only discovered them not long ago."
"Okay! Beizi, I will quickly send someone to determine the location of the Ming army, but please don't worry, we will never let the Ming army get close to the people we have surrounded."
Youde was very confident when it came to manipulating artillery holes. He felt that only in the battlefield of East Asia, no one could take advantage of him in artillery battles.
Song Yingxing is leading the artillery team to advance towards Kong Youde's position. This time, not only the 400 heavy artillery team, but also two companies of light artillery units, as well as a cavalry assault regiment and two regiments of infantry are coming to provide cover.
"Mr. Song, the Qing army's artillery formation is still about ten miles away from us, and we are almost within their firing range."
"Almost there? Unload the mules and horses that are hauling the artillery. The rest of the way is all done by manpower. As the commander of the regiment, I have to trouble you to provide cover for our artillery team. I will leave the rest to my command.
"
"Sir, don't worry. The general will never let any captured soldiers approach the artillery array. Please rest assured, sir."
As the Ming army's artillery team advanced, the sound of artillery began to sound on the battlefield. The heavy artillery showdown between the two sides officially began.
"The pirates did not dare to refill the cannons, so their cannons could only hit six or seven miles. Let the artillery team push forward two more miles. After advancing two miles, they will drive piles and prepare for counterattack. At the same time, prepare sandbags and wait for our troops to attack.
After forming the formation, they piled them on the artillery array for protection." After observing the firing of the Qing army's heavy artillery on the battlefield for a while, Song Yingxing made a judgment that the Qing army did not dare to fill the heavy artillery with ammunition.
The Qing army's heavy artillery should still be cast iron cannons. The cast steel cannons brought over by Lao Song this time have much better performance than them.