The Huai River is the dividing line between north and south of China. In an era when China was facing north and south, it was able to defend the Huai River line. From the west to Dabie Mountains and east to Hongze Lake, this section often means whether the southern regime can withstand the north.
Guan Jian was where the regime attacked, so the Civil War has always happened in this area. Moreover, there are many tributaries on both sides of the Huai River and densely covered with water networks, which is also a huge obstacle to the north, which has always been dominated by cavalry warfare.
If the Ming army had sufficient troops, they could rely on the Huaihe River as the defense line to resist the Qing army's southward journey. However, now the two men of Huang Degong and Liu Liangzuo crossed the river and returned to Nanjing. The current military strength of the merchant army was not enough to defend the entire Huaihe River.
Therefore, only Fengyang can be used as the core to arrange the Huaihe River defense line.
Fengyang was originally named Haozhou. It was the hometown of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and it was also the Zhongdu of the Ming Dynasty. It was located in the middle from Dabie Mountain to Hongze Lake. Therefore, it was crucial to defending the Huaihe River defense line.
When Shang Yi arrived in Fengyang, it was the first year of Hongguang in the Ming Dynasty, and the third day of April 45, the second year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty. At this time, the three armies of the Qing army advanced together. Kong Youde, the King of Gongshun of the East, had already captured Suzhou and Yu in the middle.
Prince Duoduo also made progress to Mengcheng; King Geng Zhongming of Huaishun on the west side occupied Yingchuan, and three arrows were launched at the same time, killing towards the Huaihe River.
At this time, Shang Yi also gathered a large number of troops in Fengyang, including the First Division of the Shang Army, the First Regiment of the Cavalry Brigade, the Twelfth Regiment of the Fifth Division, the First Battalion of the Reconnaissance Regiment, the Second Battalion, the Foreign Mercenary Regiment, etc.
, with a total of more than 18,000 troops, and more than 5,000 other Ming troops, were also transferred to Shang Yi for command. In Sizhou, 120 miles east of Fengyang, Luo Yuanbin was stationed on the Xuyi line.
The Fourth Division and the Second Regiment of the Cavalry Brigade. At the same time, the navy stationed in the Yellow River waterway has now recruited more than 260 ships of various types, and has already drawn more than 200 ships, stationed in Hongze Lake.
The entrance between Sizhou and Xuyi in the southeast.
It was only left behind Shouzhou, which was traveling to the Huaihe River. The left governor Liu Zhaoji, led by the left governor of Shi Kefa, led by 8,000 troops, which was also one of the biggest loopholes in this defense line.
After Shang Yi arrived in Fengyang, according to the report of the reconnaissance battalion, the vanguard of the Qing army had reached Ying, Huaiyuan, Wuhe and other places on the north bank of the Huai River, and could almost be across the river from the Shang army. But the Qing army had also been
When they learned that the Ming army had set up defense lines on the south bank of the Huai River, they did not dare to advance south rashly. Of course, on the other hand, they were also collecting ships to cross the river.
Of course, Shang Yi knew that although the firepower of the Shang army was fierce, it was difficult to defend the entire Huaihe River defense line due to insufficient troops. If the Qing army was allowed to advance to the bank of the Huaihe River and attacked more points, it would be difficult to defend the Huaihe River defense line, let alone Shouzhou
In weak links, blindly defending is not a solution. Only by taking the main attack and leading the attack is the strategy. Even the fewer ones can delay for a longer period of time. Therefore, Shang Yi also decided to take the lead in launching an attack on the Qing army.
On the fourth day of the April 19th, Cheng Jin led two regiments of troops to cross the Huai River near the west of Tushan that night, and first attacked Huaiyuan County.
When we arrived at Huaiyuan County, it was around 3:00 am. Cheng Jin looked around with the faint starlight and heard that the city walls of Huaiyuan County were dimly lit, and some Qing soldiers were guarding them sparsely.
Cheng Jin nodded, it seemed that the Qing army's guards were not very tight, so he turned to Duan Peng and said, "Xiao Duan, it depends on you now."
Because it was a strange trend at this time, the merchant army only brought small cannons, not one medium and heavy cannon. Even the Lili Rockets only brought cylinders, not box-type, and wanted to attack Kaihuaiyuan's city gate
, only rely on blasting, and this mission naturally fell to the scouts.
Duan Peng said: "Don't worry, we will be able to blow up the city gates, just pay attention to the cover." Look, with a platoon of soldiers, you are about to set off.
Cheng Jin grabbed Duan Peng and said, "Xiao Duan, be careful."
Duan Peng patted his shoulder and said, "Don't worry about us." He led the scouts and sneaked towards Huaiyuan City.
Until their figures disappeared into the darkness, Cheng Jin ordered again: "Pi Li Rockets are ready to launch, and the Third Regiment is ready to attack."
With his order, twenty soldiers carried the launching tube of the Pili Rocket and aimed at the city walls of Huaiyuan County. Behind them, soldiers lit the leads of the Pili Rocket.
The sound of "swish swish swish swish swish!" immediately broke the tranquility of the night sky, and brilliant lines of fire flew towards Huaiyuan County. Against the backdrop of the dark night sky, it was like blooming fireworks, dazzling and dazzling.
However, when the fire lights land, they only bring about the fear of death.
These purgatory troops have never fought with merchant troops, so they don’t know how it happened. Many people were still watching the city wall. When the thunder rockets fell into the city, they triggered a series of explosions and
When the flames were dotted, I realized that this was an enemy's surprise attack. At this moment, the Third Regiment of the First Division also lit a torch and approached the county town of Huaiyuan County, with several long ladders.
The Qing army guarding the city immediately became in chaos and shouted at the top of the city: "The enemy's sneak attack, and there was an enemy's sneak attack." The sound of bronze and drums also sounded quietly. But no one noticed it.
A team had already sneaked to the Fangcheng River and swam to the city wall.
Under the cover of his companions, Duan Peng and the reconnaissance platoon had swam across the moat. Each of them carried an explosive pack, and at this time they all gathered together, stuck to the city wall, and then led the leads of each explosive pack.
One by one, although Qing soldiers in the city discovered their movements and began to shoot arrows under the city, it was too late, and the leads had been lit from several places. The scouts also dispersed to both sides of the city wall.
Dodge.
The people who entered Huaiyuan County were Melezhangjingyild, a subordinate of Duoduo, and Liu Zhong, the surrendered general of the Dashun Army, totaling more than 5,000 troops. Among them, the Manchu Army had a Jiala army, about one
More than a thousand people.
After capturing Huaiyuan, Yi Lide was indeed very relaxed and never thought that the Ming army would come to attack. Although he had also heard of the previous achievements of the Merchant Army, he knew that their firearms were sharp, defeated Abatai and Haoge.
However, the Qing army's concept of despising the Ming army for many years cannot be changed in a short period of time. Moreover, in Yild's view, although the merchant army is more powerful than the ordinary Ming army, it still uses it.
The Ming army's old tactics first rely on firearms to defend to the death. After the Qing army's offensive momentum was over, they launched a counterattack, even in field battles, but their ability to take the initiative was still very weak.
At least Ild had never heard of Shang Yi's army besieging a certain city, so he was not worried that the merchants would attack Huaiyuan with their own initiative. Although they had also arranged some defensive measures, they were still far from reaching the opponent's front.
The degree of rigor also gives the merchant army an opportunity to take advantage of.
After receiving the report of the Ming army's attack, Ild was also shocked and hurriedly ordered the mobilization of troops to fight the enemy. Fortunately, the Qing army was indeed well-trained and soon gathered more than a thousand people, Ild
Lead a group of soldiers to Ximen to fight.
Nazhi just arrived in front of the west gate and was about to command the soldiers to defend, and there was a loud "boom" sound, and even the entire earth trembled violently, two and half a foot of the earth.
The thick city gate actually cracked into several pieces, and then a huge wave of shocked air attacked the Qing army. The Qing soldiers in front of the city gate were also the first to be hit, and the air waves rushed into the air and flew up.
Seven or eight feet tall, then fell heavily to the ground. The broken door panel also killed and injured many Qing soldiers.
After this explosion ended, thirty or forty Qing soldiers fell down on the ground, including Ilder, because he was closest to the city gate just now, and the explosion impact was the heaviest.
It was mixed up and blood, and the personnel were unknown. Moreover, the Qing army on the city wall was not prepared, and many people were unstable and fell to the ground.
The black gunpowder used to bomb the city gate this time was as much as 60 kilograms. Although the explosion of black gunpowder was not very powerful, it could not withstand the large number. Therefore, the result of this explosion was also very terrifying, not only to make the city
The door was completely blown up, and even the Fangcheng River suspension bridge outside the city gate was exploded into more than ten small wooden boards. In fact, this was the first time that the merchant army used blasting methods to blow up the city gate, and they couldn't grasp the gunpowder.
The dosage almost made a mistake, and even the city tower was blown up. Fortunately, the brigade of the merchant army had not reached the moat at this time, otherwise several would have been killed and injured.
Although Duan Peng and others all retreated several feet apart, they also felt the mountains shaking and the earth buzzing, and Duan Peng also stuck out his tongue and said, "Good guy, this is too much."
Awesome, brothers, rush.”
As he said that, the soldiers of the reconnaissance platoon led the soldiers to break into the city gate from both sides. Although each of them carried a rifle, after rushing into the city gate, the first one used was a grenade, so he gave it to the city again.
Second explosion.
At this time, many Qing troops had not yet come back to their senses from the huge explosion impact just now, and there were people who were rescued Ild, who was not awake, although the power of this explosion was far from the time when the city gate was exploded.
, but this time, the city gates were missing, allowing the Qing soldiers to take the lead first, and the effect was no worse than once. After the series of explosions, the bodies of the Qing soldiers lying on the ground were more than twice as many as before.
The soldiers who were rescuing Ild just now not only failed to wake Ild, but also were blown to the ground and couldn't stand it.
This was the first time that other Qing soldiers who were not affected by the explosion saw this war pattern. They were frightened and retreated repeatedly. Duan Peng also took the opportunity to command the row of soldiers he brought, with three rows of soldiers.
The continuous shooting formation was guarded in front of the city gate. Then he took turns to shoot, knocking down many Qing soldiers.