The outpost of the Chinese army was a sentry unit of the Third Battalion of Zhao Tie's 1st Regiment. They first opened fire outside the port city. Then, the Chinese army, who was waiting in full formation, responded immediately.
The shells were as dense as raindrops, and the bullets roared for about ten minutes. Only one of the three hundred Shimadzu samurai who launched the suicidal charge survived - Yamada Masagi saw that the situation was not good. He turned around in time and escaped from the fire net. All the remaining Shimazu samurai He fell on the road outside the port. On Yin Feng's side, there were only two Chinese gunners who accidentally dropped iron shells while carrying them and injured their toes. They were the only two wounded Chinese in this battle. .
Yamada Masa's vision suddenly opened up at the corner of the harbor. He suddenly discovered that the hulls of three huge warships on the sea were densely covered with gun holes. At the same time, a group of soldiers in black helmets and iron cannons suddenly stood up on both sides of the road.
Yamada Masa belongs to the samurai class. However, the most work he did in the Shimadzu family was to go south to the southern barbarian territory to do trade. Therefore, he knew what the Dutch and Portuguese gunboats were like. He also knew what the Chinese Company and the Spanish were like. War. The Chinese flag flying on a blue background already shows the identity of the enemy.
While the red light flashed from the countless gun muzzles on the opposite side, he jumped and fell down in the ditch on the roadside. Then Yamada Masa hid in the ditch with his head in his arms, avoiding the rain of cannonballs and musket bullets. When the gunfire stopped, the ditch where he lived was stained red by the blood flowing down the road.
Yamada Masa stayed in the bloody water until night. He took advantage of the dark and windy night to escape from the Shura field. None of the 300 warriors he brought with him survived.
Early the next morning, Yin Feng led the main fleet from the sea to Kagoshima City. The troops commanded by Zhao Tie included: 2,000 infantry from the Kuangbiao Regiment (including the team directly under Zhao Tie's regiment), 500 indigenous auxiliary troops, and 100 boy scouts from Yan Siqi. The 2nd and 3rd Artillery Battalion sentries totaled 300 people. Carrying ten field guns, they went north from Shanchuan Port via land through the narrow Yingwa Street on the seaside (God knows why there is such a name "Yingwa Road"). The front is also pointed directly at Kagoshima Castle.
Before setting off for the expedition, Yin Feng emphasized in front of the generals: "...This battle takes Kagoshima City as the ultimate goal. All troops must follow one principle before reaching Kagoshima City: quickly. And reach Kaer. After the island city, we must adhere to the principle of sticking to our own formation and waiting for the rear team..."
Zhao Tie was as ambitious as he was under Manila. His troops were the first to break into Kagoshima City.
His troops carried five 6-pound field guns, five 3-pound light field guns, and a cannon that fired explosive bombs. They were all carried on gun carts pulled by donkeys.
The Chinese Army did a good job in pre-war intelligence work. The Portuguese missionary Lu Ruohan found the Satsuma Domain map from Japanese Jesuit materials. After setting off from Taiwan, all generals above the sentry team had memorized this map. Yin Feng, on the other hand, I want to find a map of Japan in the Ming Dynasty information. Unfortunately, the Ming Dynasty was closed to the country for a long time. It is estimated that even the entire map of Japan in the entire Ming Dynasty would be difficult to find. Let alone a detailed mountain and river geography map and a map of Japan's military and city distribution. I need it. Relying on the Ming Dynasty's military information to send troops to Japan was like walking blindly at night. He had to cross a single-plank bridge. Fortunately, God gave him Japan's Tonglu Ruohan. The Japanese Jesuits were once the largest Catholic group in the Far East. They had many detailed records. Japanese data. The map provided by Lu Ruohan is very detailed. It shows that it is about 110 miles from Yamakawa Port to Kagoshima Castle by land. Zhao Tie believes that the Chinese army has the strategic advantage of a surprise attack. His troops march at a forced march speed of one day. They can completely kill Kagoshima Castle in half a day.
However, this morning he had just set out from Shanchuan Port. He had only walked a dozen miles when he collapsed in front of a small castle.
His guide, a Fujian maritime merchant, told him that the small castle blocking the road in front of him was called Ibusuki.
This is the castle where Tadamasa Kiyoshizaemon lives in Ibusuki. He is a 66-year-old veteran of the Shimadzu family. He is an important member of the Shimadzu family and a subordinate of Yunobu Yamada, the lord of Hyuga Takajo Castle. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi entered Kyushu, he participated in the defense. Takagi. After opening the city, he retreated to Toyu County and refused to surrender. Later, he followed Shimazu Yoshihiro in the fierce attack on the Tokugawa Army in the Battle of Sekigahara. In the end, Shimazu Yoshihiro's 1,500 men were reduced to less than a hundred. He actually Return to Kyushu alive with Yoshihiro.
This is a veteran who has been on the battlefield for a long time. Although he has retired to his hometown for retirement, he has not been able to practice martial arts for a day. Many of his retainers, samurai, and bodyguards live in Chiran Town. Yesterday, he followed Yamada Masaru to attack the mountains and rivers. Port. Although there was a report that Yamakawa Port was invaded by the enemy in the evening, Ibusuki Tadamasa did not take it to heart. He thought that Yamada Masa and his men could solve the problem with a single battle.
No one expected that in the early morning, Yamada Masaru, covered in blood and in a state of embarrassment, suddenly knocked on the door of Ibusuki Castle.
After receiving the report from the guard, the 66-year-old veteran Ibusuki Tadamasa jumped up from the couch and went outside. He saw the embarrassed Yamada Masa. Yamada Masa was a member of Yamada Yunobu's family. Although Ibusuki Tadamasa looked down on this business ability A guy who is far superior to fighting. But he still maintains due courtesy. After the two parties greeted each other, Ibusuki Tadamasa frowned unnoticed and asked: "Yamada-kun, what kind of enemy is the other party? Have you figured it out?"
"They are people from the Ming Dynasty. They can't be completely counted as people from the Ming Dynasty; they are people from the China United Company."
Ibusuki Tadamasa was expressionless: "Why? It's the Daminghai merchants who defeated the Ganlu people and occupied Manila. How is it possible? How could you be defeated by them? Are there many of them coming?"
Yamada Masa took the tea handed by the guard and drank it all in one gulp without grace. Then he nodded and said: "There are many. There are hundreds of warships. There are about a thousand people ashore now. Lord Tadayama, please send someone quickly. Send a message to the lord of Tsurumaru Castle. They should be here soon."
"Boom boom."
A loud roar like rolling thunder suddenly came from the west.
The two stood up suddenly at the same time. Tadamasa Ibusuki exclaimed in a low voice: "Cannon." Big iron cannon, stone fire arrow, big tube, national collapse, Buddha Wolf machine, etc.
And Yamada Masaru exclaimed: "It's over. The army of the China Company has arrived."
Zhao Tie deployed ten cannons at the foot of Ibusuki Castle. The 1,400 fusiliers of the First and Third Battalions formed a dense formation on the narrow coastal plain. Under the cover of continuous bombardment by the cannons, they advanced with a width of 100 people. Ibusuki Castle is slowly approaching.
The march of the Chinese army is indeed not slow. The speed of deploying the troops is also very fast. This is all due to the years of hard training. Zhao Tie believes that it only takes one attack to capture this small castle.
As a result, the artillery did break the gate of Ibusuki Castle. The intensive flintlock fire swept away the few resisters at the top of the city. The narrow trench was simply a decoration. The infantry of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment of the Chinese Army were the first to charge. Enter the city.
Zhao Tie rubbed his eyes hard and looked at the scene in front of him in disbelief; his soldiers who rushed into the city were actually driven out of the city by Japanese warriors.
Moreover, the Shimazu family samurai threw a black ball-shaped object from the city gate. There was an explosion and a puff of smoke rose up. The Chinese army, which was crowded at the gate of Ibusuki Castle, was caught off guard and collapsed.
Zhao Tie almost bit off his tongue: "Damn it. Do the Japanese pirates also have grenades?"
Boy Scout leader Yan Siqi, who was standing aside, said: "It's not a grenade. The explosive power of this thing is much smaller than our grenades. The smoke that rises is also much smaller. Ah, all our people were driven out. Oh, the Japanese pirates charged. Already."
The explosives thrown by the Satsuma samurai were the so-called "fire arrows" that Japan learned from the invading army of the Yuan Dynasty. They were spherical incendiary bombs filled with black gunpowder and iron filings and lead pellets using plain-fired earthenware. It was used throughout the Warring States and Oriho era. It is widely used. For example, in naval battles, small ships and other light warships are used to surround enemy ships. Throwing incendiary bombs to burn them down is a common method of combat. Later, such incendiary bombs are fired with bows, iron cannons, and cannons. Types of people setting fire to city buildings also appeared.
The samurai in Ibusuki Castle not only repelled the soldiers of the first regiment and one battalion who rushed into the city with hand-to-hand combat, but also launched a charge towards the Chinese army's line. Of course, this was a suicide charge. Under the fire of more than 1,000 flintlock muskets, Dozens of Satsuma warriors who rushed out of the city were hopelessly shot to death. However, their desperate charge diverted the firepower of the Chinese army. The defenders in Ibusuki Castle took the opportunity to block the gate with wooden boards and other debris.
The commander of the first battalion, Huang Lue, came to Zhao Tie with a pale face. He saluted with his hands raised: "Commander Zhao, we have lost more than 50 brothers. More than 100 people have been killed. There are still more than ten brothers who may have fallen into the hands of the Japanese pirates." .”
"You're so damn shameful to Commander Kuangbiao. How many little pirates are there in the city?" Zhao Tie asked angrily.
"There are about 200 Japanese pirate warriors in the city. They are so crazy. They are coming straight at our bayonets. The Japanese swords can cut off the barrels of our flintlock rifles. We are in close combat and there is no way to suppress the Japanese pirates. Japs." Huang Lue used to be the captain of the first regiment. His team used to be the second troop to break into the castle during the surprise attack on Fort Santiago in the Philippines. His biggest characteristic is his honesty. The truth he told made people laugh. Zhao Tie kept frowning.
"Organize a second attack immediately. Give full play to our army's firepower advantage. Make use of our strengths and avoid our weaknesses. Do you understand?"
Huang Lue raised his hands and saluted: "Yes." Without saying much, he turned around and left. Zhao Tie shook his head and said softly: "This old Huang is good at everything. He just lacks cleverness when fighting..." In a blink of an eye, he saw Yan Siqi snickering on the side. He said angrily: "Brother Zhenquan, your problem is that you are too clever. Okay. You lead your troops and indigenous soldiers to bypass this fortress and quickly head north..."
Yan Siqi jumped up: "Yes!"
"Wait a minute." Zhao Tie stopped him: "Do you know what you should pay attention to during the march?"
Yan Siqi stood up and said: "March quickly. Don't get entangled with the enemy."
"Okay. Go ahead. I'll capture this small town and then join you."