The sun gradually rose and shone on the Kagoshima coastal plain. The light rain in the morning caused water to accumulate in many low-lying areas on the north bank of the Kodochi River. The Shimadzu army was setting up their positions on this land.
The current head of the Satsuma Mori Shimazu family, Tadatsune Shimazu, remained calm and composed as he stood motionless in the main formation of his army north of Denen Bridge. He wore a Jinhaori with a ten-character pattern and carried the two-foot-two-inch tachi passed down to him by Shimazu Yoshihiro. , the pure white pick is in hand, sitting firmly on the bed table, as if sitting in meditation, (the original meaning of the pick is a prop used by military commanders to command battles during the Warring States Period in Japan, a kind of baton with a long wooden handle, and the handle is densely covered with paper strips. Or strips of cloth, which look a bit like a fan. When waved, they can rub against each other and make a sound, which is derived from the meaning of command.)
For Tadashi, who has not participated in many wars, but believes that his combat power and strategy are not inferior to those of his predecessors, victory or defeat has long been determined. All he considers is how to take appropriate actions to protect the reputation of the Shimazu family and the river bank behind him. There is a cavalry team of 200 people lining up nearby. The scale of war in Japan's Warring States Period expanded, and the use of infantry groups came first. The role of mounted samurai was greatly reduced, and the real cavalry units were almost non-existent. exist.
In fact, the breeds of Japanese horses at that time were very inferior, with the average body height basically not exceeding 150 centimeters. Except for the dwarf Japanese who could be used as war horses, people from other countries looked down upon them at all, and the Chinese company troops who came from afar did not even come across thousands of miles away. With the cavalry, the battle between the two armies mainly depends on the infantry.
A report from Ryukyu Island's Kaguyama Hisaka mentioned that the Chinese army was good at using firearms when defending castles. According to the experience of the Shimazu army, artillery can only be used for siege and defense, and it is very inconvenient to use it in the field. , therefore, Shimazu Tadahashi was not worried about the Chinese army's artillery superiority.
What he was worried about was the large number of flintlock muskets owned by the opponent. The Shimazu family's automatic muskets were originally imitated from the Chinese company's products. They knew that the Chinese army used a large number of flintlock muskets, but even though the Shimadzu samurai were on the battlefield, A large number of muskets are used, but in fact, muskets are only used as auxiliary weapons with samurai swords. From the bottom of the heart of the samurai, they regard the effectiveness of muskets and iron cannons as invincible, and are very superstitious about the close combat effectiveness of samurai. Kashiwagi Gento, one of the "Five Guns of Small Return", was a retainer of Shirobei Kawakami's brother Tadashi Kashiwagi. He was an iron gunner. When Tadatsune Shimazu broke out from the front in the Battle of Sekigahara, he wounded many Eastern Army generals with muskets from behind. , but when the meritorious service was evaluated after the war, Kashiwagi Gendo did not receive any reward, and finally died in poverty. This is a reflection of the Shimadzu family’s fundamental views on firearms.
Therefore, Shimazu Tadahashi was just a little worried. His concept of war was still in the Middle Ages.
"Fujigen-kun, you will lead this first wave of pig attacks," he turned back to Shinna Fujimoto beside him and said: "If the enemy's firepower is strong, you should retreat and let them pursue, and then it will be up to us. The Satsuma Samurai can exploit the power of wild hunting tactics,"
…
"The Shimadzu family's best tactic is the so-called 'wild fishing',"
On the temporary wooden platform built on the bank of the Inari River, Yin Feng said to Luo Quanxiu, Mai De, Yang Dacheng, Yang Tiansheng, Li Kuiqi, Colonel Kutre and the foreign mercenary leader Captain Andre: "I last time I have mentioned the Shimadzu family’s five tactics. The so-called fishing method is actually an ambush pocket formation. Since the Shimadzu army was at a disadvantage in terms of numbers in many battles, the Shimadzu army used this method in almost every large-scale battle. Tactics,"
Li Kuiqi rushed to say: "Sir shipowner, we understand this. It is similar to our Chinese carbine. It doesn't matter what fighting method they use. We just fight in our own way. One by one, we fight a bunch. ,"
Everyone burst into laughter. Although Li Kuiqi was not yet nineteen years old, he blushed and argued because he was a master artilleryman and Yin Feng was particularly fond of him: "What I said is wrong. This is what Captain Yin taught in the military academy." Ours, what is it called..."
"That's right, he fights his side and I fight mine. We can't let the enemy lead us by the nose." Yin Feng patted Li Kuiqi on the shoulder approvingly: "Kui Zai, you are becoming more and more like a general now. Now we We have strategic initiative and have the advantage of troops and weapons, so everyone must pay attention: after the war begins, we must fight steadily. No matter what the opponent is like, we fight with our own tactics. Don't underestimate the enemy, and don't be intimidated by the enemy's momentum. "
The Shimadzu family's "fishing and cutting" tactics have been tried and tested in many battles such as the Kizakihara Battle, the Ergawa Battle, the Okita-Nata Battle, and the Totsugawa Battle. The specific method is as follows: First, use the forward to attract the enemy's troops to penetrate deeper. , then the ambush troops on both wings fire with muskets, and finally cooperate with the main force in the rear to surround and annihilate the enemy troops. However, the troops used as bait must be flexible and tenacious, not only to attract the enemy troops, but also to preserve the strength of counterattack, and to be heroic at any time. Preparation for sacrifice.
Using the tactic of fishing for wild ambushes is not as simple and dogmatic as imagined. It is not an easy task to lure the enemy to follow the bait into the ambush circle. As a bait soldier, you must be prepared to be surrounded and sacrificed by heavy enemy troops at any time. In preparation for the Battle of Otokawa, the two teams of Kitakou Hisamori and Honda Taiji, who served as bait soldiers to lure the enemy, fought bravely with the determination to die and were all killed in the end. On the other hand, as ambush troops, they must seize the opportunity to send troops. As well as coordinating well with other ambush units, the closeness of the four Shimazu brothers and the unity of the retainers made such coordination relatively easy to achieve.
The Yinfeng Chinese Army's main position is 300 steps away from the Inari River. In front of the position, a temporary wooden fence has been set up with wooden branches. The four battalions of the Chinese Army's First Regiment are deployed here. The commander is Deputy Commander Yang Dacheng. There were a total of 1,800 fusiliers and 200 grenadiers.
This was the first time the grenadiers appeared in a large-scale field battle. Yin Feng actually put them on the front line at the beginning of the war. After the full-scale battle, the grenadiers retreated behind 1,800 fusiliers arranged in three columns. When the enemy entered When they reach a distance of 30 steps from the first line of musketeers, the grenadiers begin throwing grenades; once the entire line begins to engage in melee combat with bayonets, the grenadiers are the reserve team in the back row, ready to rush to the front line for combat.
A sentry from the artillery battalion was deployed in front of the musketeers of the Chinese army formation, with five light field guns deployed. There were also two carts loaded with 100 rainstorm guns, which were arranged at the connection between the Chinese army and the left and right wings.
Five cannons firing explosive shells were deployed behind the Chinese army's formation. When the Shimazu army rushed within a firing range of 150 steps (about 200 meters), they would feel the power of the explosive shells.
To the north of the Chinese Army is the right wing of the Chinese Army. There are three battalions commanded by the commander of the Second Regiment, Mai De, with a strength of 1,700 fusiliers and 300 grenadiers. They are also arranged in three horizontal lines, with their thin There is a gap of about 50 steps at the junction of the array and the Chinese army array. Behind it is a highland on the bank of the Inari River, which is Li Kuiqi's artillery position. There are 30 6-pound field guns and 10 24-pound field guns arranged here. The above heavy field artillery can flexibly support the central and right-wing troops, and its firing range covers 500 steps (about 700 meters) ahead.
To the south of the Chinese army's formation until the coast is the Chinese army's left wing consisting of 600 sailor musketeers, 200 blackbird gunners, and 200 foreign mercenary sentries. Some of the first 1,000 sailors who landed returned to the ship. Because the maritime bombardment team consisting of three Feizi giant ships and fifteen three-masted Fuchuan gunboats needs manpower, the Chinese warships on the sea have a total of more than 150 cannons, which can directly cover 300 steps (about 450 meters) above the coastline. ) range can provide comprehensive artillery support to the left wing army, so no additional artillery is deployed on the left wing.
The 500 fusiliers of the Fourth Battalion of the Second Regiment became the general reserve. Yin Feng's 100 black guards and 150 Chinese guards were also incorporated into the reserve.
The total number of Chinese troops engaged in combat on land is about 7,000.
In the eyes of Shimazu Tadahashi and his subordinate samurai, the Chinese army was simply fooling around: it had nothing to do with stretching the front of the military formation so wide, but the array was so thin. Although the front stretched out for nearly three miles, it was so thin. The formation is a complete joke: Shimadzu's army can penetrate the Chinese army's main formation with just one charge.
No one knows or understands an important fact: the Chinese Army is a firearms army that transcends the times.
"Look at this, the Chinese merchants are only good at using firearms to defend the city, and they are really not that good in field battles." The young general Shinna Fujigen who was riding on the horse looked at the enemy opposite, smiled coldly, and said to Shimazu Tadahashi Said: "Lord, I'm going to go now, Satsuma's martial arts will be long-lasting,"
As he spoke, he wore black armor, brandished the long sword Shimazu Tadahashi had just given him, and rushed towards the enemy's formation first.
Yin Feng had just dispatched his subordinates to observe the enemy's position with a telescope on the high platform. From time to time, he handed the telescope to missionary Lu Ruohan and asked him to observe the enemy's situation: "Mr. Rodriguez, it seems that Shi Manzi's cavalry is dispatching."
Lu Ruohan held the telescope and bowed to Yin Feng: "I still like to call me by my Chinese name,"
Yin Feng smiled: "Okay, Mr. Lu, do you know who the other party is?"
Lu Ruohan observed for a while and said: "There is the word 'new' on the flag. It should be led by Shimazu family retainer Shinna Tadayoshi. They are about to launch a cavalry assault."
The Shimadzu Army's Central Main Formation is personally commanded by Shimazu Tadahashi. The leader is Yuei Yamada, a branch of the Shimadzu family. The subordinate generals include Kawakami Hisaro and other close branches of the Shimadzu family, as well as Ewa Hisatora and others. The kendo master Togo Shigesaki, so-called The members of the "Little Return of the Five Guns" including Kawakami Shirobei, Kubo Shichibei and other Satsuma warriors were also among them, with a total strength of 1,500.
The left-wing army was deployed on the bank of the Kobutugawa River opposite Tsurumaru Castle. The leader was Saruwatari Momitsu, a retainer sent by Shimazu Yoshihisa, and his subordinates included Ichichi Ohira, dog boy Ryan and Kanfu Kaneryo and other famous Kyushu generals, with a strength of 800 people.
The Shimazu family's right-wing army formed an array opposite the castle town to the south of the central army's formation. The commander-in-chief was Shimazu Tadenaru, whom Shimazu Tadashi hated, and his subordinates included Tadadaru's son Shimazu Hisaki, Kaguyama Kume, Kitago Hisamoto and other famous samurai. , the troop strength is also 800.
With Gendo's attack, the Battle of Kagoshima officially began.