Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 474: Hubei version of Jinchuan is creative, but Wu Jun has mortars

Chapter 474: Hubei version of Jinchuan is creative, but Wu Jun has mortars~
Between Daye County and Tongshan County of Wuchang Prefecture,
There are several special terrains with a valley sandwiched between two mountains, which have always been the official roads for merchants and pedestrians. The valley is long and narrow, with a length of about 50 miles.

It is the most ideal land route from northern Jiangxi to Hubei.

The 2nd Corps entered Hubei.

Sanxi Town was the first to be hit.

Zhao Zhuangwen volunteered to lead two thousand commanders and 2 new troops to the town.

There is no trace of the people.

As war approaches, even the birds and animals in the mountains are rarely seen.

"Burned."

"Whoo."

……

The raging fire burned down Sanxi Town.

after that,

It is the Qing army’s layered defense line.

Zhao Zhuangwen climbed up the mountains on both sides (with an average altitude of 100 meters) and was full of praise for the towering watchtowers.

After all, he was a poor scholar. There were some things he could learn without a teacher, but there were some things he could not understand.

For example, weapons and fortifications.

This was the first time he saw a watchtower.

Curiously, he climbed up and down, peeked through the holes, and tried to guess what the scenes during the attack and defense were like.

"Wonderful, wonderful. How many buildings like this are there?"

"14 seats."

“Why not build more than a hundred?”

"Master Zhao, you don't know that building towers is labor-intensive. It's not easy to build 1 towers in less than a year."

……

Zhao Zhuangwen shook his head.
If you want to resist step by step, you must have the mentality of a weak person.

The first principle of the weak mentality is to be good at defense.

but,

He was dissatisfied with the Green Camp soldiers stationed in the blockhouse, who were numb, timid and indifferent.

Can such soldiers defend the blockhouse?
"I am here to convey the governor's order, which is to dispatch the new troops from Wuchang to station in the towers."

"Sir, where is the salary owed to us?"

A group of Green Camp soldiers became anxious, and their eyes towards Master Zhao were filled with resentment, dissatisfaction, and hostility.

……

"You are responsible for guarding the first three lines of defense at the bottom of the valley. The wages you owe will be paid the day after tomorrow."

"Thank you, sir."

A group of Green Camp soldiers reluctantly withdrew from the blockhouse.

They were replaced by new soldiers with dark skin and honest faces.

Zhao Zhuangwen had been in Wuchang for several years and knew that the difference between city dwellers and farmers was as great as heaven and earth.

The new peasant army was not slick or cunning, but lacked battlefield experience and was best suited for defensive battles.

He patted the shoulder of a short and stocky soldier beside him:

"How many people are there in the family?"

"Your Excellency. There are eight of us. I am the eldest. There is also my mother, two younger brothers and sisters, my wife, three boys, and a girl. We live on Qipan Street."

"Chessboard Street is a good place. Are there enough houses to live in?"

"That's enough. A two-story courtyard with one tile to the top."

……

Speaking of the houses on Qipan Street,

Zhao Zhuangwen noticed that the soldier's eyes were shining.

It is difficult for modern people to imagine what it means to live in a house with only one tile to the ceiling.

2 days ago,

Zhao Zhuangwen stepped forward and ordered the relevant government offices to burn the draft of the house deed stored in the government office and remake the house deed overnight.

No matter who the previous owner was, he/she will not be recognized.

From the official procedure, it is confirmed that the current residents are the real owners of the house.

future?

After I die, even if there is a flood.

Go to the underworld and seek justice from Governor Wang.

……

"Food and water must be stored in the tower."

"Whoo."

"You have fought for the court, so you deserve more pay. I will give you an extra month's pay. Don't worry about your families. If the governor has a mouthful of porridge, your family will have half a mouthful of porridge."

Everyone's eyes were red.

Gratitude from the bottom of my heart.

From a farmer with no place to stand, to now a resident of Wuchang city, living in a tiled house and receiving a government salary, this favor is so great that it cannot be limited.

The governor is honest, upright, and amiable.

Asking about each other's well-being on the training ground.

Farmers would not say that a gentleman will die for his friend, but they know that when you drink water, you should remember the person who dug the well.

……

Incentive completed.
Zhao Zhuangwen stood up and knelt down:
"I, Zhao, represent the governor, and I'm asking you brothers to do this."

All the officers knelt down in unison, crying uncontrollably.

I swear and vow that as long as the fortress survives, I am alive; if the fortress fails, I die too

What is the general trend of the world, what is the sharpness of the Wu army~
We farmers only know that for a small tiled house and a courtyard, and for the three taels of military pay every month that can guarantee a stable income during drought or flood, we dare to risk our lives with anyone!
It's just death,
Farmers are never afraid of death.

……

Zhao Zhuangwen also took ruthless measures and ordered the surrounding gentry to donate grain. If they did not donate, they would have to wait for the new army to come and destroy their homes.

Wang Jie just wants to leave his name in history and doesn't care about anything else.

Then I wouldn't care even more.

Huguang was already a precarious mess, could it get any worse?
With this mentality.

Zhao Zhuangwen, a scholar in his early 30s, experienced for the first time the joy of holding power and having his words followed by laws.

……

Part of the 2nd Corps marched at a steady pace to Sanxi Town and saw the smoking ruins before them.

Zheng Hean sneered:
"Fortify the city and clear the countryside? It seems that there are wise people in Wuchang."

"Let's eat first. We will launch the attack in half an hour and break through the canyon."

An infantry company and a skirmish platoon entered the valley as vanguards, pulling two cannons.

There is no risk of ambush in the mountains on both sides.

The mountains are completely bare, without any trees.

The Qing Dynasty was extremely short of fuel, and even a branch as thick as a thumb could not escape the fate of entering the pot.

The lieutenant looked up and saw some sparse short grass vegetation in a few areas of the hillside. It would be difficult to hide a dog, let alone a person.
……

"fire."

In the Qing army camp at the bottom of the valley, smoke rose from the wooden fortress.

The first shell scared half of them.

The third shell caused a collective collapse.

There are not many Green Camp soldiers in the South who can fight, and most of them are just there to make up the numbers.

The vanguard infantry easily removed the obstacle and continued to advance a hundred feet, where they encountered real trouble!

Diaolou~
The firepower from the blockhouses on both sides of the mountains was sparse but deadly.

The large-scale use of muskets has greatly narrowed the gap between elite soldiers and farmers.

……

The second lieutenant is a veteran with extensive battlefield experience.

The artillery's elevation angle was not high enough to hit the blockhouse.

He ordered the baggage battalion to provide each soldier with a bundle of sulfur straw, and then climbed up the hillside to attack and take down the blockhouse.

Hubei version of “Xiaojinchuan”?
The blockhouse has a wide view, is high up, and every shot draws blood!

The soldiers of the 2nd Legion were fierce and dared to charge forward despite being shot.

The person at the front was shot and fell, and the people behind took advantage of the gap when the defenders were reloading and quickly rushed through the danger zone.

It was too difficult to shoot the enemies in the blockhouse through the gun holes. No matter how fiercely the Wu army's muskets fired, it was just suppressing fire.

finally,
You have to rush to the bottom of the tower, gather the fire starters you carry with you, and burn them at the door, and smoke them out.
Kill the defenders inside.

……

Half an hour later,
The two blockhouses were filled with black smoke and were finally destroyed.

Zheng Hean looked at the corpses all over the ground through a telescope and became very angry.

Seeing an officer coming over, he hurriedly asked:

"What are the casualties?"

"115 people were killed, 94 were seriously injured, and 66 were slightly injured."

"what?"

Zheng Hean got furious on the spot.

If we continue fighting like this, how many of our brothers will be alive by the time we reach Wuchang?
"Put aside the attack. Pegasus will ask the Minister of War for instructions."

"Yes."

Now, Zheng Hean is no longer a brave soldier who can only charge with a bayonet.

He also learned to count.

Just like what those Shaoxing people in the General Staff like to say:
War is also business.
Good value,

You can take a gamble.

If it’s not cost-effective, just wait.

……

If you can solve the enemy with money, don't use human lives to solve it.

(The 1st Expeditionary Army is not included)
The Army Department encouraged the use of artillery to solve problems, trying to kill the enemy at a distance of 100 feet and saving more gunpowder.

now,

With a stable import of saltpeter from overseas, ammunition was relatively abundant. Once Sichuan and Guizhou, two major saltpeter-producing provinces, were conquered, Wu's army would be able to achieve gunpowder freedom.

……

Zhao Zhuangwen, who was hiding in a blockhouse at the back, saw the black smoke.

In my heart silently:

"Brothers, don't blame me. If a poor person wants to get ahead, he has to gamble with his life, exchanging his life for a tiny chance."

"How could we possibly fight an easy battle? We will only fight a battle where there is a high probability of death or even a high probability of survival."

Taking advantage of the time when Wu army paused its attack.

The new troops were also busy digging fortifications around the blockhouse, trying their best to prevent people from rushing under the blockhouse.

……

Jiujiang City.

Army Minister Lin Huaisheng, who was inspecting the flood situation outside the city, received a battle report from Zheng Hean.

Immediately ordered:

"Reinforce the 10nd Legion with 2 mortars."

"Recruit a civilian transport fleet to be responsible for transportation."

Hundreds of empty ships are stranded in the Jiujiang-Hukou section.

They had already completed their original transportation mission and received the freight, and they were delaying their return because they wanted to ship some more goods back.

First of all, make money!

Secondly, it is very dangerous for an empty ship to sail on the Yangtze River, and a fully loaded ship can withstand the wind and waves.

……

The army has called.

The civilian ship captains are very active.

Immediately,

They assembled a fleet, loaded it with mortars, shells and gunners, and set off.

After going up the waterway for a while,

You can drive into Xingguo Prefecture from a small place called "Liudun" on the south bank of the Yangtze River, and finally arrive at Sanxi Town along the winding rivers and lakes.

This section of the river is not suitable for large military ships.

……

Lin Huaisheng was able to make the correct judgment so quickly because of his usual military experience.

He had read the enemy situation summary of the Ordnance Department, which included a detailed description of how the Qing army broke through thousands of watchtowers of the Jinchuan tribe.

Light artillery is basically ineffective.

Only heavy artillery can pry open the turtle shells one by one.

The roads in Jinchuan were poor and heavy artillery could not be transported there, so the Qing court organized craftsmen and copper and iron materials to cast artillery on the spot.

Every time a cluster of blockhouses was attacked, a cannon was cast high on the mountain.

The officers of the Ordnance Department believed that this was a seemingly stupid but most effective tactic, which fully considered the advantages and disadvantages of both sides.
Use the huge national strength to crush the small Jinchuan.

The artillery cast on site is divided into three categories.

One type is an enhanced version of the mountain-splitting cannon.

One type is the general cannon, which ranges from 1000 to 3000 jin.

The last category is the mortar.

……

The intelligence on the Jinchuan Campaign was very detailed. There were several officers in the Wu army who had participated in this battle and could confirm that the intelligence was correct.

Since it is correct,

You can just copy it directly.

Therefore, Lin Huaisheng was not worried about the so-called Diaolou.

He was more worried about Xiangyang and the flood situation.

Now, summer is coming to an end.

Overall, the weather in the Huguang and Jiangxi areas was good this year, with no drought or floods.

but,

We still need to be vigilant at all times to prevent God from making a surprise attack.

Wu Jun has suffered a loss once in Jiangxi and cannot suffer a second time.

Special personnel are deployed to monitor the Yangtze River, Poyang Lake, Xiushui and other water areas, and observe hydrological data (depth, flow rate, and turbidity) three times a day.

……

The 2nd Army, which had been stagnant for several days, immediately launched an attack after receiving mortar support.

This time,
March together in valleys and along ridgelines.

The artillery marched difficultly along the ridge line, using some skirmishers to cover them.

When the Wu army mortar was first designed,
The Military Industry Department took into consideration mobility, especially pure human mobility without mules and horses, and combined a square base with two hardwood sticks.

It can be lifted by 4 men and can be marched flexibly.

The skirmishers spread out in all directions, responsible for clearing the way and providing guard.

The mountain road is difficult to walk on and consumes physical strength.

Every quarter of an hour, a new group of men would carry the cannon.

1 hour,
Three of the mortars were finally maneuvered to the appropriate location - Sunjiazhai at an altitude of 3 meters.

……

An artillery warrant officer extended his right thumb and used the jump-eye observation method to roughly measure the distance.

The hillside opposite is called Shuijingyan.

The two sides are close in height.

But it is not easy for people to walk there, as there is a valley about 50 meters wide between the two hillsides.

Inside the tower,
The new army also exclaimed:

"There's Wu the thief on the other side!"

"Shoot~"

Lead bullets whizzed over and the warrant officer quickly hid behind a large rock. The rock was hit with a bang and fragments flew everywhere.

He took out a booklet slowly and began to ponder over the data.
……

Parabolic trajectories are difficult to estimate.

but,

It took him half a cup of tea to figure out the most suitable angle and location.

Under his command,

The three mortars are arranged in two places.

One of them was placed behind a rock to carry out cross-field strikes, and the other two were placed in a flat area a little further away to avoid the fire from the blockhouses.

The Qing army’s blockhouse is 6 feet high and has four floors.

The submachine guns are placed on the bottom layer, the rifles on the middle layer, and the matchlock guns on the top layer.

The gunners could only hear the whizzing of bullets.
The blockhouse never stopped pouring fire.

……

"Report to Warrant Officer, everything is ready."

The warrant officer turned his head.

Looking at the sergeant leading the skirmishers:

"You guys concentrate your fire first, and when we hear your gunshots, the mortars will open fire."

"Yes."

After a while,
The skirmishers fired a volley of shots from their rifles at the gun holes in the opposite blockhouse. With the naked eye, smoke and dust could be seen rising from the surface of the stones.

It is unknown whether there were any enemy casualties.

……

Almost at the same time,
The artillery warrant officer stood up from behind the rocks and stared at the blockhouse.

Three mortars fired simultaneously.

The 15-pound shell drew a beautiful parabola and then fell to the ground under the action of gravity!
All of them are off target.

The warrant officer memorized the location where the shell landed in a flash.

Then squat down quickly.

He loudly instructed his gunners how to correct the angle.

Inside the tower,
The Qing army's belated counterattack came as expected.

The shotgun bombardment from the cluster gun injured a gunner in the open area.

……

The third round of bombardment,
The warrant officer did not dare to show his head to observe, and only dared to show his head after hearing the huge noise.

really,

The blockhouse opposite collapsed a quarter from the top.

"Okay, great."

"Keep bombing them."

The power of the mortar is so terrifying.

The warrant officer found another rock and hid behind it to observe where the shells would fall.

this time,

He learned his lesson and asked to take turns firing.

This way he can observe the landing point and make corrections.

……

A shell landed behind the blockhouse and smoke rose.

He quickly shouted:
"Load 4 ounces less gunpowder."