Wild North America 1846

Chapter 568 Why?
port of st malo

"What... found an unidentified armed team of more than [-] people coming towards the Saint-Malo area, only a dozen kilometers away?"

Ma Wenyong, the port security officer, was taken aback when he heard the news, and his expression became solemn. With his rich combat experience, he could quickly judge that this unknown armed force had malicious intentions, and emergency preparations had to be made.

Nowadays, in the area around Saint-Malo, there are a huge number of horse-drawn carriages that come and go every day, and it is impossible to block the news.

The large-scale smuggling business at the port has been going on for so long, including the town of Saint-Malo and these French carriage owners who are moving like ants, are an inseparable part of the entire smuggling chain, forming a huge interest group.

If there is any troublesome news, they will rush to report it as soon as possible.

As for the national interests, it's all a fart in front of real money and francs!

Besides... how can there be any recognized French government now?

Inquire in detail

Ma Wenyong learned that this armed team was coming from the direction of Mondo Port. They were dressed in miscellaneous clothes and were all equipped with long guns. In the marching team, they could see more than a dozen field artillery pieces, and probably owned more than 70 carriages. unknown.

Apart from not wearing a military uniform, this is definitely an army!

Ma Wenyong, who got the news, did not hesitate, and immediately ordered the guards to notify the German garrison and the port committee, and quickly recruited armed guards to prepare for the battle.

The security officer Ma Wenyong is a retired military officer with rich combat experience. Before retiring, he was a lieutenant colonel in the army. He was hired as a port security officer. While enjoying a generous salary, he can also get a lot of extra income.

In the past six months, he has almost earned wealth that he will never use up in his lifetime.

All of his subordinates are retired soldiers. The smugglers supported these men with high salaries. When they worked hard, they did not hesitate at all, and quickly assembled.

In addition to the people who really couldn't leave, 430 people were assembled immediately, and Ma Wenyong immediately led them to the preset position, ready to snipe the incoming enemy.

The pre-defeating position is located in the east of the town of Saint-Malo. This is a line of defense composed of several scattered stone buildings on the outskirts of the town, the river and the stone courtyard wall of a private ranch. It faces a large open field. Tall cyan wheat seedlings.

After the team arrived, they quickly organized the evacuation of these French families.

Ma Wenyong divided his forces into three parts. In the first part, about a hundred people lived in the left position. This was a discontinuous line of defense composed of several scattered stone buildings, defending the small stone bridge in the middle.

This small stone bridge spans a river more than ten meters wide and is the only passage for the enemy to attack.

Although this small river is not wide, it is quite deep. The deepest part is about 1 meters, and the soldiers can pass through the water on foot.However, the water flow will push the soldiers to this side, and will soak the cardboard ammunition, turning the guns in the hands of the invading soldiers into fire sticks, which cannot play their due role.

Ma Wenyong had eight Colt heavy machine guns in his hands, and allocated three heavy machine guns to the left position at once. They were erected in a solid stone-walled building, which could strike the incoming enemy troops unexpectedly.

This is the key area of ​​defense, and there must be no mistakes.

In the second part, about 2 people are guarding the right position, which is about 60 meters away from the left position. They are mainly deployed along the long stone wall of the private ranch to prevent the enemy from wading across the river.

Ma Wenyong deployed two heavy machine guns for them. The machine gun firepower can support the frontal position from the right side, and the side firepower will cause maximum damage to the enemy.

The remaining 260 people were hidden in the east of the town as a reserve team. They kept a total of three heavy machine guns to form the second line of defense. If necessary, they could reinforce the main position on the left at any time, pull the battle into a stalemate, and wait for the arrival of reinforcements.

The reinforcement Ma Wenyong is looking forward to is the city of Rennes, which is about 63 kilometers away from the port of Saint-Malo. This city is one of the important core cities in the Brittany region. There is a German field division of about 6400 troops stationed there. A light cavalry regiment with nearly a thousand people.

An urgent call for help has been sent. If the cavalry regiment comes to help quickly, it will arrive in about eight or nine hours.

The infantry team is slow. It takes a considerable amount of preparation time from assembly to departure, and it takes almost two days to reach St. Malo.

Speaking of here
Ma Wenyong had to complain about France's poor infrastructure construction. As an old colonial country, the main roads in the country are still mainly dirt roads.Apart from some of the main roads into Paris, the other roads are potholed.

The Port of Saint-Malo does not have a train. The nearby Port of Mondo or even the core city of Rennes does not have a train. It is still a traditional dirt road connecting other important cities.

only from this point
Compared with the infrastructure construction of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Tang Empire, it is really far behind the old nose. I am sorry for the status of the old French colonial empire.

"How... what is the situation? Where is the enemy?"

The chairman of the Port Committee is a fat middle-aged man named Lu Shoushan, with gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose. His eyes flashed with stability and confidence. He hurried here with several members of the committee and a company of the German army to ask questions.

On the surface, Lu Shoushan is a big smuggler who runs his own business. In fact, he is the European regional director of Royal Changan Petroleum Company.

No doubt
The Royal Changan Petroleum Company is also a major protagonist of smuggling. In addition, the old Royal Chevron Petroleum Company, Datang Empire Texaco Petroleum Company, Royal Bright Petroleum Company and other old multinational companies all have a share, and they can vigorously export petroleum products to France. .

In addition, there are giants in the shipping industry such as Atlantic Shipping, Seven Seas Shipping, Schindler Shipping, US-Europe Shipping, etc., as well as some large multinational banks, such as Royal Red Oak Bank, Royal Changan Bank, Bank of America, Royal West Coast Bank, National Bank of Communications Waiting for all to participate in it and share this gluttonous feast together.

As long as the huge amount of money earned from operating here is transferred to the British branches of major banks through the Clippers, you can sit back and relax.

The support of multinational banks has also made the smuggling business bigger and bigger, showing the trend of starting a blaze.

Otherwise, the Tang Empire would not openly discredit the French. After all, a lean camel is bigger than a horse, and France is still one of the top powers in the world.

"Report Your Excellency, Chairman, I have sent 12 light cavalry to go out to investigate, a group of three cavalry, and the latest news will be sent back every 10 minutes.

The current situation does not look optimistic. The hostility of this team is evident, and we must be prepared to fight a big battle and a fierce battle.

I suspect that this is a regular French army in disguise, and has officially carried 12 field artillery with the army, which ordinary bandits don't have at all.

The enemy's artillery fire will pose a great threat to our defense. If the guess is true, then we must concentrate more forces on defense.

The combat effectiveness of the French soldiers is extremely strong, so you must not be careless! "

After hearing the report, Lu Shoushan had a dignified face, thought for a while, turned and said to the German Major August von Bryan standing beside him;
"Mr. Major, the situation is quite critical.

If this enemy army is allowed to rush into the port of Saint-Malo, the goods worth tens of millions piled up in the docks and warehouses will become their spoils of war, and they will suffer heavy losses.

Now all the ships have stopped unloading and left the port to berth offshore.

The port committee is mobilizing the residents of the town of Saint-Malo to take up arms to resist the invasion, promising to receive a reward of 400 francs for each enemy soldier killed, and a reward of 2000 francs for killing an enemy leader.

Now the applicants are very enthusiastic, and it is estimated that no less than 800 reinforcements will be organized in three hours. Now we must withstand the enemy's first wave of fierce attack.

What good idea do you have, Mr. Major? "

Major August von Bryan of the German army had two upturned Prussian beards. He touched it with his hand and said proudly: "It's no problem at all. I will take a company of German soldiers to welcome them out. Set up a formation to block the direction of these Frenchmen. Gather more people for you to buy time."

"Isn't it too reckless to do so, Mr. Major?"

"No, no, no... I am not representing the German soldiers of this company, but the powerful German army that defeated the whole of France. No matter how courageous those Frenchmen are, they dare not attack rashly. They are doing this War is declared against the entire mighty German Reich."

can see

The German Empire, which has won successive war victories, is permeated with an atmosphere of blind confidence from top to bottom, and Major August von Bryan is obviously one of them.

With a saber in his hand, he raised his chin high and confident.

Seeing his appearance, Lu Shoushan couldn't persuade him any more, so he turned around and gave Ma Wenyong a "careful" wink, and then continued;
"A telegram calling for emergency help has been sent to the 42nd Division of the German Army in Rennes, and the division replied; no less than two cavalry companies will be dispatched within an hour to quickly support Saint-Malo, and follow-up reinforcements will be dispatched one after another. But tomorrow.

The specific reason is that other troops are performing tasks and cannot be dispatched for a while.

Presumably this is the right time for the enemy to see, so we have to hold on until 5 pm tomorrow before we can welcome a large number of support troops.

However, I have already mobilized the crew, and it is estimated that I can gather 400 to 3 people. Relying on this town, I will build a third line of defense behind you. I hope that the danger can be saved!
The materials at the port of Saint-Malo are of great importance and are worth tens of millions. Even if the last person standing is not allowed to retreat, it is necessary to buy enough time for the reinforcements. "

"I understand. I must follow your instructions and fight to the end, and never take a step back." Ma Wenyong gave a solemn military salute and replied sonorously.

Instead, the German major August von Bryan who was standing on the side explained with a relaxed expression; "Don't be nervous, guys, here is a company of German Empire for protection, um... I will draw out another platoon Come here. Those Frenchmen are only bluffing, and they will never dare to attack my troops head-on."

"Oh... that would be great!"

Lu Shoushan and Ma Wenyong simultaneously set their eyes on this overconfident German major, forced a smile and said a polite word.

Actually

They had made up their minds that they must not rely on these unreliable Germans.

One stop there can frighten the French away. I am afraid that General Moltke, the chief of staff of the German army, would not dare to brag about such a big thing. Why do you have it?
(End of this chapter)