Wild North America 1846

Chapter 649 The Battle of Fate
three days later

The powerful Imperial Atlantic Task Force is cruising in the waters about a hundred kilometers south of Florida, the Confederate States of America. His Highness Wang Tang-Li Kun of Guangnan is sitting on the command chair of the flagship "Zhennan" in the large command tower, with a serious expression on his face. Listen to the reports from all parties.

The fleet has been cruising in the nearby sea for more than ten days, and there is still no trace of the Spanish fleet, which makes him feel a little anxious.

Since the Spanish task force left the port, it has lost news, as if it disappeared in the vast Atlantic Ocean, which made His Royal Highness Guangnan feel suspicious.

Where did the Spaniards go?
Is my decision wrong?
The days of waiting are always the most difficult. His Royal Highness Guangnan forcibly endured the anxiety in his heart, and led a huge steam armored fleet to cruise on the sea, waiting for the prey to crash into the net by itself.

at this time
A communications officer hurriedly came to the command tower, saluted and reported directly to His Highness; "Your Highness, this is the latest military news just received, sent from Florida by a fast ship."

Guangnan Wang Tang-Li Kun's eyes couldn't be seen immediately, the happy event disappeared in a flash, and he said quickly; "Bring it up."

He hurriedly took this important military letter like rain, looked at it carefully, and soon realized "Huh".

These cunning Spaniards even came up from the coast of South America.

The fleet has also considered this possibility before, but the vast Caribbean Sea is full of roads. When the enemy's whereabouts cannot be determined, it is safest to defend the most important target, Havana Port.

Facts have proved that I made a mistake in my judgment and almost let the cunning Spaniard succeed.

This military news came from a freighter belonging to the Tang Dynasty that passed through Tobago Island at that time. When the captain of the freighter saw the densely packed Spanish fleet all over the sea, he immediately realized that he had encountered a big fish.

This cargo ship was very experienced. It used the cover of the archipelago to hide itself. After confirming the relevant information, it immediately turned around and sailed to the Venezuelan port, and reported military information through long-distance telegrams at the port.

And this important military news greatly changed the direction of Tang Xi's war.

The Spaniard fleet has set off for three days...

According to the course, speed and range of the Spanish task force, it will take 4 to 5 days to arrive at any port in Cuba.

Guangnan Wangtang-Li Kun stood up immediately, and ordered with a gloomy face; "Colonel and above officers, immediately enter the war room to discuss countermeasures, we are running out of time."

After finishing speaking, he got up first and strode out of the conning tower, and walked along the side of the ship to the middle of the ironclad ship.

Behind him, followed by a group of senior officers.

just over half an hour later
The alarm bells of the entire fleet rang, and the senior officers returned to their battle positions one after another. The two huge chimneys of the flagship "Zhennan" emitted thick black smoke, and drove towards the southeast at full speed, leading the fleet to the enemy's possible enemy. The direction swooped...

a day and a half later

It was about 1:20 in the afternoon, and this was also the fifth day after the Spanish fleet sailed.

There are more than 20 warships in the Royal Pacific Task Force of the Datang Empire. The distance between the ships is about ten kilometers, forming a loose search queue about 80 to [-] kilometers wide. It is about [-] kilometers north of Cuba Island. Search all the way north.

Suddenly, a white sail appeared on the horizon in the distance. After being confirmed by the lookout post, it was a typical Spanish two-masted schooner, and a battle alarm was issued immediately.

The visitor was one of the leading warships of the Spanish Grand Fleet. At this time, about 25 to 30 kilometers behind the sailing ship, it was the main force of the assault fleet guarding the first wave of ships.

At this time, the Spaniards also discovered the steam ironclad warships that were pressed up in a loose horizontal formation. How can they retreat if they want to retreat?
Like a shark smelling blood, the imperial fleet ran after it with full horsepower.

Leading the way was a 2200-ton "Han" class modified armored patrol ship, which galloped away like a wild horse, biting the Spanish brigantine schooner tightly.

at this critical moment

The disadvantages of the Spanish two-masted schooner are fully exposed. If they continue to follow the original course and sail downwind, they will collide head-on with the powerful steam ironclad fleet, and the fate is self-evident.

If the direction is changed in an emergency to escape, the original downwind direction will suddenly become the upwind direction, and the sails that were full of sea wind will suddenly deflate, and the speed will be greatly reduced.

At this moment, even if the Spanish schooner desperately wanted to escape back and call the police, it couldn't do it.

The steam ironclad warships of the Tang Empire came so fast, the Spanish sailors could only reload the artillery with desperate cries, preparing to fight to the end.

Just when the Spanish two-masted schooner tried its best to turn sideways and aimed its broadside guns at the steam ironclad battleship approaching at high speed, the distance between the two sides had been shortened from 12 chains to 5-6 chains, and the speed of the opponent remained unabated. .

When the distance was shortened to about one chain, more than a dozen artillery shells on the Spanish side opened fire in unison, and took the lead in firing more than a dozen hot shells, trying to take the lead.

Due to the long distance and the violent pitching of the sea surface, most of the shells fell into the sea, but only splashed high.

There were also two shot-like shells hitting the steam ironclad ship, making a loud roar of steel impact, but it did not cause much damage.

At this time, the steam ironclad battleship was still running at full power like a bull, and it was coming on a rampage...

"Oh, God, he's going to sink us..."

"Left full rudder, quickly left full rudder to avoid..."

At this time, many crew members saw the enemy ship's intentions and shouted in horror, but it was too late.

The two-masted sailing warship that suddenly lost speed moved awkwardly on the sea surface, watching the steam iron-clad warship coming at a high speed adjusted its course slightly, and then crushed it hard with the strong steel bow.

At the moment before the violent impact, many Spanish sailors jumped out of the ship to flee for their lives, and then heard a loud "crack" sound, and the 860-ton schooner was hit from the side by a 2200-ton steel behemoth. crushed.

The 22-meter-high sail mainmast broke instantly under the huge impact force and fell to one side of the sea.

As if being hit by a sea giant, with a speed of up to 14 knots, this 60-ton Spanish schooner with a history of at least 860 years broke from the midship and was driven by violently The ironclad warship crushed into the sea, and capsized in a blink of an eye.

This astonishing scene was seen by at least a few nearby ships of the Tang Empire's steam armored fleet lined up horizontally, and their high emotions boiled instantly.

The flagship "Zhennan" raised the battle flag on the high masthead, and sent out the combat order of "Please join me, gentlemen, and try our best to wipe out the enemy bandits" through a signal.

All the steam ironclad warships raised their battle flags one after another, the alarm bells rang, and the sailors in charge of the battle ran to the battle positions, took off their gun coats, and mobilized their muzzles to prepare for battle.

The Atlantic task force belonging to the Datang Empire was like a school of sharks stimulated by the smell of blood, gathering rapidly while advancing at a high speed, constantly reducing the distance between the ships.

At this time, when the water and the sky meet in front, a large Spanish fleet emerged densely, which further stimulated the high fighting spirit of the steam armored fleet, and killed them screaming.

while on the opposite side
At this time, General Juan Espartero, the commander of the Spanish Royal Navy Fleet, was ashen-faced, his hands holding the wooden handrail kept trembling, and he murmured; "Oh... Almighty God, this is not Possibly, it's impossible?"

At this moment, all the fluke psychology was shattered, and he couldn't believe everything in front of him.

The main force of the Atlantic Fleet is still anchored in New York Harbor and Campton Harbor. Where did this unprecedentedly powerful steam armored fleet come from?

Under the strong stimulation, General Juan Espartero was extraordinarily clear-headed at this moment, and suddenly his eyes narrowed and he shouted, saying;
"Almighty God, I see, it's the damn Nicaragua Canal, through which the Easterners transported the main force of the Pacific Fleet, and he lied to all of us..."

Unfortunately, it was too late to understand.

far away on the sea

One after another, tall and icy triangular steel masts emerged from the sea level, and then a huge steam ironclad warship with endless killing intent emerged, densely packed and blocking the view.

The huge chimney emits thick black smoke, and the cold bow splits the waves and gallops all the way. These giant steel beasts, which can be said to represent the top achievements of the steam industry revolution in the world today, have an unparalleled oppressive force.

They are synonymous with violent aesthetics, a brilliant achievement of the steam industry, and an invincible force representing death and killing.

face it all

General Juan Espartero trembled violently, and the great fear had gripped his body and mind, making him unable to imagine what would happen?
This Spanish Royal Navy expedition fleet consisting of only 26 sailing warships is the last glory and heritage of the Spanish Navy. Once it is completely destroyed here, it will mean the complete end of the Spanish Royal Navy's hundreds of years of glory.

The 1 elite troops of the Spanish Expeditionary Force and a large amount of supplies escorted by the first wave of ships were like shivering little fat sheep in front of the enemy armed to the teeth, without the slightest ability to resist.

All was lost, and all hopes of a revival of the Spanish royal family were thus ruined.

The huge sense of guilt and fear made General Juan Espartero tremble violently all over his body, his eyes were red like a wounded beast, howled and ordered;
"Great warriors of the Spanish Royal Navy, for the glory of the Pyrenees eagle, for the glory of the Spanish royal family, let us fight against the fangs and flames of hell, and face death bravely..."

The general's order was quickly transmitted to the officers and soldiers. The Spanish naval officers and soldiers were like wounded beasts at the moment, their eyes were red from howling, and they summoned up their courage to prepare for battle.

Everyone knows that this is an inescapable battle of fate.

Now we can only try our best to entangle the enemy, let the disbanded iron-clad freighters and troop carriers escape from the battlefield as much as possible, and every point of strength is worth one point.

The Spanish sailing fleet can no longer escape. Once it turns, it will stall, and once it stalls, it means death.

Instead of this, it is better to fight hard.

(End of this chapter)