Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 562: Young Navy, Riding the Wind and Waves
There are dotted white sails in Dalian Bay.

The fleet anchored on the west coast to take shelter from the strong wind.

The originally small city of Jinzhou had been burned to the ground. The Wu army simply gave up Jinzhou and marched forward another 30 miles, setting up camp in Qingniwa.

Qingniwa, sounds terrible.

Hundreds of years later, this became the main urban area of ​​Dalian.

The temperature at this time is around zero degrees.

Influenced by climate and topography, the area around Lushun is the warmest in the entire Northeast.

……

Fortunately, the fleet carried a large number of axes and saws, and the soldiers cut down trees everywhere, used the trunks to set up camps, and used the branches as fuel.

The simple camp gradually took shape.

Wei Zilong looked worried.

Shi Lingyang also looked unhappy as he gained little from hunting in the wild.

The two looked at each other, feeling quite helpless.

Shi Lingyang sighed:
"There are ruthless people in southern Liaoning. I didn't come across a single intact village along the way. Smoke was everywhere."

"Fortify the walls and clear the fields! How cruel."

"How to do?"

"It's impossible to ask for help. It takes too much time to go back and forth. The only solution now is to quickly capture Lushun."

……

Use 2500 infantrymen to take over Port Arthur from behind, and do not suffer too much loss on your own.

Very difficult!

Wei Zilong handed over the land command to the accompanying army captain Wang Ren.

"Captain Wang, are you sure?"

"It must be taken."

"Yes, but you still have to control the casualties. Otherwise, the navy alone cannot defend Port Arthur."

"clear."

At noon the next day, after the wind subsided, the warship sailed out of Dalian Bay, echoing its army brothers marching along the coastline.

The camp was handed over to the sailors.

……

Along the coastline, 2500 Wu army infantrymen were marching quickly, connected end to end.

From Qingniwa to Lushun Port, it is about 100 li. The distance is not far nor close. If the troops march normally, they can reach the destination in 3 days.

Wu Jun came from afar and was not familiar with the road.

Captain Wang Ren could only estimate the march based on an abstract map and the topography at hand.

The vanguard was finally blocked by the Qing army when entering the valley between Longgu Mountain and Jiguana Mountain.

Listening to the sparse sound of artillery and gunfire from the hilltop~
A lieutenant drew his sword and shouted:

"Brothers, charge forward."

……

Just quarter of an hour later, the Qing army at Jiguanshan was defeated.

The Qing army on the opposite Longgu Mountain also fled, leaving behind only a messy camp.

The interrogation revealed that the guards were very few in number. It was called a battalion, but in reality there were only more than 1 people, and they were taking too many empty salaries.

The prisoner was a Han Chinese bondservant who had lived in southern Liaoning for generations, and his family could be traced back to the days of old slaves.

The bones are not hard.

In order to survive, he desperately explained the situation and volunteered to be a guide.

Captain Wang stared into his eyes and asked:
"How many soldiers are there in Port Arthur?"

"Two to three thousand soldiers, and twenty to thirty thousand laborers."

"so much?"

"Yes, yes."

"The two or three thousand you mentioned are combat soldiers? Are they bannermen or green camp? Cavalry or infantry?"

"Half of them are bannermen and half are bondservants, but they basically all have war horses."

……

"Have you ever been to the Golden Hill Fort?"

"The villain has never been there."

"How high and thick is the wall of Port Arthur?"

"It has to be as tall as the tree in front, and about this thick." The prisoner gestured.

"Lead the way, and I'll spare your life."

"Thank you, my lord. Thank you, my lord. Your servant Liu Si will lead the way."

Looking at this cunning and crafty guy with his eyes rolling around, the captain instinctively felt disgusted.

The march was boring, and the soldiers tried to remain silent and concentrate on marching in order to maintain their physical strength.

Take a break every 2 hours.

There are mountains and forests everywhere in southern Liaoning, and fuel is available everywhere.

The Qing government restricted Han people from leaving the country, so the entire Northeast is particularly rich in natural resources. The further north you go, the richer the resources.

……

The fleeing Qing army brought the news back to Lushun.

Jinzhou Deputy Governor Su Shun was not surprised. After thinking about it, he simply withdrew all the scattered troops in the surrounding area to defend Lushun City.

Simultaneously,

He ordered the artillery of several warships to be dismantled and moved to the top of the city.

Su Shun was a typical professional soldier. He participated in the Qing-Myanmar War and the Jinchuan Campaign when he was in his prime.

The ten military achievements that Qianlong boasted about were largely exaggerated.

However, this series of battles was of great significance. It enabled the Qing army to maintain an elite force of thousands of people for a long time, as well as a continuous supply of qualified officers, and the accumulated battlefield experience was passed down from generation to generation.

By the middle of the Jiaqing period, all these officers had died of old age.

The army of the Qing Empire finally became a purely security warfare force, and its combat effectiveness declined unimaginably.

……

Lushun and Huangjinshan line.

The Qing soldiers were busy deploying their defenses, forcing the laborers to dig trenches and set up barricades.

There are already 4 trenches and 3 chevaux de frise.

Su Shun was still not satisfied and ordered to continue digging.

During the war against Burma, the Burmese soldiers' city defense fortifications left him with a deep psychological trauma.

It is so sinister, solid and full of romantic imagination.

Bullets and arrows were useless, and ordinary artillery could not shake it. In the end, only heavy artillery could be used to break open the turtle shell. It was really a terrible war.

Now, offense and defense have changed.

He really wanted to replicate the Qing-Myanmar War and let Wu's army experience the terrible field fortifications.

……

Suddenly, there were footsteps behind me.

The coward Chongdao came over and whispered:
"General Su, I have selected 2000 young and strong men to distribute spears."

"Master Chong, come and take a look. What do you think of this kind of city defense fortification?"

"Impregnable."

"Master Chong is totally wrong. Is there anything in this world that is as solid as a rock?"

Su Shunzhen was not arguing, but was thinking of the Jinchuan Diaolou and the Burmese tree forts, which were also claimed to be impregnable.

"Master Chong, can you tell me about Wu Jun?"

Chongdao's face turned slightly red, and he immediately began to seriously recount the experience of the fall of Jiangning City, with two key points: making good use of earthworks and using long-range and accurate artillery fire.

……

A group of thinly clothed laborers were shivering in the cold wind as they dug the hard soil. Due to the hardness of the soil, digging was very difficult.

Many people's knuckles were cracked and blood stained the mahogany handles.

However, the supervisor still went around whipping people with a whip and cursing.

Su Shun rode his horse through many twists and turns and finally climbed a small earthen mound.

Loudly said:
"Try harder and dig deeper."

"We don't have much time left. From now on, no one is allowed to leave the construction site and work all night."

"Kill the lazy ones."

After the military order was issued, the supervisors became even more ferocious, waving the whips in their hands like windmills.

……

The number of troops given by the prisoners was incorrect.

In fact, the number of defenders in Lushun was far more than 2000 or 3000, but , of which were stationed at the Huangjinshan Fort and were stationed in Lushun city.

After Su Shun finished inspecting the city defenses, he climbed up to the Huangjinshan Fort.

Overlooking Lushun.

At your feet is the famous Lushun Dock, where more than 70 completed ships and more than 90 semi-finished ships are moored.

The channel in and out of the port is extremely narrow.

No warship could force its way into the harbor under fire.

It's not arrogance, it's the fact.

Su Shun suddenly came up with a bold idea: why can't we go out to sea and fight the Wu army fleet? The imperial court spent so much money to build a fleet and just stare blankly?

The more I think about it, the more aggrieved I feel.

……

In Lushun city.

Su Shun summoned all the naval officers and soldiers.

There are many people on the boat.

There were only more than 600 regular sailors and gunners, all from the Qiqihar Navy, Aihui Navy and Morgan Navy. The Heilongjiang general was only willing to give up so many, and he would never give up more.

Since the Qing Dynasty entered the Pass, the Heilongjiang River Basin has been facing encroachment and invasion by the Cossacks, and the border defense pressure is very great.

In recent years, conscription has been carried out every year, and the eight banners stationed locally are in a period of transition, and the young and strong people of Solon are exhausted.

Those Cossacks carrying muskets and long axes were like crocodiles that smelled blood, devouring the river frantically.

Under the force of the Cossacks, many small tribes were forced to swear allegiance to the Tsar and pay tribute of furs to St. Petersburg every year. Thousands of square kilometers of ancestral land were lost.

The Heilongjiang general cried and wailed in his memorial, begging the court to send troops.

But so what?

The Zhili region is almost smoking, who would care about the barren land thousands of miles away?

……

"You are all elite troops from outside the Great Wall. Now the Wu army is about to attack Lushun. We are guarding so many warships but dare not leave the port. It's a shame."

After hearing Su Shun's provocation, everyone felt embarrassed.

A captain of the Morgan Navy knelt on one knee:

"I am willing to obey the orders of the military commander."

"I am willing to do so."

"Okay, okay. Brothers, in this time of crisis, we should join hands to serve our country."

Lushun began the final mobilization.

All men, women, old and young were armed and ready to fight to the death. The soldiers who guarded the city, transported people, responded to emergencies, and rescued people were all arranged in advance, each doing their own job.

The sound of cannons from the city walls is the gunners testing the firing.

There is a large supply of gunpowder in Lushun, so there is no need to save it.

……

Outside the city, the bodies of servants could be seen everywhere.

These poor people were hungry and cold, and now they had to work non-stop, so their mortality rate soared dramatically.

There are also supervisors who are as fierce as wolves and tigers, holding sharp knives in their hands.

Nowadays, the whip can no longer be strengthened.

The only way to intimidate them was by killing. The supervisors would often swing their knives to kill the servants who were exhausted to the extreme.

Blood can barely suppress the servants.

But I guess I'm almost desensitized.

Su Shun didn't care. He planned to drive all the servants out of Lushun.

He did not think that these servants could consume the food of the Wu army. After all, at this time, normal generals would not take in these servants. Unless, the commander was Confucius.

Thinking of this, Su Shun couldn't help laughing.

Looking up at the sky, I saw that the clouds were thick and the wind had eased a little.

Whispering softly:
"God bless us, may it snow soon, the colder the better."

"If your wish is granted, I am willing to build a golden statue of you and a large temple outside of Lushun City, so that you can enjoy the incense forever."

……

The next afternoon, a horseman came galloping towards them.

"The Wu army is coming, the Wu army is coming~"

Nowadays, the Qing army is rarely called Wu thieves, but instead called Wu army~
If you can’t beat the thieves, what are you?
Strength always brings respect from others.

On the horizon, the main force of the Wu army carrying flintlock rifles finally appeared at a leisurely pace.

Wu army warships also appeared on the sea.

"Quick, inform the governor."

After receiving the urgent news, Su Shun made an extremely bold decision.

He summoned all the officers and told them:

"Golden Mountain is the eastern gate of Lushun. I will lead my guards to Golden Mountain and swear to live and die with the fort."

"Before I leave, I want to ask you a favor. If Huangjin Mountain is lost, do not hesitate and immediately set fire to Lushun. Do not leave it to the Wu army."

Having said that, he fell to his knees.

The sudden kneeling made all the subordinates in the room kneel down in panic.

……

Huangjin Mountain is 40 meters above sea level.

Located on the east side of Lushun Port.

The Qing army learned from previous experience and the cannons were no longer fixed in direction but could be flexibly rotated.

at this time,

Half of the guns were aimed at the sea, and half were aimed at the land.

The Wu army was very busy. They assigned 1000 men to be on guard, while the rest were busy cutting down trees and setting up camp.

Wang Ren ordered the messenger:
"Notify the navy that they can unload supplies, artillery, and tents."

"As ordered."

An infantry platoon rushed to the beach, and the messenger walked on the beach, signaling with flags to the warships in the distant sea.

no effect.

So, they changed it to releasing rockets.

Three consecutive rockets finally attracted the attention of the battleship.

……

The warship did not dare to approach the sea too closely for fear of running aground, so it lowered several sampans in advance, with two people paddling, one measuring the depth of the water, and one keeping watch.

Choose your beaching route and location.

The infantrymen stood on the shore, staring at the scene with their eyes wide open, not knowing what was happening.

Fortunately, the long-awaited transport ship finally arrived.

Everyone watched nervously. A few miles away in the sea, a ship raised its full sail and rushed towards the beach with a resolute attitude.

The sailors on the boat were particularly nervous and silently held on to the ropes.

Not long after, the bottom of the ship rubbed against the seabed, making a huge noise and the hull shook violently.

……

The boat stopped and ran aground when it was still 6 meters away from the beach.

The boat tilted slightly.

The captain shouted:

"Get into the water."

The sailors collectively took off their boots and cotton trousers, followed the rope ladder into the waist-deep sea water, and walked onto the beach.

After getting ashore, put on your cotton pants.

On the deck, the first mate checked the rope fixing points again to make sure they could bear the weight and that the rope buckles were firmly fixed.

Then he called on the experienced sailors to wave the ropes and throw out a dozen ropes far away.

A pointed-bottom ship is prone to capsizing when out of water.

So half of the rope provides positive tension, and half is fixed to the reef at the side.

Hundreds of infantrymen shouted labor songs and pulled the ropes with all their might.

"One, two, three, pull the big boat."

The heavy ship rolled over a row of rolling logs and slowly sailed onto the beach.

……

The sailors used a simple crane on the deck to lift the heavy cannon from the cabin and place it on the beach.

One door after another.

Then came the ammunition boxes, tents, and various supplies.

Soldiers lit a dozen bonfires around the beach.

Everyone was busy until the next morning before they finished unloading the goods and were exhausted.

It is much easier to return the empty ship to the sea.

Under the influence of wind, the warship responsible for towing sailed towards the deep sea, and the three ropes in the middle gradually tightened.

With a series of creaking sounds, the empty transport ship easily freed itself and returned to the sea surface.

A deep gully was left on the beach, which was quickly filled with sea water.

……

The whole process seems simple, but it is actually extremely complicated and based on experience.

The Admiralty employed a large number of former naval officers and merchant sailors from various Southeast Asian countries. These people were of humble origins, adventurous and daring, but had rich sailing experience.

Their service on board the ship is equivalent to teaching.

"Do you know how many ways there are to tie a sailor's knot?"

"Do you know how to eat bread with worms in it?"

"Do you know the most scientific way to place the supplies in the cabin?"

"Do you know that if you go too slow you will lose your rudder effectiveness?"

"Do you know how to wash clothes at sea?"

“Do you know how to tie a hammock?”

"Do you know how to catch the waves?"

……

The Admiralty didn't know, but the Admiralty had the funds.

As the largest financial sponsor in Southeast Asia, every time a recruitment order was issued, Guangzhou would be crowded with red-haired and yellow-haired people from various countries.

If the application is successful, you will be awarded 100 silver coins and two sets of uniforms.

These old seafarers flocked to be naturalized, because after naturalization, the lowest rank was warrant officer, and there were good technical allowances.

Even better,
Oriental rum tastes better.

In fact, if these naturalized sailors had not taught us what they said and did, there would be at least two dangers in the process just now:
First, when it was pulled onto the beach, the boat capsized.

Second, the rope was not tied firmly and could fall off under stress, causing someone to die.

In short, the navy is a military force built on massive amounts of money and massive amounts of practical experience.

(End of this chapter)