Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 1457 Dofan Castle

"Let the Second Fleet dispatch? Well, indeed, only the Second Fleet can get twice the result with half the effort." Colonel Ding Wei, the commander of the Second Fleet and nearly [-] years old, put down his hands in the waters off Dofan Fort in the south of Xinhua Island. Looking at the binoculars inside, he said with a smile: "Without the navy, just relying on the army's stupid young men, can they take down other people's colonies? This is not a joke!"

"Yes, Commander Huang thinks so too. He thinks that we only need to send a company of soldiers and a few soldiers from the Eight Banners of the islands to basically disintegrate the French stronghold in South Africa. He even thinks that the French may not be ours. In New Brittany (that is, the name of the French colony in South Africa), compared with them, the local blacks may pose a greater threat to us. After all, they are numerous and fierce. It is difficult to control, and you can also make iron, so it is not very easy to deal with." The army captain Peng Yuanzhi, who came to deliver the news on behalf of the captain of the New China Exploitation Team, replied.

Today is already December 1666, and the latest order from the mainland has been placed on the desk of Huang Yi, the captain of the New China Pioneering Team, for a long time.The fact that the east coast may join the Spanish side and declare war on France is no longer confidential information to some middle and high-level officials on Xinhua Island.After all, in order to prepare intensively for this war against France, the New China Development Team and the army and navy stationed here will also mobilize to a certain extent, which cannot be hidden from many parties involved.

Army captain Peng Yuanzhi is one of such parties.As the son of the first Minister of the Army, Peng Zhicheng, he is now in his thirties. He has successively served as the second-class staff officer and the first-class staff officer of the Ministry of Army, the secretary of Shao Shude, the captain of the Blackwater Exploration Team, the liaison staff officer and training staff officer of the Southern Exploration Team, and the new staff officer. The intelligence staff officer of the Huaxia Infantry Battalion, as well as the current positions of company commander and deputy battalion commander of the New Huaxia Infantry Battalion, can be said to have rich experience, and they climbed up step by step.In addition, he has a good family background and a wide range of contacts, so he has many contacts in both military and political fields—especially in the three major feudal towns in the Far East—the prospects for future growth are quite good.

This time, the Executive Committee and the Joint Staff Headquarters requested Xinhua Island to make preparations to attack South Africa and seize the new Brittany colony established by the French. The two leading figures appointed were Lieutenant Commander Moreel and Peng Lieutenant of the Yuanzhi Army, they will command part of the ships of the Second Fleet and the army units to be landed in combat—preliminarily designated as a company of the New China Infantry Battalion (with artillery strengthened), and a battalion of Island Eight Banners native soldiers (765 people)— After the official declaration of war, go to the place by boat immediately, carry out landing operations, and maintain the occupation after the battle is over, waiting for the follow-up processing of the mainland.

Of course, it was Huang Yi's intention to send Molie Eel to New Brittany, but due to final naval factors, he had to finally ask the commander of the Second Fleet, Colonel Ding Wei, for his opinion, and finally he would appoint Only when the name is countersigned on the book can it finally take effect.Ever since, Peng Yuanzhi just acted as a reply messenger, delivered the letter written by Huang Yi to Ding Wei, and discussed the details of future actions with Major Morie who was accompanying Ding Wei to Fort Doufan.

"It's your army's business to deal with niggers. Hehe, we don't need to worry about it." Colonel Ding Wei put away the letter, then looked at the port of Fort Dofan, which was getting closer, and said slowly: "It's only 40 in a flash. It’s been a year, think about how many people would have expected our business to be as big as it is now when it first landed in 1630. Hehe, it’s not easy, it’s not easy! Well, now we have the national strength of the East Coast It is getting thicker and thicker, and it has become a very common thing to expand the territory. Patagonia, Hejian, and South Africa will continue to be in the south of Xinhua Island. Tossing, how busy! But, should! It’s all for future generations, in order to open up the living space of the nation, it’s nothing to be busy. Xiao Peng, although you are the army and I am the navy, in this respect we are all the same. Yes, the military occupation of New Brittany is the same as the half-looting and half-buying of Doufan Castle, don’t you think?”

Ding Wei just mentioned the so-called "half grab and half buy" Dofanburgh, which started a few months ago.It is said that more than half a year ago, when the angry Bala, Antondrois and Mahaffari (the latter two were enslaved and dominated by the Bala) under the leadership of the "magic Chief Mananzano" , starting from the town of Saint-Louis, and after finally breaking through Fort Dofan, the only good port in southern New China, after a bloody battle, the people on the east coast became interested in this place.In particular, Huang Yi, the leader of the pioneering team, was looking for someone every three days to ask if he could get this port from Chief Mananzano, as a fulcrum for the people on the east coast to open up the southern part of the island.

Huang Yi's idea was quickly implemented by the officials of the National Intelligence Agency. For these guys who have been communicating with the natives all the year round, they have a hundred ways to make Chief Mananzano spit out this port city Come, but because of the "traditional friendship" between the two parties, the people on the east coast think it is better to give courtesy first and then fight.

The intelligence agents sent to Fort Dofan first understood the Bara people, that is, they pointed out that Fort Dofan, a lonely port city, had no idea about the traditional way of life of nomads and nomads. For the residents on the Fali Plateau), it is actually not very useful. Besides, the valuable property and weapons in the city were robbed by the warriors under the command of Chief Mananzano, while the property and livestock outside the city were controlled together to attack In the hands of the Antemoro, Antefazi and other tribes of Dofanburg, Dofanburg is just an empty city, and it lacks the hinterland of supplies, so it is inconvenient to supply. It may as well give it to the friendly people on the east coast. For this reason, they even I am willing to give some valuable gifts to the chiefs and generals.

In addition, the intelligence agents on the east coast even bluntly pointed out that after defeating the common enemy of the French colonists, the plateau armed group headed by the Bara people has formally entered into an alliance with the armed groups of mountain tribes such as the Antaimoro people. If it is bordered, there is a "problem"!Gein, neither of these two armed groups is a good opponent, and both have great ambitions to destroy the other and dominate the south. If the relationship between them is good, something is wrong!

Don't you see, at the last moment of the attack on Fort Dofan, there was an armed conflict between Antemoro and Bara soldiers because of the distribution of property.Although the conflict was quickly stopped and did not cause serious casualties, it undoubtedly cast a shadow over the relationship between the two parties, making the gap between the two armed groups that were already suspicious of each other even deeper. - Of course this is what the people on the east coast want to see, they can't wait to see conflicts between them!Even if there are no conflicts, we have to provoke and create some conflicts for Shengsheng!Otherwise, if these native tribes all live in harmony and are monolithic, then what the hell is going on with us people from the east coast?Is there still room for us to play?Conflicts must be created for them!

Chief Mananzano is not a fool, and he has some understanding of the slightly subtle situation between the two armed groups. Therefore, the words of the intelligence agent on the east coast actually touched him a little, which made him feel more and more important to keep Dovanburg. Not a very sensible thing to do.This city built by the French with painstaking efforts, apart from bringing spiritual satisfaction to the chieftain, is nothing but bullshit. On the contrary, it will make his tribe fall into the possibility of war-although he will clean up sooner or later Those mountain people in the northeast, but definitely not now, he is not ready for this time.

Ever since, under such a background, intelligence personnel on the east coast kept agitating, and then presented Chief Mananzano with [-] rifles and a batch of ammunition and equipment, and promised to repair the previous battle for free. Some of the firearms that were damaged one after another, the number is more than five hundred (including a small number of captured French rifles).In the end, they also presented the chieftain and other dignitaries with some rare toys from overseas, which made the Bara people finally decide to hand over the entire Fort Dofan to the jurisdiction of the people on the east coast. The intelligence officer of the affairs was also rewarded heavily by Huang Yi for this, promotion and fortune is a must!

About a month ago, the people on the east bank who got the news sent a ship to transport a large amount of food and a small amount of troops - a company of the Xinhua Xia Infantry Battalion + several island Eight Banners native soldiers - to Fort Dofan, and a group of Maha who stayed behind Farley's soldiers were handed over, and the flag of the East Coast Republic of China was officially raised in Fort Dofan from then on.

Today, the naval fleet led by Ding Wei, Morie Eel and others is the second wave of "guests" who have come to Fort Dofan, and have brought more than a thousand immigrants from the Huai'an Prefecture of the Ming Dynasty, as well as a large number of seeds, livestock, and agricultural tools. , medicines, daily necessities, fishing nets and other production and living materials, the purpose of doing a lot of work is already very obvious.

The fleet consisting of the battleship "Fubo Wanli" and several transport ships soon sailed into the semicircular bay amidst the conversation between Peng Yuanzhi and Ding Wei.Due to the blocking of the headlands extending from both sides, the momentum of the seawater coming from the open sea (mainly the northeast current) has been severely weakened so far, making the bay relatively calm and calm, which is conducive to anchoring ships.In addition, the bay here is quite different from most areas of Xinhuaxia Island. The water depth is sufficient, and large ships can easily sail to the vicinity of the pier trestle. Unlike many places on the east coast, offshore sandbars and shoals are everywhere, and the west coast is densely covered with coral reefs. This is indeed a condition. Relatively good port.Although it can't compare with the conditions of Xinhua Bay, the ruling center of the people on the east coast, it is still very good. Otherwise, why do you think the French value this place?In addition to the pleasant climate, the port conditions here can be said to be the most important reason, not one of them!

The personnel and materials transported by the fleet were quickly transferred little by little with the help of the soldiers and civilians who arrived earlier, using the wharf and port facilities left by the French.At this time we have to say that the French actually spent a lot of thought on building Dofan Castle. They enslaved a large number of aborigines to mine stones on the spot and built docks, warehouses, forts, lighthouses, houses and other facilities. They are generally not big, but they are strong, strong and beautiful.

What the East Coast people need to do now is probably to continue to increase investment and expand its scale based on their foundation. It really saves a lot of effort.Every time they think about this, some officials on the east coast would laugh secretly. They actually bought such a solid port city in a cool area with various materials worth no more than 1 yuan. This business is indeed a huge profit!

"I have already exchanged opinions with Captain Huang Yihuang, and he also agreed that after we occupy Fort Dofan, a sum of money will be allocated from the finances to build a special naval dock and ship repair yard in Fort Dofan. In order to be able to dock, maintain, and maintain the large naval fleet from the mainland.” After landing on the shore, enjoying the cool sea breeze, Colonel Ding Wei smiled at Peng Yuanzhi and said: “To put it bluntly, the latitude of Fort Dofan It is already out of the tropics, and it has always been dry and cool under the sea breeze. Compared with the humid and hot Xinhua Port, I don’t know how many times better. I am afraid that after the construction of the Navy Pier here, the boys of the Second Fleet It’s about to run here every three days. Some wealthy businessmen, dignitaries and dignitaries on this island will buy land and property here one after another, as a place for their own leisure vacation or retirement. The prospects for future development are also quite impressive. Wow. But in the eyes of our navy, these are actually secondary. Hehe, what we really value is its geographical location. After all, in the south of Xinhua Island where the coastal conditions are generally poor, I want to find a It is really not easy to find a harbor suitable for a naval base. After looking around, Fort Dofan is the most suitable! And having this place will be of great benefit to the southern part of the island in the future. Well……"

"Okay, let's not talk about Fort Dofan, let's get back to business." Ding Wei seemed to have said enough about his love for Fort Dofan, and then his face became serious, and he said to Peng Yuanzhi: "Now let's talk about the new Brittany. Regarding the French in Nigeria, once the news of the future declaration of war comes, I will allocate the battleship 'Fubo Wanli' to your use, and there are two other armed transport ships. If the capacity is not enough, you and Captain Morley will go again. The East African Shipping Company will not refuse to borrow a few merchant ships from Captain Huang Yi Huang, how about it? Is there enough strength?"

"It's enough!" Peng Yuanzhi said confidently: "There are only a few hundred French people in New Brittany, and it is very difficult. Although the Dutch in Cape Town say that King Louis XIV is likely to give The French East India Company provided certain financial assistance to support them in building New Brittany and maintaining eastern exploration and colonization, but they did not have any naval power, so it is not a matter of our words. Fleet blockade plus landing operations , is more than enough, and then the main force of the New China Infantry Battalion can even be withdrawn, leaving only the Eight Banners stationed on the island."

"It's up to you, I don't care. Now is the stage for you young people, you can figure it out, I believe you can do better than us." Colonel Ding Wei nodded, and finally said in an encouraging tone : "The era that belongs to us has finally come to an irresistible end, the future is up to you..."

(End of this chapter)