Southern Ming: A boy soldier at the beginning, supporting the world

Chapter 393 Dongting Uprising
The Red Army Navy used only 60 three-plate warships to defeat the Qing army. The First Navy Brigade not only annihilated all the Qing warships, but also went 40 miles downstream to Jinggang and set fire to all kinds of ships flying the Qing flag along the way.

The Green Camp soldiers and local soldiers on Juzi Island and the west bank of the Xiang River fled. In just one day, the Red Army firmly grasped the power of the river and controlled the west bank of the Xiang River. Apart from other things, there are a large number of rice fields from the west bank of the Xiang River to the south bank of Dongting Lake. Once the autumn rice matures, the Red Army can collect food locally, and the food and grass problem will be solved.

When the news reached the headquarters, Cen Danchu was greatly excited and inspired. In the late Qing Dynasty, the Taiping Army rose in western Guangdong and defeated the Qing army. After that, Zeng Guofan founded the Hunan Army, which took ten years to suppress the Taiping Army. The navy was the most important force.

The south, especially the Yangtze River Basin, has a network of rivers and convenient shipping. If a strong navy can be maintained, it can sweep away enemy warships, blockade riverside cities, and transport food and supplies.

Huguang is located in the center of the country. If the Red Army occupies Huguang, it can control the important forces and the minor forces. It can take the financial resources of Huguang and Jiangxi to invade Jiangnan, and take the financial resources of Jiangnan to attack the Central Plains.

On that day, the Red Army occupied Juzi Island and built a camp on it, confronting the Qing army across the river. Juzi Island is long and narrow, four miles long from north to south and only one hundred steps wide from east to west. Its center is roughly level with Changsha Linxiang Gate, about two miles away in a straight line.

Looking at Changsha from afar through a telescope, one can clearly see the flags, artillery batteries, and defenders on the city walls. The Red Army approached Changsha from the water, causing great panic among the defenders.

The next day, the Red Army built a floating bridge on Juzi Island, connecting the west bank of the Xiangjiang River with Juzi Island. When the Red Army was preparing to build a floating bridge between Juzi Island and the east bank of the Xiangjiang River, the Qing army fired artillery, rockets, and bows and arrows. The Red Army had to use ferries to carry soldiers across the river, but they were also fiercely blocked by the Red Army, and the casualties were too great, making it difficult to land.

There was no way. Although the Red Army had gained control of the river, it had too few Third Edition warships and had suffered many losses in the battle, so it was not enough to cover the landing of the land division.

"Everything is easier said than done!" Danchu couldn't help but sigh when he heard the news: "The Tartars are more tenacious than we thought. It may be difficult for us to attack Xiangjiang from Juzizhou."

The original plan was to use the navy to break through the enemy's defense line, then force a crossing of the Xiangjiang River and attack Changsha directly. In this way, the Qing army would have to return to defend Changsha from Shimapu. The Eastern Route Army would then attack Shimapu from the front, which would relieve a lot of pressure.

"If we can force our way across the Xiangjiang River at Orange Island and march straight to Changsha city, that would be the best thing. If we cannot cross the river at Orange Island, we might as well choose a place to cross the river downstream. Although it is not as convenient as Orange Island, it will not affect the overall situation." said the counselor Qian Bingdeng.

"Well," Danchu pondered, "the main force of the Tartars is in the Shimapu area south of the city. Our army will go around the downstream and land at the mouth of the Liuyang River. However, in this way, the land army will face the strong city of Changsha, with the Liuyang River behind them, and the Xiangjiang River blocking the way. The situation is very dangerous."

Fighting a war always involves taking risks. Danchu was not afraid of taking risks, but the Red Army had few troops to begin with. If they landed at the mouth of the Liuyang River, their forces would be even more dispersed, and it would be difficult to respond to Huben Town south of Shimapu, which would be quite disadvantageous to the war.

Seeing that he was hesitant, Qian Bingdeng said, "Guo Duxian is a famous scholar in Hunan and Xiangxi, and he was also the governor of Jiangxi. He just came to the army to pay a visit the other day. Why don't you ask for his opinion?"

"Shan, ask him to come over."

Guo Duxian had already met Cen Danchu, and as usual, he bowed respectfully before meeting him. After getting to the point, Guo Duxian asked, "Have you ever heard of the 'Dongting Uprising'?"

Danchu had heard something about it and said, "I heard that Luo Xiujin fabricated charges and arrested hundreds of Hunan celebrities under the pretext of the 'Dongting Uprising'. Mr. Guo did not avoid criticism and went to Changsha to meet Hong Chengchou, and the Hunan celebrities were finally freed."

"Haha," Guo Duxian said, "Your Majesty, you don't know that the 'Dongting Uprising' was not groundless. When the West Camp entered Huguang, the eight Hunan provinces were excited, and Changsha, Yuezhou, and Changde were undercurrents, ready to take the opportunity to revolt." Unexpectedly, the news leaked out, and Luo Xiujin was greatly frightened. He personally went to Changsha to deploy and dispatched heavy troops to capture the leader of the rebel army. It happened that Sun Kewang and Li Ding were in internal strife, and the West Camp was defeated in Qingyuan, and the 'Dongting Uprising' was forced to stop.

"When Hong Chengchou first arrived in Changsha, he gave me a little face in order to win the hearts of the people and released all the Hunan and Xiang righteous men. These people were originally scattered around Dongting Lake. Now the Red Army is approaching Changsha. As long as the king raises his arm and calls, the heroes will respond. Even if the Red Army lines up in Liuyang and Henan, what's the harm?"

Since the Red Army entered Changsha, envoys from the righteous army have been coming one after another. Guo Duxian's words also gave Cen Danchu a reassurance.

"The Art of War says, attack the enemy rather than being attacked by the enemy." Danchu said with emotion: "The Tartars stationed a large army at Shimapu, and took advantage of this location to fight a decisive battle with me. I will not fight a decisive battle at Shimapu. Since it is inconvenient to force a crossing of the Xiangjiang River at Juzizhou, we will move our troops downstream and attack Changsha from the north gate."

Qian Bingdeng felt relieved and asked, "How is Wang Fuchen doing?"

Wang Fuchen is Hong Chengchou's personal bodyguard and has established connections with the intelligence agency's detectives.

"From what he said, Hong Chengchou seemed to have noticed it. But Hong Chengchou was in a difficult situation and did not dare to do anything to Wang Fuchen. He did not even expose Wang Fuchen."

On the 30th, the Red Army navy weighed anchor from Orange Island, crossed the Liuyang River and Laodao River, stopped in the Sanchaji area, and then built a pontoon bridge.

There is Liuyang River in the north of Changsha City. About two miles north of the mouth of Liuyang River is Laodao River. Sanchaji is a rock in the center of Xiangjiang River, not far from the mouth of Laodao River. It is actually located at the intersection of Xiangjiang River, Liuyang River and Laodao River. The water in this section of the river is quite deep and the flow is quite fast. The Red Army dared to build a floating bridge at Sanchaji. It was really a bold move and it was surprising.

That afternoon, the First Brigade of the Red Army successively landed on the north bank of the Laodao River. The landing site was separated from the north gate of Changsha by two large rivers, the Liuyang River and the Laodao River. Although the Qing army had many cavalry, they were separated by the rivers and could only watch the Red Army land calmly.

The Red Army navy had many three-wheeled fast boats that could flexibly enter the Liuyang River and Laodao River. With the help of the volunteer army, they built pontoon bridges on the Liuyang River and Laodao River.

On September 1, the First Brigade of the Imperial Guard crossed the Liuyang River and the Laodao River and set up camp in Kaifu County and Yuanjialing area, only three miles away from the north gate of Changsha.

Hong Chengchou was shocked upon hearing the news and ordered Shen Yongzhong to lead the army to counterattack. However, he himself was as timid as a mouse, and his subordinates followed suit, and were soon repelled by the Red Army. In desperation, Hong Chengchou had to mobilize the Eight Banners troops stationed in the north of the city to counterattack.

The personal soldiers fought hard and never retreated. Ma Bao led the Huben Town, which had been gathering strength in the south of the city for a long time, and took the opportunity to attack the Qing army's Shimapu camp.

Volunteer groups in Changsha and Yuezhou responded one after another, directly using the previous code word "Dongting Uprising".

The Qing army was increasingly distracted and fell into a passive position.

(End of this chapter)