The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 455: The Greatest Taboo in Military Strategy: Times Have Changed! (Please Subscribe, Please Vote)

The sound of horse hooves rumbled as hundreds of the Eight Banners "Iron Cavalry" marched majestically, like stars surrounding the moon. They surrounded the Qing Dynasty's Guangzhou General Jierhang'a, the Qing Dynasty's Guangdong and Guangxi Governor Ye Mingchen, British Army Lieutenant Colonel John Michel, and the British ambassador's translator and secretary Li Taiguo, and walked in a swagger on the official road in Xiangshan County.

Behind them followed nearly 6,000 infantrymen of the Eight Banners New Army wearing black official uniforms and red tasseled hats. The hundreds of "iron cavalry" plus these 6,000 infantrymen were the elite of the elite under Guangzhou General Jierhang'a, and the only team among the Eight Banners troops south of the Yangtze River that could be pulled out for battle.

The people here include not only the Eight Banners stationed in Guangzhou, but also many Eight Banners soldiers who withdrew from Hangzhou and Fuzhou to Guangzhou. In short, the essence of the Eight Banners in the three provinces is all in these 6,000 people. If this group of Eight Banners new army is beaten to pieces, the Qing Dynasty's rule in Guangdong and Guangxi will probably be over.

Therefore, Jierhanga was very concerned about the Eight Banners Army. As soon as he became the general of Guangzhou, he equipped them with the best foreign guns and cannons he could get. He also invited English officers from Hong Kong through Wu Chongyao to teach them the "volley tactics" and "cannon, infantry and cavalry coordination tactics" that were said to be very powerful in the West.

He also knew that all of his Eight Banner soldiers loved to smoke foreign cigarettes. They were all "double-gun soldiers". When they were addicted to foreign cigarettes, they were like Liangshan heroes. But if they were addicted to cigarettes, they would be like eggplants hit by frost - wilted. In order to allow these Eight Banner soldiers to last longer on the battlefield, he also purchased opium tincture from Hong Kong under the guidance of English consultant Lieutenant Colonel John Michel. He thought that when they were not on the battlefield, they could lie down and smoke opium to satisfy their addiction. When they were on the battlefield, they could use opium tincture. This trick perfectly solved the problem of the Eight Banner soldiers having difficulty smoking under difficult conditions. It was simply a "genius" idea.

However, these six thousand and several hundred Eight Banners soldiers were not the biggest trump card in the hands of Jierhanga and Ye Mingchen. What really gave them the confidence to go south to fight their opponents was the 1,500 British and Indian infantrymen who were dressed in Eight Banners uniforms under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Michel. These people were all "genuine Union Jack" bannermen from England and India. Their combat effectiveness had been tested in the Opium War and was really powerful. With them around, Jierhanga's Eight Banners soldiers were like chicken blood, full of energy and spirit. Even the Green Camp and the militia under Ye Mingchen were full of confidence on their faces, thinking to themselves, with the real foreign masters from the British Empire to support them, why should they be afraid of those fake foreigners from the Crusaders on the opposite side?
The faces of the foreigners, who looked completely different from the people in the Central Plains, either white or black, seemed to be the guarantee of victory in the battle of Macau.

Along with these 6,000 Eight Banners soldiers and 1,500 foreign masters, there were also 10,000 Guangdong Green Camp and militia. They had also upgraded their weapons, and everyone was carrying a waist knife and a brown bass smoothbore rifle. They also practiced some foreign drills and could play the "line up and shoot" tactic under the leadership of the team officer. Although their formation and shooting discipline may not be worth a fart in the eyes of those "foreign masters" in England and the Indian Ocean, when they were shooting against the Guangdong "Red Soldiers" in Sanyuanli some time ago, their advantage was too obvious.

So this time, Jierhanga and Ye Mingchen also led tens of thousands of Green Camp soldiers and Guangdong militia to practice, thinking that they would lead the charge and serve as cannon fodder. With the Eight Banners "Heavenly Soldiers" and the British "Heavenly Soldiers" behind them, they had nothing to worry about, just charge and it would be over.

In front of the team, groups of messengers ran back and forth, constantly bringing back the enemy situation ahead. Now the army of more than 18,000 people led by Jierhanga and Ye Mingchen has passed Xiangshan County and is walking at the foot of Wugui Mountain. It is only more than 20 miles away from Gongbeikou, Macau. If the Crusaders occupying Macau really come out to fight as agreed, then they should leave Gongbeikou and cross Yachong River now.

"Reporting to the commander, the army, there are probably several thousand Cross bandits. They are west of Banzhang Mountain, with their backs against the front mountain waterway and facing north, and they have set up a battle formation. The length of the battle formation is more than five miles!"

"Reporting to the commander, the Cross Bandits have not climbed up Banzhang Mountain. All the passes of Banzhang Mountain have been controlled by our scouts!"

Hearing these reports, Ye Mingchen couldn't help laughing and said, "It seems that Bishop Paul is just a man who can only recite scriptures and doesn't know how to fight a war. He actually committed so many military taboos!"

Jierhanga also smiled and counted on his fingers: "Using a small number to fight a large number, this is the first taboo; setting up a battle formation with your back to the water, this is the second taboo; not occupying high ground, this is the third taboo; not taking care of the retreat, this is the fourth taboo. For such a guy who doesn't understand military affairs, it's a piece of cake for us to break his formation!"

As he said this, he turned his head and clasped his fists to Li Taiguo and said, "Master Li, I wonder what Master Mi thinks about this matter?"

Li Taiguo had just been whispering with John Michel, exchanging opinions in a low voice. When he heard Jilhanga's question, he immediately replied with a smile: "Master Michel means that we should split our forces into two groups. One group will be used as the main force to suppress the Crusaders who are arrayed against the front mountain waterway, and the other group will be led by him, the British Indian Army and two thousand elite soldiers from the Green Camp and the militia, to cross Banzhang Mountain and attack the Crusaders' rear. As long as we can cut off the connection between the Crusaders west of Banzhang Mountain and Gongbeikou, it will be difficult for us not to win the Xiangshan Battle!"

"Oh? Are you sure?" Jierhanga asked. As soon as he said this, before Li Taiguo could translate, John Michel spoke a lot of English. Li Taiguo quickly translated: "Lord Ji, Lord Ye, Lord Mi said: The Crusaders may have made a fatal mistake. They ignored their retreat. The passage from Gongbeikou to the Crusaders' front line must pass between Qianshan Waterway and Banzhang Mountain. That place is very narrow. As long as we set up the cannons on Banzhang Mountain, we can block the Crusaders' retreat. Moreover, once we occupy the high ground, we can launch an attack from a high position. This has a great chance of winning!"

Jierhanga turned around and nodded to Ye Mingchen, who immediately said to a sturdy man wearing a silk military officer's coat and carrying a sword behind him, "Dazhang, take the left battalion of the governor's flag and select another 1,000 regiments for training, and follow Lord Mi."

"The general will get the order at the end."

This man was called Yin Dazhang, and he was the lieutenant general of the left camp under Ye Mingchen, and also Ye Mingchen's godson. After receiving Ye Mingchen's order, he immediately saluted, then pulled the reins and rode his horse like the wind to mobilize troops. Ye Mingchen and Jierhang'a also saluted towards Li Taiguo and John. Michelle saluted with a fist, and then watched them leave eagerly.

"Work hard, brothers! This is no joke. Anyone who slacks off will have no meat to eat at night!" The officer shouted at the top of his voice, and the sound was like a broken gong, buzzing on the battlefield.

"Brothers, the Qing monsters are only a dozen miles away from us. In two hours, they will pounce on us like hungry wolves! Everyone, work harder. We must dig a solid trench before they arrive. The more sweat you shed while digging the trench, the less blood you will shed in the battle!"

"Hurry, hurry, bring up all those chevaux de frise and arrange them neatly. Then they won't be able to run wild when the cavalry arrives!"

"There are also sandbags. Pile them here. Push the cannons up quickly. We'll use them to show our power when the battle starts!"

At the same time, the northern bank of the Qianjiang Waterway was bustling with activity. Thousands of "Crusader Taiping" soldiers, supervised by their officers, were as busy as the most diligent worker ants. They dug trenches, built breastworks, and constructed artillery forts. The chevaux de frise was also carried to the front of the position and neatly arranged, as if to say, "Qing monsters, if you dare to come, then try!" The scene was so lively that it was even more lively than a market.

Luo Yaoguo stood behind the battle line that looked like a super large construction site, watching the three regiments of "Cross Taiping Army" soldiers in front sweating profusely. With the shovels in their hands, they drew a trench line nearly five miles long on the ground. This trench was different from the ones in World War I and World War II in history. It was simple and crude, just a straight trench with a breastwork made of excavated soil. There were no wooden stakes inside the trench, and the depth was just enough for the infantry holding the M1851 rifle to kneel and shoot comfortably.

In order to prevent the Qing cavalry from rushing over like mad dogs and causing trouble, two rows of chevaux de frise guns nailed to the ground with wooden nails were placed in front of the trench, just like a row of sharp teeth on the position.

Behind the trenches, artillery forts made of sandbags also "rose from the ground". Twelve-pound cannons and twenty-four-pound and thirty-six-pound mortars were dragged from the Macau Peninsula like a group of huge monsters and sat steadily on these artillery forts. The black muzzles of the guns all pointed menacingly to the north. The bronze gun barrels shone brightly under the afternoon sun.

A hot air balloon swayed up into the sky. Zeng Jiumei stood in the basket hanging under the balloon. She held up a telescope and looked around. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, as if she had discovered something incredible. She hurriedly shouted to the female soldier who was taking notes with a notebook beside her. She was as excited as if she had found a treasure. The female soldier was also quick and nimble. She quickly recorded it, then tore off the page with the text, stuffed it into a bamboo tube, hung it on a rope and put it on the ground. The bamboo tube was soon delivered to Maria. Maria looked at it and immediately looked excited. She said to Luo Yaoguo: "Your Highness, the Qing demons have sent about 4,000 people to Banzhang Mountain... It seems that they have been fooled!"?
Luo Yaoguo couldn't help laughing after hearing this: "They were fooled! They thought we didn't know how to use the army. They didn't know that the times have changed. Stringing people in line to be shot is outdated!"

(End of this chapter)