Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 568 Result
On February 3, 1643, the once tranquil outlet of the Elki River was now shrouded in smoke and shouts of battle.

La Serena, a colonial town situated at the junction of desert and sea, is experiencing its most devastating attack since its founding in 1544.

The azure Pacific Ocean gently lapped against the beach, creating an eerie contrast with the booming cannon fire coming from the direction of the harbor.

A few wisps of black smoke rose slowly into the sky above the town, twisting and deforming in the dry air.

The white walls of the adobe house were now riddled with bullet holes and cracks.

Near the port, a rather simple stone fort has completely collapsed, with three old cannons lying askew in the ruins, their muzzles pointing helplessly to the sky.

"Prepare to land!" Standing on the bow of the "Haiyan" ship, Wei Yingbin lowered his binoculars and ordered his adjutant, "Let the captured Spanish sailors lead the way."

"Yes, Commander!" Chen Ze saluted and hurriedly ran towards the main armor.

A loud command rang out: "Landing teams, assemble! First wave, prepare!"

Sixteen days have passed since the decisive Battle of Concepción.

As the Spanish task force scattered and fled, the Xinhua assault fleet was also scattered everywhere during the pursuit.

According to the pre-war plan, after losing contact during the battle, the ships were to proceed to the waters near Valparaiso and Callao, the two main Spanish colonial ports, to regroup. This would allow them to both regroup and exert sustained military pressure on the Spanish colonial authorities.

If the meeting cannot be held at the above-mentioned locations due to enemy activity or sea conditions, the group will eventually proceed to the remote Santa Cruz Island (located in the Galapagos Islands) as a temporary anchorage for rest and recuperation.

The entire fleet will then rest there for twenty to thirty days before returning to Mexican waters, thus concluding the second phase of the naval battle.

Wei Yingbin's squadron, with a captured Spanish warship, waited patiently for two days off the coast of Valparaiso, only to be met by three other missing ships: a "Haiyan-class" cruiser, an armed vessel converted from a merchant ship, and a captured Spanish warship.

Considering that the Spanish task force would likely continue to flee north to seek refuge in Callao, Wei Yingbin did not linger. He left two armed merchant ships to escort the prisoners and spoils of war, while he personally led three main warships swiftly northward in hopes of achieving greater results.

Yesterday afternoon, as his fleet sailed along the desolate coastline to the vicinity of La Serena, it unexpectedly encountered two Xinhua warships besieging the town, with a Spanish warship also moored there.

Upon seeing their support fleet arrive, the two Xinhua warships erupted in cheers and sent liaison officers to report the situation.

It turns out that the warship hiding in the harbor was the flagship of the Spanish task force, the "Verax"!
No wonder these two Xinhua warships, undeterred by the threat of the port's defensive fortifications, have stubbornly blocked this spot; they're probably trying to catch a "big fish."

Five days ago, the two warships pursued the fleeing Spanish ships. After sinking a Spanish warship that refused to surrender, they unexpectedly discovered that a target not far from them was the flagship of the Spanish task force, the "Veraques". They then relentlessly pursued it, determined to capture it.

Although the enemy repeatedly used the cover of night to escape into the depths of the sea, causing the pursuing Xinhua warships to lose their target.

But thanks to its amazing perseverance and incredible luck, the Xinhua warship quickly spotted the enemy again.

In fact, the "Verax" was badly damaged in the battle, with multiple parts of the hull damaged and a secondary mast broken, so its speed was not very fast.

Under such circumstances, if the Spanish did not want to perish in the ocean, after evading the pursuit of the Xinhua warships, they would inevitably try to approach the coast and seek an opportunity to hide in a port so that they could carry out simple repairs on their ships.

Therefore, once the two pursuing Xinhua warships lost their target, they only needed to keep a close eye on the waters near the coastline to find the "Verax".

Finally, at noon the day before yesterday, the Xinhua warship spotted it near the port of La Serena and gave chase.

However, they were a little too slow, allowing the "Veracus" to take refuge in the harbor and continue to put up a stubborn resistance under the cover of several coastal defense guns.

The three newly joined cruisers quickly took up advantageous positions and immediately launched a more intense bombardment of the port.

The shelling lasted less than an hour, and the already weak coastal defenses of La Serena were completely destroyed.

Although the "Veracus" in the harbor also tried to retaliate with its remaining dozen or so operable guns, its counterattack was immediately met with more concentrated gunfire under the suppression of firepower several times its own, and the ship suffered several new damages, making it look even more disheveled.

Subsequently, the Xinhua Fleet launched a landing operation, preparing to capture the port town and seize the "Vellax" docked in the harbor.

Capturing the commander of the Spanish task force in one fell swoop would be of immense political significance.

The landing force encountered almost no significant resistance and successfully seized the beach.

The sailors and marines quickly formed ranks, led by more than a hundred captured Spanish sailors, and swarmed into the port.

The sounds of gunfire, explosions, shouts of battle, and screams echoed through the narrow streets of the town.

The battle lasted for about half a day.

As the sun began to set, bathing the earthen houses of La Serena in a golden glow, the town had already fallen. Battle statistics were quickly reported: three dead and eleven wounded, mostly sporadic casualties inflicted during the assault on the town; the losses were still within acceptable limits.

"Commander, the town has been captured, and the 'Verax' is under control! However, the ship has suffered damage in many places, but the main structure has not been fatally damaged. After emergency repairs, it should still be able to sail at sea."

Chen Ce came to report, his face showing a hint of victory and excitement, but then a hint of regret. "However, we searched the entire town but couldn't find the Spanish fleet commander or other key officers. According to the town's residents, when the town fell, they took a small squad of guards and rode off to the eastern mountains."

Wei Yingbin frowned, but then relaxed: "What a pity. However, catching a stray dog ​​would certainly boost our prestige, but failing to catch it wouldn't be a big deal. The important thing is that this flagship has fallen into our hands, and we also have this town..."

He paused, then asked, "How was the spoils?"

Chen Ce's face immediately lit up: "Commander, you'll never believe it! We found this in the warehouse next to the town mayor's residence!"

As he spoke, he handed over a heavy piece of ore with a distinct golden luster.

Wei Yingbin took it; it felt heavy in his hand. In the afterglow of the setting sun, the golden particles embedded in the ore shimmered with an alluring light.

A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "This is... raw gold ore?"

“Exactly!” Chen Ce explained with a smile, “We interrogated several captured Spanish colonial officials. They said there was a small gold mine in the Coquimbo area nearby, with a small but consistent output.”

"These were mined over the past few months and are temporarily stockpiled here, ready to be transported to Lima when the next ship arrives! We've taken stock, and there are approximately..."

He lowered his voice and announced a figure, "Roughly estimated, it's worth at least twelve thousand taels of gold!"

Upon hearing this number, Wei Yingbin raised an eyebrow and a genuine smile appeared on his face: "Not bad, not bad! This is quite an unexpected bonus. Twelve thousand taels of gold is roughly equivalent to one hundred and sixty thousand New Zealand silver dollars, enough to build six or seven 'Seagull-class' cruisers!"

For the next three days, the port of La Serena became a busy temporary base.

The ship's craftsmen worked day and night to carry out emergency repairs on the "Veracus," at least to ensure that it could be towed and sailed safely.

The sailors loaded the captured grain and gold ore onto the ships, while also replenishing the town's livestock, poultry, vegetables, fruits, and other supplies.

In the evening, in the temporary requisitioned former town mayor's office, Wei Yingbin convened a brief military meeting with several ship captains and key officers.

The air was still thick with the smell of gunpowder and dust, but the atmosphere had become much more relaxed.

"...Based on the information gathered from various sources," Wei Yingbin pointed to a rough nautical chart spread out on the table, "in the waters of Concepción, we have confirmed that we sank four enemy ships and captured two. Adding the 'Vellax' captured here, the confirmed number is seven."

"If the other warships that have lost contact can also achieve three to five kills, then this Spanish task force of sixteen ships has lost at least half of its strength, and most of the remaining ships are damaged. It can be said that this Spanish fleet is now defunct and can no longer pose a substantial threat to our Xinhua Navy."

Captain Mao Yongshun of the "Haichang" slapped his thigh and said excitedly, "Commander, after this battle, the Spanish are completely toothless in the Pacific! They will definitely not be able to muster a second decent fleet to cause us trouble within two years!"

“It’s more than just toothless!” Sun Dingyuan interjected. “This means that within the next two years, we will firmly control the seas along the entire Pacific coast of Spanish America. From Mexico to Chile, the long coastline and all Spanish port towns will be exposed to our guns… The strategic initiative is entirely in our hands!”

Wei Yingbin smiled and said, "That's right. Panama, Callao, Valparaiso... these important Spanish cities that once gave us pause, we can definitely consider 'visiting' them in the near future. The pace of the war will be determined by us."

A relaxed and confident laugh rang out in the meeting room.

At this moment, a young staff officer suggested, with a mix of joking and probing, "Commander, officers, what do you think... with our momentum so strong right now, why don't we cross the Strait of Magellan and take a trip to the other side of the Atlantic? Let the Spanish know that our Xinhua battle flag can not only fly over the Pacific Ocean, but also appear in their backyard!"

This bold suggestion stunned everyone, and then the room erupted in even louder laughter and discussion.

"Good boy! You have ambition!"

"If this actually happens, the King of Spain will probably be so angry that he'll jump off his throne in Madrid!"

"However... the situation in the strait is complex and fraught with risks. Moreover, resupply will be a problem once we reach the Atlantic Ocean..."

Wei Yingbin laughed as well, waving his hand: "Traveling through Magellan is a major undertaking that requires careful consideration. However, this idea... is quite interesting!"

His gaze swept over the crowd, his voice steady and powerful: "Through this battle, the Xinhua Navy has been tempered to a certain extent and has developed the ambition to look down upon the world. Well, given time, let alone the Strait of Magellan, it is not impossible to reach even the more distant depths of the ocean!"

"Although our army did not achieve complete victory in this battle, the overall situation has been settled. The Western hegemony in the Pacific has been completely overturned by our Xinhua. The future of the oceans will ultimately belong to our Xinhua Navy!"

His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable power: "Order all ships to rest and refit in three days, and according to the pre-arranged plan, first proceed to Callao, and finally assemble at Santa Cruz Island."

"Next, we will let the Spanish know that without control of the Pacific Ocean, their colonies are nothing more than fish on a chopping board!"
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(End of this chapter)