Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 590 The Attack (Part 1)

Panama, January 3, 1644.

When the warm sunshine shines on the narrow strip of land of the Isthmus of Panama, the air is filled not with the peace of the New Year, but with the smoke of war that arrives with the cool monsoon.

After more than two years of fighting, and a brief lull in the Mexican highlands, the storm finally raged like a long-awaited hurricane, shifting its eye to Panama, the most crucial choke point for the Kingdom of Spain on the Pacific coast of the Americas.

The expeditionary force of the Republic of China in New Continent, consisting of seventeen warships of various sizes and carrying more than 3,500 army soldiers, suddenly appeared on the blue and calm sea of ​​the Gulf of Panama.

With sails billowing like clouds, they approached the port connecting the two oceans with unstoppable momentum.

January is the dry season in Panama, and also the most pleasant time of year.

At this time of year, Panama experiences little rainfall, with skies almost always clear and blue. The intense sunshine is less unbearable due to the low humidity, and cool trade winds blow in from the sea, bringing a touch of comfort and dryness.

This was also the busiest time for trade and travel. Treasure ships from Peru would unload their goods here, and goods from Europe would cross the isthmus by mule caravans to this port for transshipment and trade.

This should have been the best season for colonial officials and merchants to enjoy the sunshine and the prosperity of trade.

However, for the Republic of New Continent, this was also an excellent opportunity to "kill and burn" and launch a military offensive.

There was no need to worry about torrential rain soaking the gunpowder, nor to endure the suffocating heat of the rainy season, allowing the soldiers to maintain a high level of physical strength and morale.

Moreover, clear weather is also conducive to the aiming of fleet cannons and the maneuvering of ships to avoid obstacles.

It must be said that Xinhua News Agency accurately seized this opportunity.

The sails and flags on the Xinhua warship fluttered in the sea breeze, and the cannons on the deck gleamed with a cold metallic luster, exuding a chilling aura.

However, Panama is by no means an undefended fishing village.

As a land hub for the Spanish treasure fleet's transoceanic trade and an important gateway for the Viceroyalty of Peru to the north, this place was developed by the Spanish over several decades, resulting in a relatively complete defense system.

The sturdy stone fortresses, the numerous gun emplacements, and the excavated moats surrounding the city all protected this prosperous and strategically significant port city.

At the outset of the war, the Governor-General of Peru, far away in Lima, was deeply concerned and urgently dispatched 700 colonial troops and armed militia to Panama, bringing the garrison there to 1,500 men, a formidable force.

A direct assault would likely come at a heavy price.

But as time went on, the Spanish discovered that the new Chinese army's offensive seemed to be directed entirely towards the wealthy Mexican region.

They conquered cities and territories there, even venturing deep into the interior twice, capturing key cities such as Guadalajara, Acapulcotasco, Iguala, Cuernavaca, and Cuotra. Their forces once approached Mexico City, but they showed little interest in raiding Peru from the south.

This situation gradually made the Viceroyalty of Peru lower its guard.

Over time, the colonial authorities' nerves began to relax.

"Perhaps their capabilities and appetites are limited to Mexico," officials in Lima speculated. Some of the temporarily recruited militia in Panama City were disbanded, and limited resources were directed toward more pressing matters.

Although the Xinhua fleet's surprise attack on Callao in October 1642, which annihilated the Peruvian squadron and bombarded Panama, gave the Lima authorities a fright, the Xinhua army still had no intention of landing and occupying Panama, and seemed to be content with harassing the seas.

At the beginning of last year, the Xinhua Navy completely destroyed the Spanish Pacific Task Force in the decisive naval battle near the mouth of the Biobio River, gaining complete control of the sea, and Panama once again entered a state of high alert.

The anticipated landing attack did not materialize, and the Xinhua Army also halted its large-scale offensive in northern Mexico, instead consolidating its occupied territories and continuously transporting large quantities of captured supplies to the coast via pack animals.

All of this, in the eyes of General Diego de Villarreal, Chairman of the Peruvian Military Council, is a clear signal.

While he was stationed in Guayaquil, he wrote a letter to the Governor-General of Peru, in which he analyzed: "...There is no doubt that the enemy's strength is nearing its limit. As far as we know, the population of Xinhua is only over 300,000, and the number of troops is not large. Moreover, to maintain such a large-scale expedition across hundreds of leagues of ocean, its supply lines must be extremely fragile."

"...Of course, their looting in Mexico may alleviate their immediate crisis, but it is by no means enough to sustain a large-scale offensive in the long run. Since the Battle of Puebla last June, they have not even been able to keep an eye on Mexico City, which is just a stone's throw away, and have instead gradually withdrawn their forces to the coast."

"This fully demonstrates that their offensive is nearing its end. Although their navy is still rampaging in the Pacific Ocean, without the cooperation of the army, a few warships alone cannot capture a well-defended port like Panama."

As time went on and Xinhua's military operations stalled, the assessment that "the enemy was no longer able to expand" gradually became a consensus among the Peruvian colonial authorities.

In response to the increasingly rampant commerce raiding operations of the Xinhua Navy and to ensure the safety of the enormous amount of gold and silver treasures piled up in Callao and Lima—where the transport of treasure ships was temporarily interrupted due to the blockade by the Xinhua Navy at sea—the Viceroyalty of Peru made a seemingly reasonable but fatal decision: to withdraw some troops from Panama.

Hundreds of colonial soldiers were secretly transferred to Callao through various channels to strengthen the defenses there. This wealth was crucial to the Spanish crown's revenue and the operation of the American colonial system; its importance was self-evident.

When the situation improves or the war ends, these supplies will be shipped out again.

In comparison, without the transport and docking of treasure ships, Panama's importance seems to have decreased.

"The Xinhua army has limited manpower, so they probably won't divide their forces to attack, right?!" This was a wishful thought in many people's minds.

However, Colonel Diego Martinez, the commander of Panama City's defenses, lodged a strong protest against this.

"...General! We cannot weaken Panama's defenses!" he cried out in a letter to General Villarreal. "The New Chinese navy is operating right under our noses, and their ambitions will not be limited to Mexico. Panama is the key to the entire Americas, a vital transportation hub. If lost, the connection between the Pacific and Atlantic will be completely severed, and Peru will become an isolated island!"

However, his warnings were viewed as alarmist by the Lima authorities.

The general's reply was bureaucratic and perfunctory: "...Colonel Martinez, we understand your concerns. But rationally speaking, the enemy is already struggling to maintain a military presence in Mexico, and diverting troops south to attack the heavily fortified Panama would be tantamount to suicide. Currently, ensuring the safety of the royal treasures is the highest priority. Please perform your duties diligently; with your extensive experience and existing armed forces, Panama is well protected."

“Rational analysis? What a load of rubbish!” Colonel Martinez crumpled the reply into a ball in his office and slammed it to the floor.

He walked to the window, gazing at the seemingly peaceful harbor outside, and felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

"They only see the mountains of silver ingots, but they don't see Panama's strategic importance!"

At this moment, standing on the lookout tower of Fort Saint-Felipe, Colonel Martinez's worries turned into a harsh reality.

Through the telescope, the well-organized Xinhua Fleet was methodically deploying its battle formation, its massive sails almost obscuring the horizon.

What chilled him to the bone was that alarm bells rang out at the guard post south of Panama City—the Guaymie tribe, which had been secretly funded and armed by the new Chinese, had organized more than a thousand warriors and attacked from the Asuero Peninsula where they were based, and were already at the city's gates.

“Where do they get such strong organizational skills? And these damned Guaymiya people…” Martinez put down his binoculars, swallowed hard, and his voice trembled slightly.

The city of Panama should have a garrison of 1,200 men, but he probably had fewer than 900 men available for actual combat.

Faced with attacks from both land and sea, and an enemy force far exceeding expectations, he felt as if the walls of the fortress were crumbling under the enemy's charge.

It is obvious that Xinhua's previous "restraint" and "contraction" were nothing but a strategic deception!
Their halt to large-scale offensives in Mexico was likely a way to build up strength for this meticulously planned raid.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!..."

Outside the harbor, the Xinhua Fleet's cannons roared, huge columns of water shot into the sky near the harbor and coastal forts, and smoke quickly spread.

Inside the city, alarm bells rang frantically, soldiers and volunteers ran around in a panic, and the cries of terrified citizens could be heard everywhere.

Behind the fortress's battlements, a young militiaman, gripping his matchlock rifle nervously, shouted, "Holy Mary, protect us!...They outnumber us! Can...can we hold out?"

The veteran took a deep breath of the gunpowder-scented air, squinted at the fleet at sea, then at the dust rising from the land, and shook his head bitterly: "Child, pray to God! Pray that our fortresses are strong enough, pray that the enemy doesn't have enough ammunition, or... pray for a miracle."

Colonel Martinez took a deep breath, drew his rapier, and roared at the officers around him, "For the King, for Spain, take your positions and prepare for battle! We will show these infidels and barbarians that the spines of Spanish warriors are not broken!"

On the sea, the landing craft of the Xinhua Army have begun to be lowered, shooting towards the beach like arrows released from a bow.

On land, the war drums of the Guaymiye warriors grew ever closer.

Panama's fate is being rewritten at this moment.

May the Lord bless us!

"God bless us!" the officers responded in unison, but each of their faces was filled with solemnity.

However, Martinez knew in his heart that Panama, the golden passage connecting the two oceans, was likely doomed to fall again after being breached by "pirates" ten years earlier (1633).

All he can do now is hold out for as long as possible and wait for the slim chance of reinforcements.

Or, hope for a miracle.
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(End of this chapter)