1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 339 Stealing the Tower
As the main force gradually established itself at the Yuelu Mountain camp on the west bank of the Xiangjiang River, the weak Qing army in Changsha was unable to recapture the Shuiluzhou Island, which was defended by only a 6th Regiment of the navy. The staff officers in the General Staff began to have some ideas.

The water depth of the Xiangjiang River in Xiangtan section has remained above one zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) all year round, and it is currently the flood season for the Xiangjiang River, so the water in the Xiangtan section of the Xiangjiang River will only be deeper.

The deepest steamship in the Northern Palace Navy currently has a draft of less than half a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters). Chief of Staff Huang Bingxian suggested that they could take advantage of their navy to continue south to Xiangtan, destroy the shipyard set up by the Xiang Army in Xiangtan, take the local boatmen into their service, and cut off the Xiang Army's supply lines.

"The shipyard of the Xiang Army Navy is located in Xiangtan, which is less than 100 miles away from our army's camp on Yuelu Mountain and the west bank of the Xiang River. Zeng Guofan's remnants of the Xiang Army have all fled into Changsha City. There are not many Xiang Army soldiers stationed in Xiangtan. We can continue to move south, destroy the Xiang Army's shipyard, and seize the ships in Xiangtan."

“Since it’s currently the flood season, the Xiang River is deep, Zeng Guofan’s main force of the Xiang Army has fled to Changsha, and Luo Zenan’s old camp of the Xiang Army is fighting against anti-Qing secret societies in Yongming County, Yongzhou Prefecture. The Xiang Army’s stronghold, Hengyang, is empty, and Hengyang is located on the banks of the Xiang River. We can go further and directly take Hengyang, then ask the Xiang Army to reimburse part of the military expenses for this western expedition.” Zhang Ze’s idea was much more radical than Huang Bingxian’s.

"According to intelligence provided by the Heaven and Earth Society in Hengzhou, the Hunan Army garrison in Hengyang City numbered only a little over a thousand, more than half of whom were old and weak. Only one battalion under Jiang Yili was capable of fighting. Although Hengyang is far away and difficult to defend for long, we can take it and seize the money and grain that the Hunan Army has stockpiled in Hengyang City." Luo Dagang agreed with Zhang Ze's point of view, believing that not only Xiangtan could be attacked, but Hengyang could also be attacked.

"We still have five steamships available. They can tow two battalions of soldiers, carrying the basic rations and supplies, and sail upstream. It will not be difficult to quickly capture Xiangtan and Hengyang. I am willing to lead a regiment to conquer Xiangtan and Hengyang!"

Destroying the Xiangyong Shipyard in Xiangtan and seizing the money and grain that the Xiangyong had stockpiled in Hengyang would greatly weaken the Xiangyong's military potential in the next year or two.

The blow to the Hunan Army was no less than the direct killing and capture of more than 3,000 Hunan Army soldiers in the Xiangjiang River near Jinggang.

Luo Dagang did not need many troops for the southern expedition. The transport capacity of five paddle steamers was sufficient to meet the needs of the southern expeditionary force for a short period of time, even if the supplies for the southern expedition were entirely self-sufficient.

"I will allocate you a 6th naval battalion and two land divisions to march south to Xiangtan and Hengyang. You must win this battle quickly." After a moment of contemplation, Peng Gang ordered Luo Dagang to lead two regiments and a naval battalion to march south to Xiangtan and Hengyang.

When they marched north along the Xiang River, Luo Dagang served as the vanguard of the Northern Palace, attacking Hengyang City and Xiangtan County. Luo Dagang was familiar with the situation of these two cities.

It would be perfect to have Luo Dagang lead the troops on the southern expedition.

The troops that marched south to Xiangtan and Hengyang have completed their assembly.

On the Xiangjiang River west of Shuiluzhou, five steamships, more than a hundred fast crab boats, and numerous light sampans, like arrows released from a bow, rushed straight towards Xiangtan!

On land, a 1,500-strong elite infantry force of two battalions, personally led by Xie Bin, the commander of the Third Regiment, advanced lightly along the west bank path, speeding along the river like cheetahs, accompanying the fleet. Their destination was also Xiangtan!

The troops from the Northern Palace marched south to Xiangtan, advancing by both land and water with lightning speed, heading straight for Xiangtan.

The Green Standard Army and the Hunan Army troops stationed in Xiangtan were still reeling from the disastrous defeat at Jinggang and the anxiety of being besieged in Changsha. They never expected that the Short-haired Army would bypass Changsha and so swiftly turn its attention to the little-known Xiangtan.

"Enemy attack! The short-haired thugs are coming!"

When the Xiang soldiers on the outposts of Xiangtan County spotted the sudden appearance of the short-haired navy's fleet on the river and frantically sounded the alarm, it was already too late.

Five steamships on the Xiang River were the first to fire their cannons at Xiangtan County.

The three hundred Hunan soldiers and Green Standard Army soldiers who remained behind collapsed almost immediately upon contact. Seeing that the short-haired soldiers were numerous and powerful, they scattered and fled without resistance, making it impossible to organize an effective defense.

In less than an hour, Xiangtan County was overrun by nearly four thousand Northern Army soldiers who had marched south.

After taking control of Xiangtan County, Luo Dagang did not stop for a moment. He rushed directly to the Xiangjiang River, the core target of this trip—the shipyard established by the Xiangyong Army in Xiangtan!
The shipyard was deserted and in a mess, with only five or six unfinished longboats and fast crab boats standing forlornly on the dock, along with piles of high-quality timber, canvas, tung oil, nails and other shipbuilding materials.

"Take everything you can carry, and burn everything you can't on the spot. Don't leave a single piece of wood for the Xiang Army!" Luo Dagang ordered sternly.

“Search for shipyard craftsmen and persuade them to go to Wuchang. Tell them that we will settle them down and find them work.”

Upon receiving Luo Dagang's instructions, the soldiers of the Northern Palace immediately searched everywhere, packing up and taking away any shipyard supplies they could carry.

For items that cannot be taken away or dismantled, pour tung oil over them and set them on fire.

In an instant, the shipyard was engulfed in flames, with raging fires and thick smoke billowing into the sky. The unfinished warships, docks, and wharves that had consumed a great deal of effort and money from Zeng Guofan, Luo Zenan, Peng Yulin, and others were reduced to ashes in the fire.

As for the more than forty old civilian vessels that were requisitioned and moored at the docks near the shipyard before the war, which the Hunan Army did not have time to move away.

Ships that could sail normally and could be driven away after simple repairs were directly incorporated into the fleet, while those that were too old or severely damaged and could not be repaired in the short term were burned.

The Northern Army soldiers who marched south came like a swift wind and left like lightning.

After completely destroying the target and capturing a large number of usable ships, Luo Dagang did not linger in battle. He ordered two battalions of troops to quickly board the ships, along with the shipyard craftsmen and their families who had been persuaded to come, as well as the spoils of war, and sail back north along the Xiang River to the Yuelu Mountain camp.

Luo Dagang captured Xiangtan and burned down the lifeblood of the Xiang Army Navy, the Xiangtan Shipyard. The shipyard did not stay in Xiangtan for long and soon set off again, its sword pointing south.

This time, Luo Dagang's target was even more deadly: Hengyang, the stronghold on which the Hunan Army relied for survival and where they stockpiled money and grain.

The sharp edge of the short-haired army had already instilled fear in the Qing army in southern Hunan.

Inside Hengyang, upon learning that the short-haired rebels had captured Xiangtan and were heading towards Hengyang by boat, the officials left behind and most of the Green Standard Army soldiers and Hunanese troops were terrified. Before Luo Dagang's troops even reached Hengyang, they had already abandoned the city and fled.

However, amidst this tide of collapse and surrender, one team, like a reef in a raging torrent, resolutely chose to hold Hengyang.

This man was Jiang Yili, a hot-blooded scholar from Xiangxiang County and a close confidant of Zeng Guofan, along with a battalion of over four hundred soldiers he had brought from his hometown of Xiangxiang.

These Xiang soldiers from Xiangxiang County were from the same county and hometown as Zeng Guofan, Luo Zenan, and Jiang Yili. They shared common interests and had deep feelings for each other, making them the most loyal group among the Xiang soldiers.

This is why Zeng Guofan left Jiang Yili with this group of Xiang soldiers from Xiangxiang County to guard the main camp in Hengyang, in order to ensure the safety of Hengyang.

Zeng Guofan had considered the possibility of his campaign failing, but he never expected Peng Gang to directly send troops to attack Hengyang, a city more than 400 miles away from Changsha by water.

Zeng Guofan's troop deployment in Hengyang was designed specifically to counter the anti-Qing secret society forces in southern Hunan, and was more than sufficient to defend against their attack on the city.

However, when faced with the powerful and fierce army of the Northern Palace attacking Hengyang City, the defending troops of Hengyang City seemed powerless.

Jiang Yili climbed to the top of Hengyang City, gazing at the faint smoke and dust rising from the vanguard of the Short-haired Army outside the city walls. He then looked back at the more than three hundred militiamen from Xiangxiang County who stood with him on the city walls, and roared resolutely, "Brothers of Xiangxiang! Hengyang is the foundation of our Xiang Army, the very heart and soul of General Zeng! Even if we die today, we will never let the Short-haired Army set foot in Hengyang! We must let the world know that our Xiang Army has heroes who are not afraid to die!"

"We swear to live and die with Hengyang!"

More than 400 Xiangxiang warriors responded, quickly closing the city gates, moving defensive equipment, and preparing for a final stand.

Not long after, Luo Dagang led his lecturers to the city of Hengyang, which he was familiar with, and shouted to the city walls to persuade the Hunan soldiers on the walls to lay down their weapons and surrender the city.

He said that if they surrendered, he would spare their lives.

Luo Dagang's attempt to persuade them to surrender was met with a firm refusal from the Hunanese soldiers in the city, led by Jiang Yili. Luo Dagang glanced at the sparse Hunanese soldiers who were holding out near the city walls of Hengyang, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "The Hunanese soldiers do have a few tough guys! It's a pity they followed the wrong people and don't know when to stop."

Immediately, Luo Dagang shifted his gaze from Hengyang City back, and without further ado, ordered an attack on the city!
Hengyang City has a total of fifteen city gates. More than four hundred militiamen were not enough to guard the city walls of Hengyang, let alone the gate towers of the fifteen city gates.

With overwhelming numerical superiority, the soldiers of the Northern Palace quickly scaled the city walls of Hengyang and stormed into the city.

Seeing that the soldiers of the Northern Palace had already stormed into Hengyang City, Jiang Yili took the lead and stubbornly resisted.

However, the tide had turned against them, and they were outnumbered. The Xiangxiang youths around Jiang Yili either fell to the muskets of the Northern Palace soldiers or died under their swords and spears.

Faced with an absolute disparity in strength, the resistance of the more than four hundred Hunan soldiers led by Jiang Yili was futile.

In the end, the more than 400 Xiang soldiers from Xiangxiang County, including Jiang Yili, were completely wiped out, with most dying in battle and a few surrendering.

Jiang Yili himself fought valiantly but could not withstand the attack, suffering more than a dozen wounds, and collapsed on the Yuejiang Gate tower.

Hengyang City, the stronghold painstakingly built by the Xiang Army, finally fell into the hands of Luo Dagang.

With the city gates of Hengyang wide open, less than a year later, Luo Dagang once again stepped into the city. Guided by prisoners, he headed straight for the grain depots, silver treasuries, and armories set up by the Hunan Army within the city.

Upon opening the storehouse door, one sees mountains of grain piled up inside the granary, and silver chests and money boxes neatly arranged in the silver vault. As for the armory, the stock of weapons is meager, containing only a few pieces of scrap metal that even the soldiers of the Northern Palace Provisional Regiment would not deign to look at.

These were all funds and grains that Zeng Guofan, Luo Zenan, and others painstakingly collected from various parts of Hunan to support and expand the assets of the Hunan Army.

After a rough count, the Xiang Army had stockpiled more than 58,650 dan of various grains at their main camp in Hengyang, and the total amount of silver was 528,435 taels.

"Not a single grain of rice, not a single penny left, load it all onto ships and transport it to the Yuelu Mountain camp!" Luo Dagang excitedly rubbed his hands together as he issued the order to leave no grain of rice and no penny behind.

This grain is enough to feed the soldiers of the Northern Palace on Yuelu Mountain and the west bank of the Xiang River for more than a quarter of a year!
The soldiers of the Northern Palace were overjoyed and, like ants carrying food, began to load the money, grain, and supplies captured in Hengyang City onto ships, which were then transported northward through the Xiangjiang River.

On the Hengyang River, a fleet of transport ships stood one after another, creating a spectacular sight.

When news of the fall of Hengyang reached Jianghua County, southwest of Yongzhou Prefecture, Luo Zenan, who was leading the elite Xiang Army in a fierce battle against He Jiangou, the Prince of Punan of the Xiangnan Heaven and Earth Society, was struck by the devastating news of Hengyang's fall.

"What?! Hengyang is lost?! How are Xiangquan (Jiang Yili) and the others?"

Luo Zenan's voice trembled, he could hardly believe his ears, the short-haired man had actually come all the way to Hengyang?
"Commander Jiang, along with the four hundred brave warriors from Xiangxiang stationed in Hengyang, have all died for their country," the messenger replied.

Hengyang was the main base of the Xiang Army, and most of the Xiang Army's money and food were stockpiled in Hengyang.

Jiang Yili, who remained in Hengyang, and many of his officers were his students. Even the ordinary soldiers and cooks were from Xiangxiang County. Upon hearing that Jiang Yili and his three hundred soldiers had all died in battle, Luo Zenan was heartbroken.

The messenger then reported that Luo Dagang's short-haired troops, who had captured Hengyang, did not have a large force; it seemed that they were only the vanguard, and the main force was probably still in the north.

This news gave Luo Zenan, who was in despair, a glimmer of hope, or rather, a lifeline he had to grasp: "Quickly! Issue the order! The entire army must immediately march lightly and return to Hengyang! We must take advantage of Luo's unstable foothold and recapture Hengyang! We mustn't let Luo empty the city!"

The Xiang Army's old camp immediately broke camp and, as if possessed, rushed northwards recklessly.

But when Luo Zenan finally led the old Xiang Army camp back to Hengyang by boat, Luo Dagang and his men had already emptied the Xiang Army warehouses in Hengyang, and even the official treasury and granaries had been looted by Luo Dagang and his men.

There were even two or three thousand Hengyang people who could no longer bear the oppression of the government and the Hunan Army, who followed Luo Dagang north, leaving Luo Zenan with only an empty city.

"what--!"

Luo Zenan let out a roar of extreme pain, drew his waist knife, and slammed it hard into the tree trunk beside him! He felt as if the sky above his head was about to collapse!

The Xiang Army's hard work accumulated over half a year, countless provisions, weapons, and the contributions of Jiang Yili and over four hundred loyal Xiangxiang soldiers were all lost here!
Luo Zenan could only watch helplessly as the enemy swaggered away with their rich spoils.

Luo Zenan was furious but helpless. He could only look at the empty city of Hengyang and the Xiangjiang River flowing north, sighing repeatedly.

If he had known that the northward expedition would end like this, he would never have allowed Zeng Guofan to go north, at least not with his main force of more than 6,000 Hunan soldiers.

If there had been four or five thousand Hunan soldiers left to garrison Hengyang, Luo Dagang would not have been able to capture the city so easily and quickly.

After the battles of Jinggang, Xiangtan, and Hengyang, the Xiang Army was severely weakened, returning to the state of the Xiangxiang Army overnight.

Meanwhile, the short-haired faction's influence was at its zenith.

He, Zeng Guofan's Xiang Army, and even the entire Qing army in Hunan would face an even more difficult situation.

With the troops from Xiangtan and Hengyang being gradually recalled to the Yuelu Mountain camp and the west bank of the Xiang River camp, the war in Hunan has come to an end.

Apart from sending a battalion to southern Hunan to wage guerrilla warfare, harass the rear of the Hunan Army, and support or even incorporate the anti-Qing secret society forces in southern Hunan into his own forces, Peng Gang had no hope of continuing to launch military operations against Hunan.

Instead, the focus shifted to consolidating the gains already made in Hunan.

Peng Gang left behind more than 21,000 troops to garrison Yuelu Mountain and the main camp on the west bank of the Xiang River, responsible for monitoring and containing the Qing army in Changsha. He then led the remaining troops back to Wuchang.

The battle in Hunan has ended, but the westward expedition is not.

The Manchu military force in Hubei was far weaker than in Hunan. The capital of Jingzhou Prefecture, Jiangling, and the capital of Yichang Prefecture, Donghu, were both located near the Yangtze River.

Furthermore, since the Jiangling city wall was damaged last year by Luo Dagang, Lin Fengxiang, Li Kaifang and others, it has not yet been fully repaired. In particular, the Mancheng area has been razed to the ground and has now become an ordinary market.

This attack on Jiangling City will definitely be easier than the first attack on Jiangling City last year.

Jingzhou stands on the Yangtze River, a place where all directions converge. It controls the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and intimidates the entire south, serving as the vital backbone of the nation.

By capturing Jiangling City and controlling Jingzhou Prefecture, and advancing westward to Yichang Prefecture and Donghu, the Qing army in Sichuan could be directly blocked from leaving the province with a relatively small force, thus protecting the three towns of Wuhan. This would not only have great military benefits, but also be extremely effective.

Jingzhou is located in the Jianghan Plain. It has a low-lying terrain, fertile soil, and a dense network of rivers. It has been a famous land of fish and rice since ancient times. In addition, Jingzhou produces high-grade silk fabrics, such as Jiangling satin. Controlling Jingzhou also brings great economic benefits.

Upon arriving at Baling, the capital of Yuezhou Prefecture, Peng Gang dispatched Lu Qin and Xie Bin to lead the First Regiment, the Third Regiment, and a provisional regiment, totaling over 9,000 men, with Lu Qin as the commander-in-chief, to sail westward to Jingzhou and Yichang, thus bringing this westward expedition to a successful conclusion.

(End of this chapter)