1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 359 New Recruits in the Dabie Mountains
The following day, Peng Gang came to the General Staff Headquarters and asked the staff officers to formulate an operational plan targeting Xiangyang. The operation was tentatively scheduled for early April of the following year, after the spring planting season and when the Han River would turn from dry to wet.

The expansion of troop numbers, the increase in garrisons, and the lengthening of battle lines have all contributed to this situation.

To alleviate the pressure on the existing staff, Peng Gang expanded the staff team last month, increasing it from five to ten people.

Xiangyang straddles Hubei and Henan provinces, controlling the north and south, serving as the vital waist of the country and a strategic barrier for Hubei to face the north and northwest.

Both veteran and new staff officers agreed to prioritize military action towards Xiangyang to complete the last piece of the geographical puzzle for the Northern Palace in Hubei and resolve the threat posed by the Qing army in the upper reaches of the Han River to the three towns of Wuhan.

Among the various Qing troops surrounding the North Palace, the Qing troops under Chonglun, Luo Raodian, and Bao Qibao in Xiangyang were the weakest and received the least resources from the Qing court.

During the western expedition, Luo Raodian and Bao Qibao led the main force of the Qing army from Hubei Province, including Xiangyang and Yunyang, down the Han and Yu Rivers in an attempt to invade Hanyang.

Despite having an absolute numerical advantage, the main force of the Qing army in Hubei, led by Luo Raodian and Bao Qibao, was defeated at Yukou by the detachment of Zuo Zongtang and Yong Tong.

Not only did they flee back to Xiangyang in a panic, leaving behind more than 230 corpses and over 620 prisoners, but they also lost more than they gained, losing most of De'an Prefecture in the process.

Luo Raodian and Bao Qibao led the elite troops of the Qing army in Hubei when they attacked Hanyang. If even the elite troops were so ineffective, it shows the overall combat strength of the Qing army in Hubei.

“Although Xiangyang is a strategically important location with natural defenses and a vital passage between the north and south, the Qing army there is the weakest. Attacking Xiangyang is not only easier than directly capturing Changsha or recapturing Hukou, but the number of Qing troops in Xiangyang is also much smaller than in Hunan and Jiangxi. Therefore, we will need to deploy the fewest troops to attack Xiangyang,” Zhang Ze said.

In fact, in terms of the natural defenses of mountains, rivers, and city walls, Xiangyang is far more dangerous than Changsha and Hukou.

To conquer Xiangyang, we must not only attack the city of Xiangyang, but the entire Xiangfan defense system. Fancheng, which faces Xiangyang across the Han River, must also be captured before Xiangyang can be considered truly taken.

In terms of the area of ​​city walls in various parts of Hubei, Wuhan's three towns, with just over 11 square kilometers, far surpasses other cities, followed by Jingzhou with 4.6 square kilometers (including Mancheng).

The main city of Xiangyang, plus the northeastern outer city, covers an area of ​​2.3 square kilometers, making it one of only three city walls in Hubei Province with an area exceeding two square kilometers.

If the area of ​​the city walls of Fancheng and Guizicheng on the north bank of the Han River is included, the area of ​​the city walls of Xiangfan is not much different from that of Jingzhou, and there is still room for 100,000 troops.

Xiangfan may be a dangerous place, but the region has a huge weakness in terms of troop strength, the quality of its recruits, and even its commanders.

Even the most fortified and strategically located city walls still need people to defend them.

Therefore, Zhang Ze also believed that attacking Xiangyang was easier than attacking Changsha or Hukou.

"As for external aid in the Xiangfan area, the Qing army troops from Shaanxi, Gansu and Henan were either taken to Jiangxi by Sai Shang'a or transferred by the Qing court to the Northern Expeditionary Army led by Prince Fu and Prime Minister Lin in Zhili."

Even if we attack Xiangyang and Fancheng, the Qing troops in Shaanxi, Gansu, and Henan will be unable to come to our aid.

Compared to Zhang Ze, who is meticulous and likes to nitpick, Huang Bingxian prefers to look at problems from a holistic, macro perspective.

Huang Bingxian was more concerned with whether the attack on Xiangfan only required fighting the Qing army in Xiangfan, or whether he also had to deal with Qing reinforcements from Shaanxi, Gansu, and Henan.

At present, it is highly unlikely that Shaanxi, Gansu, and Henan, which are preoccupied with their own problems, will send troops directly to Xiangfan to aid the city.

"The campaign to conquer Xiangyang and Fancheng in the northwest relied on the Han River waterway, and the attack on Xiangyang and Fancheng also required the navy. The months with the richest water volume on the Han River are from June to November."

Our navy has many large ships, especially our steam paddlewheel ships. They have a very deep draft; even the shallowest-drafted ship, the Pingjiang, has a draft of three and a half feet.

The Han River is not like the Yangtze or Xiang River. The Yangtze and Xiang Rivers are wide and deep, allowing our large ships to pass freely. The Han River has many shoals, shallow water, meandering channels, and is blocked by silt. Navigation conditions are not very good, making it difficult for large ships to pass. Even in the section of the Han River near Xiangyang, a large number of boatmen are needed to pull the boats upstream.

Even in the month when the Han River is at its highest water level, our large ships can barely reach Xiangyang. Isn't sending troops in April a bit too early?

The new staff officer, Zhuo Huayu, was a native of Hubei. He had personally visited Xiangfan and had a better understanding of the hydrological conditions of the Han River. He advocated delaying the deployment of troops until June.

Although Peng Gang had never been to Xiangfan, local gazetteers such as the "Xiangyang County Annals" frequently recorded instances of local officials petitioning for the dredging of waterways to facilitate grain transport. These records indirectly confirm that the natural navigability of the Han River section in Xiangyang was not ideal.

When using the Han River to launch a military campaign against Xiangfan from the three towns of Wuhan upstream, the hydrological conditions of the Han River are an important factor that cannot be ignored.

"If we proceed steadily from the three towns of Wuhan to Xiangyang, it will take at least one or two months. If we set out in April and reach Xiangyang, it will be the month when the Han River is at its fullest. The navigation conditions in the lower reaches of the Han River are good, and the water will be deeper. Large ships can still sail in April and May without any problems."

Furthermore, we do not know the specific situation of the Prince Fu's Northern Expeditionary Army in Zhili. Delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances. If something changes on the Prince Fu's side, the Qing army in the north could return to Xiangfan, making it much more difficult to attack Xiangfan. Huang Bingxian expressed his concerns, feeling that since the attack on Xiangfan was to be carried out, the dispatch of troops should not be delayed for too long.

The Northern Palace has not received any news from the Northern Expeditionary Army for two months.

Neither messages directly from Wei Changhui, Lin Fengxiang, Li Kaifang, nor messages from the Northern Expeditionary Army relayed by Tianjing were received.

Before October, even if the Northern Palace did not receive timely news directly from Wei Changhui, Lin Fengxiang, Li Kaifang, and others, the Tianjing side would still share the rapid progress of the Northern Expeditionary Army in the north with the Wuchang side.

Even the Tianjing authorities have remained silent about the recent situation of the Northern Expeditionary Army, indicating that either Wei Changhui and others have lost contact with the Tianjing authorities, or the progress of the Northern Expeditionary Army since the beginning of winter is indeed not optimistic, and the Tianjing authorities are unwilling to say more.

"Gather information on the Qing troops along the Han River and the hydrological conditions of the Han River. I need to see the first draft of the General Staff's operational plan in two months," Peng Gang said.

After handing over his mission to the General Staff, Peng Gang left the General Staff and went to the Shahu Camp in the northern suburbs of Wuchang to inspect the progress of the new recruits' training.

In November of this year, Huangzhou Prefecture and Yuezhou Prefecture successively completed their land reforms.

By this time, Peng Gang had four prefectures under his jurisdiction: Wuchang Prefecture, Hanyang Prefecture, Huangzhou Prefecture, and Yuezhou Prefecture, which had already completed land reform.

The latest batch of new recruits trained by Peng Gang at the Shahu Camp mainly came from Huangzhou Prefecture and Yuezhou Prefecture.

The new recruits being trained at the Shahu Camp consist of eight battalions of land forces and two battalions of naval forces.

A total of two regiments of land forces and half a regiment of naval forces.

Six battalions of new land-based recruits came from Huangzhou Prefecture, and two battalions came from Yuezhou Prefecture. Both battalions of new naval recruits came from Yuezhou Prefecture.

Most of the new recruits in Huangzhou Prefecture came from Macheng and Huang'an (now Hong'an) counties, which are poor counties in the Dabie Mountains.

Even though Huangmei County, which was under Yang Xun's jurisdiction, was not entirely located in the towering mountains of the Dabie Mountains, most of the more than 300 new recruits provided by Yang Xun came from the hilly area on the southern slope of the Dabie Mountains in the northern part of Huangmei County.

The Dabie Mountains region has harsh natural geographical conditions, characterized by high mountains, dense forests, scarce arable land, and infertile soil. It is often described as having seven parts mountains, one part water, and two parts farmland, indicating that high-quality land suitable for agricultural production is extremely limited. This inherent disadvantage in agricultural production conditions makes it difficult for the region to achieve self-sufficiency in grain production.

In addition, the Dabie Mountains are prone to natural disasters, with frequent floods and droughts, which further exacerbates the already fragile agricultural situation in the Dabie Mountains.

Furthermore, the Dabie Mountains are geographically isolated and difficult to integrate into major commercial networks, resulting in a decline in commerce in the Dabie Mountains, which can only support a small population.

The Dabie Mountains region has an exceptionally sharp conflict between population and land, and its people are known for their fierce and tough nature. It has always been a prime source of soldiers for Hubei Province.

There was a saying about Macheng soldiers during the Ming Dynasty. Before Zhang Xianzhong entered Sichuan, he replenished his troops in Macheng.

The land reform in counties such as Jiangxia, Hanyang, and Hanchuan, located along the Yangtze and Han Rivers, with fertile land and abundant arable land, had an immediate effect on improving the lives of local farmers, at least solving the urgent survival problems of most farmers in these areas.

Furthermore, the commerce of wealthy counties such as Jiangxia, Hanyang, and Hanchuan is relatively developed, which can absorb a portion of the population.

In contrast, farmers in Huang'an, Macheng, Huangmei and other counties of Huangzhou Prefecture had extremely limited options for making a living.

For young people in the Dabie Mountains, joining the army and receiving a salary is an important opportunity to obtain food and clothing, escape poverty, acquire stable income, and have a path to advancement.

Therefore, the willingness of young farmers in poor counties in the Dabie Mountains, especially Huangma County, to enlist in the army is extremely high, even higher than that of farmers in Hanyang County.

The sounds of battle and the billowing dust filled the air at the Shahu Camp on the northern outskirts of Wuchang.

Surrounded by dozens of guards, Peng Gang quietly ascended the wooden platform used for command and observation beside the drill ground to watch the training of the new recruits at the Shahu Camp.

Looking around, the vast training ground was divided into several areas, where more than 7,000 new recruits were conducting drills in full swing.

The outermost layer is for queue training.

As soon as the instructor blew his whistle and waved his command flag, the formation of hundreds of people turned around, stepped forward, and moved forward in unison. Although their movements were a little immature, they were still quite neat.

Drill is the foundation of discipline. This batch of new recruits has not had a long training period, so it seems that the instructors at the Shahu Camp have done a good job in this regard.

Further in, there's tactical coordination training.

Musketeers, armed with muskets, practice loading, aiming, and firing in rotation under the commands and flags of their instructors.

While not as swift as seasoned veterans, their movements were clear and orderly, with no one panicking. Pikemen provided flank cover, and a small number of dragoons from the training battalion practiced infiltration and concealment drills. This was to help the new recruits better understand and adapt to cavalry, and overcome their fear of them.

In one corner of the drill ground, new recruits, their foreheads covered in sweat, were digging trenches and building makeshift breastworks with shovels.

The only drawback was that, although Peng Gang continued to purchase arms from major trading companies after the westward expedition, these companies did not have large arms reserves in East Asia, so the amount of arms Peng Gang could purchase was limited.

The active-duty troops in the North Palace are equipped with fewer than 5,300 flintlock muskets, either imported or produced by the Hanyang Arsenal. The number of flintlock muskets available for training new recruits is even smaller.

The vast majority of musketeers were still trained with modified soldier muskets.

Before the arrival of munitions directly procured from domestic arsenals by foreign firms such as Jardine Matheson and Liming, the North Palace's flintlock equipping rate could hardly be significantly improved by relying solely on the meager output of seven or eight muskets per day from the Hanyang Arsenal.

Just as Peng Gang was observing intently, a slightly thin but steady figure quickly walked from the center of the training ground to the foot of the observation platform and waited for Peng Gang to come down.

The man was in his early twenties with a resolute face. What was most striking was his empty left sleeve, which was tightly bound to his shoulder with a leather belt.

He was Wang Xin, the former leader of the Xiangxiang militia, who was captured by Luo Dagang in Hengzhou Prefecture. After Liu Rong and Liu Fan chose to serve Peng Gang, he was persuaded by Zuo Zongtang and, after much deliberation, finally chose to serve Peng Gang.

Wang Xin was known for his skill in training troops. The first batch of elite soldiers of Luo Zenan's Xiangxiang Army were trained by Wang Xin.

Although the Qing court allocated resources to Luo Zenan and Zeng Guofan's Xiang Army, the Xiang Army's performance still fell short of Emperor Xianfeng's expectations.

A large part of the reason was that during Luo Dagang's campaign against Xiangxiang County and his pursuit of the Xiangxiang militia, the earliest group of Xiangxiang militia leaders, represented by Wang Xin, were either killed or captured, resulting in too many losses. The officers who were subsequently replaced were not as good as Wang Xin and others in terms of both training and commanding troops.

After Wang Xin joined the army, Peng Gang, in order to make the most of his talents, arranged for him to serve as a new recruit instructor at the Shahu camp.

Due to his outstanding performance, he quickly stood out from the group of new recruit instructors and was promoted to deputy chief instructor of the Shahu Camp.

"Your subordinate, Wang Xin, pays respects to Your Highness, the Northern King!"

When Wang Xin arrived at Peng Gang's watchtower, Wang Xin bowed to Peng Gang, speaking in a loud and clear voice.

Peng Gang turned around, looked at Wang Xin, and smiled approvingly: "Instructor Wang, there's no need for such formalities. It seems you've managed this Shahu camp very well."

"Your Highness is too kind. I am unworthy of such praise." Wang Xin spoke with a calm and steady voice, his gaze still as sharp as ever. "All of this was done in strict accordance with the Infantry Drill Manual set by Your Highness. I was merely carrying it out."

"How's the training going?" Peng Gang turned his gaze back to the training ground and asked directly.

The troops at the Yuelu Mountain camp and the troops stationed in Jiujiang, Jiangxi.

One unit was intended to monitor and contain the Qing army in Hunan, and to guard the upstream gateway of the three towns of Wuhan.

One unit of Qing troops was intended to defend Jiangxi and guard the downstream gateway of the three towns of Wuhan.

Troops in these two locations cannot be easily moved.

Troops near the central hub of Wuhan can be transferred, but not all of them.

Peng Gang plans to deploy all 7,000 new recruits from the Shahu Camp to the Xiangfan battlefield next year, so he is very concerned about the progress of their training.

Wang Xin stepped forward, raised his right hand and pointed to the military formation not far away, reporting as if reciting a familiar story: "Your Highness, the Shahu camp currently has two regiments and two battalions of new recruits. The army divisions under the training of these army division instructors have two regiments, totaling more than 6,200 men."

The recruits for the Army Division mainly came from two sources. One was recruits from Huangzhou Prefecture, mostly from Huang'an and Macheng counties at the foot of the Dabie Mountains. The recruits from Huangzhou Prefecture were fierce and good at fighting, hardworking and enduring, and especially skilled in raids and close combat. Their formation and physical fitness were basically up to standard, and the pass rate for musket shooting had reached 50%, but their tactical coordination and discipline still needed to be strengthened.

These new recruits are the best I've encountered. Your Highness, for the next conscription, you may consider recruiting more from counties like Huang'an and Macheng.

The quality of this batch of new recruits is better than that of the previous batch of recruits from Hanyang Prefecture, and also better than the recruits trained by Wang Xin in Xiangxiang County.

Wang Xin suggested that Peng Gang could recruit more new soldiers from poorer counties in the Dabie Mountains, such as Huang'an and Macheng, next time.

This batch of new recruits were all around eighteen or nineteen years old, with excellent physical condition, and a very small number of them had even attended private schools and were literate.

Even without specifically asking the conscription officer, Wang Xin could deduce that counties like Huang'an and Macheng still had significant conscription potential.

Peng Gang shared this idea. Counties like Huang'an and Macheng were so poor that all they had left were people. Recruiting more young and strong men from Huang'an and Macheng would alleviate the pressure on counties like Huanggang and Macheng.

With the current productivity, if each person could have two mu of medium-sized farmland, the food problem for most people could be barely solved and the minimum survival standard maintained through redistribution.

In counties in the Dabie Mountains such as Huang'an and Macheng, the standard is far from being met. After being allocated land, in addition to farming, women often have to do some weaving and shoemaking, while men often have to do odd jobs such as bamboo weaving, carrying loads on mountains, and charcoal burning to supplement their family income and barely survive.

Like Guangxi, the counties in the Dabie Mountains have populations that far exceed the land's carrying capacity, and under the current level of production and conditions, the problem cannot be solved through distribution.

Unlike Guangxi, the Dabie Mountains are close to the Jianghan Plain, a major grain-producing area. As long as the local officials in Hubei are even slightly competent, the province can alleviate the food shortage problem by allocating grain.

"How are the new recruits in Yuezhou Prefecture?" Peng Gang asked Wang Xin about the situation of the new recruits in Yuezhou Prefecture.

"The new recruits from Yuezhou Prefecture come from the shores of Dongting Lake. They are excellent swimmers, and many are from fishing families, with good eyesight and steady arm strength. This regiment's musket shooting performance is particularly outstanding, with an excellent rate of nearly 30%. They also perform well in constructing fortifications and building pontoon bridges. However, while they are brave, they lack perseverance, and their morale is prone to fluctuations when faced with adversity," Wang Xin said after thinking for a moment.

"Regarding the allocation of officers, I have some humble opinions, but I don't know if I should speak them."

Wang Xin's implication was that, based on their current performance, the new recruits from Yuezhou Prefecture had no problem winning battles when things were going well, and were not much different from the new recruits from Huangzhou Prefecture.

However, when facing adversity, the new recruits of Yuezhou Prefecture were less resilient than those of Huangzhou Prefecture.

Wang Xin's report was accurate and objective, clearly distinguishing between strengths and weaknesses, indicating that he had put in a lot of effort to understand these two units.

"Go on," Peng Gang gestured for Wang Xin to continue.

Wang Xin pondered for a moment and said, "Although the soldiers of Huangzhou are brave and fierce, there are also many troublemakers. It is common for new recruits to disobey the discipline of their subordinate instructors. We need to strengthen the authority of officers and the dissemination of military law. I have already punished several troublemakers as a warning to others."

The fourth cohort of students at the Military Academy is about to graduate. In my humble opinion, the young recruits who have just graduated from the Military Academy will probably find it difficult to keep the Huangzhou soldiers in check. The Huangzhou soldiers admire strength and courage, so we should select more valiant and battle-hardened veterans from the active duty forces who can keep them in check.

As for the Yuezhou soldiers, they are easier to manage, so we can send more graduates from the military academy to serve as their officers.

Regarding the issues with the Yuezhou soldiers, my subordinates have intensified the training, adding nighttime emergency drills, long-distance marches with heavy loads, and fatigue-resistance training to toughen their will.

Peng Gang nodded in satisfaction.

Wang Xin is skilled in training troops and has a keen understanding of their individual characteristics, allowing him to tailor his teaching methods accordingly. He is indeed very suitable to take charge of new recruit training.

"Will this batch of new recruits at Shahu Camp be fully formed by April next year?" Peng Gang asked, glancing around Shahu Camp.

"I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Wang Xin answered firmly without much hesitation or bargaining with Peng Gang.

"Pushan, you've worked hard." Peng Gang patted Wang Xin on the shoulder and said.

Wang Xin's expression turned solemn: "Your Highness did not abandon me because of my crippled state, but instead entrusted me with important responsibilities and showed me great trust. I can only repay this kindness with my blood and sweat. Please rest assured, Your Highness, by April next year, the instructors of our Shahu Camp will have trained a fighting force for Your Highness! At that time, wherever Your Highness deploys your troops, these two regiments of new recruits will be at your forefront!"

"Very good." Peng Gang nodded and said. Overall, he was satisfied with the training progress of the Army Division at Shahu Camp.

After inspecting the training of the land forces, Peng Gang continued to inspect the training of the naval forces at the Shahu Camp.

The new recruits provided by the Yuezhou Prefecture Farmers' Association were divided into two groups based on their varying swimming abilities. The two battalions with better swimming skills were assigned to the Navy, and were trained by naval instructors provided by the Sixth Regiment.

The two battalions of Yuezhou soldiers who were less adept at swimming were assigned to the Army Division and trained by its instructors.

Since the Shahu Camp was located next to both Shahu Lake and the Yangtze River, the camps of the two battalions of naval recruits were also located at the Shahu Camp, only separated from the land forces' camp by a fence.

Except for a very small number of bright and well-educated recruits who are selected to serve as apprentice crew members on steam paddle steamers, naval recruits are generally not selected for such positions.

Most of the new naval recruits were still learning to operate traditional inland river oars and sails.

At first, we practiced in the calm waters of Shahu Lake, and after we became proficient, we went to the Yangtze River for practical training.

The two battalions of new recruits from Yuezhou were mostly fishermen, well-versed in water, and their training progressed rapidly. They had long since grown tired of the rough waters of Shahu Lake and were already practicing sailing on the Yangtze River, making encouraging progress.

(End of this chapter)