1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 364 Lost to the point of having nothing left to lose

Although Emperor Xianfeng's instructions to the local military and political officials and militia ministers in Hunan, Jiangxi, and Anhui provinces, which were the key areas for organizing local militias, were all aimed at suppressing and eliminating the rebels.

However, when it comes to specific tasks, there are still some differences among the Qing army troops in Hunan, Jiangxi and Anhui provinces.

The main opponents of the Qing army battalions in Hunan and Hubei were the "short-haired rebels" referred to by the Qing authorities, namely Peng Gang's Northern Palace.

Since Peng Gang's successful western expedition last year, the Qing army in Hunan and Hubei has been severely weakened, the Chu army was completely annihilated, the Xiang army suffered heavy losses, and the Qing army in Hubei also suffered some losses.

In view of this, and due to the realities of the situation, Emperor Xianfeng was no longer in such a hurry to urge the Qing army from Hunan and Hubei to march eastward to recapture the three towns of Wuhan and drive the Maoist rebels out of Hubei.

Therefore, in the Hunan and Hubei battlefield, the Qing army is currently adopting a defensive posture, not seeking to advance, but only to preserve the current half of Hunan and Hubei.

The Qing army battalions in Jiangxi and Anhui provinces mainly fought against the Taiping rebels.

The Qing army in Jiangxi was numerous and powerful, commanded by Sai Shang'a, a nobleman of the Eight Banners. Backed by the wealthy province of Jiangxi, it had no worries about money and supplies. It was the best-performing Qing army among the three provinces and, on the surface, the most powerful.

The main objective of the Qing army in Jiangxi was to capture Madang, the last stronghold of the Taiping rebels in Jiangxi, to completely drive the Taiping rebels out of Jiangxi, and to open up the Yangtze River waterway from Jiangxi to Anhui and even the Jiangnan region.

Meanwhile, the Qing army in Jiangxi also undertook another task: to defend against the eastward advance of the short-haired rebels in the three towns of Jiujiang and Wuhan.

The Qing army battalions in Anhui were the weakest in terms of strength among the Qing armies of Hunan, Jiangxi, and Anhui provinces, and were also the least well-fed and clothed.

The Qing army troops in Anhui were originally tasked with the important mission of recapturing Anqing, the capital of Anhui province.

However, the Qing army in Anhui launched several attacks on Anqing but all failed. Emperor Xianfeng no longer held much hope that the Qing army in Anhui would independently recover Anqing, the capital of Anhui province.

The task currently undertaken by the Qing army battalions in Anhui is no longer to recapture the provincial capital Anqing, but to train and strengthen their forces while working together with the Qing army in northern Jiangsu (the Qing army under the command of the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner Yang Dianbang and the River Conservancy Commissioner Yang Yizeng) to prevent the Taiping rebels in Tianjing from sending follow-up troops north to meet the Taiping rebels under Wei Ni. They also need to suppress the Nian rebels along the way and stabilize the situation in the remaining areas of Anhui.

Li Jiaduan and Qin Dingsan were stationed at Pukou Camp, located in Jiangpu, across the river from Tianjing City.

Governors Yang Dianbang and Yang Yizeng of northern Jiangsu moved south from Gaoyou Prefecture and stationed themselves in Wayaopu and Xiannvzhen, which were getting closer and closer to the Yangzhou prefecture, thus continuously shrinking the Taiping army's space for operation in Tianjing.

This was to prevent the Tianjing authorities from sending subsequent Northern Expeditionary troops northward to support the Northern Expeditionary Army led by Wei Changhui, Lin Fengxiang, and Li Kaifang.

Faced with Peng Gang's large-scale conscription of laborers in Huangzhou Prefecture and other places, the main military and political officials of the Qing government in Anhui chose to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear, and simply ignored it.

The Qing army troops in Anhui were either stationed at the Pukou camp or were suppressing the Nian Rebellion.

Even if Peng Gang were to march into Anhui, the Qing army troops there would be helpless.

Moreover, Hunan and Jiangxi were relatively more harmonious compared to their local military and political officials, militia ministers, and imperial envoys.

The relationship between the local military and political officials and the militia ministers in Anhui was not harmonious; on the contrary, they were somewhat at odds, making it impossible for them to form a cohesive force to jointly defend against the so-called short-haired rebels in the west.

As for the Qing army in Jiangxi, their main focus is currently on the Taiping army under Shi Dakai in Madang and Wangjiang, while their attitude towards Beidian in the upstream area is mainly one of monitoring and defense.

The Hunan authorities were the ones most concerned about every move the Northern Palace made.

In Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, the atmosphere inside the flower hall of the Hunan Provincial Governor's Office was incongruous with the gradually warming scenery outside the window, appearing unusually heavy and oppressive.

The Governor-General of Huguang, Luo Bingzhang, the Governor of Hunan, Zhang Liangji, the General of Jingzhou, Wulantai, the Commander-in-Chief of the Chu Army, Jiang Zhongyuan, the Provincial Treasurer of Hunan, Xu Youren, and the Prefect of Changsha, Zhu Sunyi, along with other key military and political figures from Hunan, gathered together. Several intelligence reports from Hubei were spread out in front of them.

These intelligence reports corroborate each other, pointing to the same disturbing fact.

Initially, when the spies confirmed that a severe spring famine had occurred in Huangzhou Prefecture and other places under Peng Gang's control, with starving people everywhere and some already dying of starvation, the Hunan officials in the flower hall all showed some degree of schadenfreude.

"What goes around comes around!" Xu Youren, the governor of Hunan, revealed an undisguised smugness on his lips.

"This is divine protection for our Great Qing, punishing the wicked and rebellious! Peng Dehuai's rampage in Hunan and Hubei, his perverse actions, have finally brought divine retribution upon him. Heaven has eyes! The people in his territory are impoverished, and corpses of the starving are everywhere. Let's see how he can still sit firmly in Wuchang and covet our Hunan and Hubei!"

Xu Youren thought this was a good thing, as it might temporarily slow down the expansion of the short-haired tribes, giving Hunan more time to breathe and accumulate strength for a counterattack.

When Peng was in Guangxi, he painstakingly cultivated a persona of benevolence and love for the people in order to win over the hearts of the people.

Maintaining this persona requires an extremely high cost.

For example, if Peng Gang wants to maintain his image as a benevolent and righteous person who loves the people, he must properly handle the spring famine in Huangzhou Prefecture.

Otherwise, his image as a benevolent and righteous person who loves the people will surely collapse.

If his public image collapses, the occupied areas of Hunan will no longer support Peng Dehuai as they do now.

General Wulantai of Jingzhou sneered, "Hmph! It's better to let those treacherous peasants who joined the rebels starve to death! It will save my Eight Banners elite troops from wasting guns, cannons, swords, and arrows in the future! Peng has lost the hearts of the people of Hubei, let's see what he can use to resist my Great Qing!"

Even Zhu Sunyi, who was usually cautious in his speech, felt relieved and echoed, "General Wu is absolutely right. With the spring famine spreading, Peng will be exhausted from dealing with the internal strife, which may give our Changsha defenses a few more precious months of respite."

However, this stroke of luck, built on the other side's disaster, was like thin ice under the sunlight, quickly crushed by the subsequent urgent reports.

"Report! The Huangzhou Prefecture, under the control of the Short-haired Rebels and presided over by the newly appointed Prefect Yang Xun, is currently conducting a large-scale recruitment of laborers in the Dabie Mountains, including Huang'an and Macheng!"

"Urgent report! The rebel government of Peng has clearly stated that laborers will be provided with daily meals and will receive 35 cash per day!"

"Confirmed report! The recruitment is massive, and it is said that his fake peasant association is involved. Starving people are flocking to join! In Huangzhou Prefecture alone, Peng's few have already recruited twenty to thirty thousand laborers!"

The series of messages made the Qing government's military and political officials in Hunan uneasy.

Luo Bingzhang slammed his teacup on the table with a clatter, the spilled tea soaking his horse-hoof-shaped sleeves, but he didn't bother to wipe it away.

"Recruiting laborers? Peng Gang has only recently finished his western expedition, and he has seized a great deal of our Wuchang and Jingzhou treasuries. Shouldn't he be taking a break from the war, pacifying the local areas, and consolidating the spoils of war? If he is so impatient to start another expedition, his ambitions must be quite grand!"

Luo Bingzhang's cloudy yet sharp gaze swept over everyone present as he continued.

"Gentlemen, Peng's actions are far more complex than simply providing work relief! Is his military force truly aimed at Changsha, or does he have other motives? We must discuss this clearly today!"

Although the propaganda of the short-haired people was that the recruitment of laborers in Huangzhou Prefecture was for work relief to help the disaster victims of Huangzhou Prefecture get through the spring famine.

However, Luo Bingzhang felt that this was just a smokescreen by Peng Gang. Under the guise of providing work relief, this action was actually a preparation for the next round of fierce military offensive.

Panic spread like a plague among the officials in the flower hall.

As the Hunan official with the most experience dealing with Peng Gang, he had a relatively good understanding of Peng Gang.

If Peng Gang doesn't use troops, he won't use them; but if he does, it will be a major operation, something big is bound to happen.

Where Peng Gang's military might be headed next is the question they are most concerned about right now.

Prefect Zhu Sunyi of Changsha was the first to lose his composure. He practically sprang to his feet: "Your Excellency, Governor, General Wu, I believe that Peng's actions are undoubtedly aimed at Changsha!"
Since Peng Ni's army launched its western expedition last year, it has been entrenched in Yuelu Mountain and Shuiluzhou, like two pincers, constantly monitoring every move of my Changsha city!
They have already occupied Yuezhou, Xiangyin, Yiyang, and other places in Hunan, and their troops are stationed at the gates of our provincial capital. Their current conscription of soldiers in Hubei may be preparation for an attack on Changsha!

Zhu Sunyi believed that the short-haired rebels' large-scale conscription of laborers in Huangzhou Prefecture was a preparation for attacking Changsha.

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, turning to face the crowd and continuing, "Peng Gang has already seized Yuezhou, Xiangyin, and Yiyang in Hunan, and has even stationed troops near the provincial capital, Changsha! Now he is conscripting a large number of soldiers in Huangzhou, Hubei, undoubtedly because the spring famine has led to a shortage of military supplies, and he intends to plunder Hunan for grain. We must not be careless and should immediately strengthen the city's defenses, and urgently order the local militias in Liuyang, Liling, and Xiangtan to quickly enter and defend the provincial capital! Delay... delay could lead to great disaster!"

By the end, Zhu Sunyi's voice even trembled with emotion, wishing he could bring all the available troops from Hunan to Changsha to ensure the city's safety.

Zhu Sunyi's entire family was in Changsha, and he certainly didn't want anything to happen to the city.

The Hunan governor, Zhang Liangji, slowly shook his head. He was more patient and composed than Zhu Sunyi, and of course, he was also more meticulous.

Zhang Liangji picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and did not drink it immediately. Instead, he pondered and said, "Prefect Zhu is worried about the defense of Changsha, which is understandable. However, after careful consideration, I feel that there is something strange about this matter."

As he spoke, he took a small sip of tea, then put down the teacup and walked to the map in the flower hall. He first pointed to Changsha, then slowly moved eastward, crossed Dongting Lake, and landed in Anhui Province.

"Prefect Zhu believes that it is indeed possible that the rebel Peng intends to attack Changsha. But please consider this: if the rebel Peng really wanted to launch a full-scale attack on our fortified city, wouldn't it be more convenient to recruit laborers from Yuezhou, Xiangyin, Yiyang, and even Changde, which he already firmly controls? The transportation of grain and military supplies would be shortened by more than a hundred miles. Why make such a big fuss and go to such lengths to recruit laborers from Huangzhou Prefecture, which is close to Anhui and surrounded by mountains? This is the first point."

Secondly, gentlemen, do not forget that since the fall of Anqing, Anhui's military strength has been severely depleted. Although the court has issued strict orders urging the Huizhou-Ningxia-Chizhou-Taizhou-Guangzhou Circuit Intendants and the Anhui Governor to exert their utmost efforts to defend and recapture Anqing, the results have been minimal. The garrison troops in various parts of Anhui are mostly newly recruited soldiers, and their combat effectiveness is worrisome. Peng Dehuai's military tactics have always emphasized avoiding the strong and attacking the weak, and assessing the situation carefully. In my opinion, his actions in Huangzhou this time are very likely an attempt to launch an eastward offensive, taking advantage of the situation to invade and conquer Anhui! He aims to seize a large area of ​​western Anhui in one fell swoop, thus connecting his Hubei territory with the area under Shi Dakai's rebel forces in Anqing.

Zhang Liangji's analysis, rich in historical references and logically sound, immediately intensified the debate in the flower hall. Supporters of Zhu Sunyi and those who agreed with Zhang Liangji each held their own arguments, and their voices grew louder.

Overall, however, Zhang Liangji still has more supporters.

Those officers who knew Peng Gang even slightly felt that, given his fighting style, it was unlikely he would attack Changsha now.

Luo Bingzhang, seated at the head of the table, maintained a somber expression throughout. As he listened to the debate between the two sides, his gaze would occasionally drift toward Jiang Zhongyuan, who stood silently before the map, seemingly deep in thought.

Jiang Zhongyuan rose to prominence through military training and numerous battles. He even killed the puppet Western King Xiao Chaogui with artillery fire during the first Battle of Changsha. When Luo Bingzhang was still the governor of Hunan, he relied heavily on and trusted Jiang Zhongyuan.

Luo Bingzhang wanted to hear Jiang Zhongyuan's opinion.

"Minqiao." Luo Bingzhang called out Jiang Zhongyuan's courtesy name, and the flower hall immediately fell silent, with everyone's eyes focused on Jiang Zhongyuan.

"You have dealt with the rebels the longest and are well-versed in military affairs, repeatedly thwarting their fierce attacks. In your opinion, what is Peng's true intention in mobilizing such a large force this time? Is he aiming for Changsha, or is he advancing eastward into Anhui? Please speak freely. This is a matter of great importance, and we must come up with a plan today."

Jiang Zhongyuan, who was called out, slowly turned around. He first cupped his hands to Luo Bingzhang, Zhang Liangji, Wulantai and others before turning his gaze to the two sides arguing.

"Prefect Zhu is loyal to the country, and Governor Zhang is experienced and shrewd. Both of your insightful opinions are reasonable, and I admire them greatly."

After exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Zhongyuan changed the subject, saying, "However, I have fought against this traitor Peng many times. Observing his use of troops, his strategic planning, and his meticulous and cunning mind, I fear his actions are far more complex than simply attacking Changsha or advancing into Anhui. This traitor is well-versed in the art of winning through both orthodox and unorthodox tactics, and is adept at using feints and diversions. Every move he makes is aimed directly at the vital points, striving for a fatal blow!"

Jiang Zhongyuan first and foremost completely denied the possibility that Peng Gang would launch a strong attack on Changsha; his analysis was more thorough than that of Zhu Sunyi and Zhang Liangji.

"Peng Ni cherishes his soldiers and dislikes direct confrontation. Changsha is a high-lying and deeply fortified city. After several previous sieges, its defenses are even more complete, and its reserves of food and military supplies are more abundant. Furthermore, General Wu's elite troops from Guangfu and my humble Chu soldiers are working together to defend it."

Peng Dehuai would never rashly launch a full-scale attack on such a fortified city, wasting his troops in the process. Even if he were to launch a full-scale attack on Changsha at this time and achieve a Pyrrhic victory, he would be severely weakened. His garrisoning of troops at Yuelu Mountain and Shuiluzhou is primarily intended to contain and deter our army, preventing us from launching a decisive attack and creating conditions for him to pursue other plans.

Jiang Zhongyuan reassured some of the Hunan officials present by stating that Peng Gang would not attack Changsha so quickly. Then, he turned his attention to the speculation that Zhang Liangji was heading east to Anhui.

"Governor Zhang judged that Peng Gang might advance eastward into Anhui, taking advantage of the province's weak defenses to seize cities and territories, which is common sense. However, as everyone knows, Peng's rebellion depends on his navy and river transport!"

Its troop movements, supply transport, and artillery ammunition delivery are heavily reliant on the Yangtze River, the Han River, and the Dongting Lake system. If its main force were to advance eastward from Huangzhou Prefecture into Anhui, it would primarily have to traverse rugged and difficult land routes, making resupply inconvenient and hindering its ability to leverage its naval and firearms advantages.

Even if Peng Gang were to capture several cities in western Anhui, the gains might not outweigh the costs and risks of the expedition. If he couldn't directly capture Luzhou, he would be bogged down in a protracted stalemate with the Qing army in Anhui, diverting his forces that could have been used in the main offensive. Therefore, I believe that advancing eastward into Anhui is not Peng Gang's first choice.

After the Western Expedition, the officials in Changsha had to admit that the short-haired rebels now had a firepower advantage over the government troops. Not only were their firearms sharp, but their musketeers and gunners were also more well-trained than those of the government troops.

After successively refuting the conjectures of Zhu Sunyi and Zhang Liangji, Jiang Zhongyuan took a deep breath. His fingers, as if cast in iron, pressed heavily on the strategic point on the map that connects the north and south and controls the land and water routes—Xiangfan!
"In my humble opinion, if Peng Yi launches a military campaign in the near future, his real target is most likely Xiangfan."

Ladies and gentlemen, please look: Peng Dehuai has already seized the three towns of Wuhan and controls the middle reaches of the Yangtze River; last year, during his western expedition, he also occupied Jingzhou, guarding the gateway to the upper reaches. Only Xiangyang and Fancheng remain in the hands of our Great Qing.

Xiangfan is the key to Hubei's northern gateway, the throat of the Han River, and a vital transportation hub connecting north and south. If it were to occupy, the entire territory of Hubei would fall into its grasp, forming a relatively intact and easily defensible region!

Luo Bingzhang frowned after listening to Jiang Zhongyuan's analysis. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Peng Ni just gained Jingzhou last year. If he also gains Xiangfan, he can threaten the Central Plains to the north, spy on Sichuan and Shaanxi to the west, and take the absolute initiative when confronting Hunan to the south! He can attack or defend at will!"

If the monks and their men fail to annihilate the rebels who fled north, Peng could also head north from Xiangfan to Henan to meet the fleeing rebels who were returning south.

Conversely, if Hunan were to possess all of Hubei, I would face its full force head-on, with no buffer! At that point, Hubei and Hunan would be united, and Hunan would be in grave danger!

Two years ago, Wuhan was lost; last year, Jingzhou and Yichang were lost; if Xiangyang and Fancheng are lost this year, even if some mountainous counties in Hubei are saved by chance after the war, it would be almost equivalent to the entire Hubei province falling into Peng Gang's trap.

Hunan and Hubei are one, and after losing Hubei, there's nothing left to lose. Next, it'll be Changsha.

Jiang Zhongyuan's analysis was meticulous and progressive, demonstrating the inevitability and feasibility of Peng Gang's attack on Xiangfan from all aspects, including Peng Gang's military style, strategic layout, geographical situation, and current timing. It was the most convincing speech among all the major military and political officials in Hunan.

After some analysis and deduction, a deathly silence fell over the flower hall; you could hear a pin drop. Zhu Sunyi and Zhang Liangji, who had been arguing just moments before, were now pale-faced and drenched in cold sweat. Ulantai clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles were white, and a hoarse sound came from his throat, but he couldn't utter a word.

Even Luo Bingzhang was pacing back and forth anxiously.

Of all those present, no one knew the state of Hubei better than the Governor-General of Huguang.

Chong Lun, the governor of Hubei, was a typical incompetent member of the Eight Banners. He was even incapable of asking Emperor Xianfeng for money and grain, so he was definitely not someone to be relied upon.

Although Bao Qibao, the governor of Hubei, stabilized the morale of the army and people in Changsha during the first Battle of Changsha by showing respect to ghosts and gods when he was the governor of Hunan, his ability to command troops and fight battles was actually quite mediocre.

The situation in Hubei was basically being held up by Luo Raodian alone.

Luo Bingzhang knew that if Jiang Zhongyuan was right, the short-haired rebels were indeed coming for Xiangfan this time.

Given the current strength and prestige of the short-haired rebel army, the chances of the defenders of Xiangfan holding the city are extremely slim, unless a miracle occurs.

If Xiangfan is lost, not only will the situation in Hunan deteriorate further, but Luo Bingzhang's personal future will also be in jeopardy.

Apart from him and Wulantai, everyone else present was a high-ranking official from Hunan.

The loss of Xiangfan will not have a significant impact on high-ranking officials in Hunan, but he, as the Governor-General of Huguang, will certainly be held accountable.

“Your Excellency, the most urgent task is to strengthen the defenses of Xiangfan. Only with preparation can we avoid trouble,” Jiang Zhongyuan said, looking at Luo Bingzhang’s increasingly aged and deeply lined face.

"It's easy for you to say. Changsha is already struggling to take care of itself, and the land and water routes from Changsha to the north are blocked by the short-haired rebels. Even if I wanted to support Xiangfan, I am powerless to do so," Luo Bingzhang said helplessly.

"The most I can do is submit a memorial to the emperor, requesting that some troops be transferred from neighboring Shaanxi and Henan to strengthen the defenses of Xiangfan."

Yichang Prefecture, Jingzhou Prefecture, and Yuezhou Prefecture north of Changsha were all Peng Gang's territory, and the connection between Hunan and Hubei had been severed by Peng Gang.

It's impossible to use Hunan's soldiers to support Xiangfan.

Luo Bingzhang could only hope that the neighboring provinces of Shaanxi and Henan could send some troops to reinforce the city's defenses.

However, the main force of Shaanxi's elite troops had already been transferred to Jiangxi by Sai Shang'a, and most of the Qing army's soldiers in Henan were dispatched to Zhili to fight against the Taiping rebels who had fled north.

Whether Emperor Xianfeng and the Ministry of War were willing to transfer troops to Xiangfan before Peng Gang officially dispatched troops to Xiangfan.

Whether the reinforcements from Shaanxi and Henan could arrive in Xiangfan before Peng Gang's army reached the city was still unknown.

“If the short-haired man’s intentions are indeed as Minqiao said, and his aim is Xiangfan, then Su Xi (Luo Raodian’s courtesy name) can only pray for good fortune.” Zhang Liangji couldn’t help but sigh and said.

The loss of Xiangfan would have little impact on his career as the governor of Hunan. The real issue was whether the court would send the already limited troops from Shaanxi and Henan to reinforce Xiangfan, and whether these troops could arrive in time to help Xiangfan.

Zhang Liangji was more able to face reality with equanimity than Luo Bingzhang.

Based on his understanding of the nature of the imperial court and the foreign troops, the answer was naturally no.

Luo Bingzhang, Zhang Liangji, Jiang Zhongyuan, and others wrote their analysis and judgment into a memorial and sent it to the capital by express courier. Ulantai also submitted a secret memorial explaining the matter.

As Zhang Liangji predicted, Emperor Xianfeng and the Ministry of War were busy dealing with the rebellion of Wei Changhui's troops, who had already reached the outskirts of the capital.

The government was extremely indifferent to the suggestions from Luo Bingzhang, Zhang Liangji, Jiang Zhongyuan, and others that the Short-haired Rebels were very likely to launch a military campaign against Xiangfan in the near future and requested that additional troops from Shaanxi and Henan be sent to reinforce Xiangfan in order to ensure its safety.

If there were surplus troops in Shaanxi and Henan, Emperor Xianfeng would still be willing to send some troops to Xiangfan to guard against unforeseen circumstances.

Unfortunately, there were not many Shaanxi soldiers left to guard Shaanxi, and they were burdened with the important task of pacifying the Northwest, so they could not be moved lightly.

As Zhang Liangji had predicted, most of the troops in Henan had been conscripted by Emperor Xianfeng to fight against the rebellion led by Wei Changhui and Lin Fengxiang in Zhili, leaving few local troops in Henan.

At this time, with the mobilization and preparations completed in the Northern Palace and the two regiments of new recruits in the Shahu Camp trained and formed into an army as scheduled, Peng Gang finally ordered the two armies to advance on Xiangfan in order to realize the strategic intention of occupying the entire Hubei province.

As Jiang Zhongyuan had predicted, Peng Gang's use of all his reserves was indeed intended to provide support for the return of Wei Changhui, Lin Fengxiang, and other Northern Expeditionary Army troops to the south.

(End of this chapter)