1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 368 Seeking help from gods and Buddhas is not as good as relying on oneself

After being relentlessly and fiercely bombarded by the three paddlewheel warships Baling, Pingjiang, and Linxiang of the Northern Navy, as well as other small gunboats, the defensive fortifications of Fancheng facing the Han River were already riddled with holes.

The Linjiang Fort, which received special attention, suffered from broken battlements and crumbling mud and rocks.

The defenders of Fancheng were already terrified by the relentless, thunderous bombardment, and their morale had plummeted. Very few Qing artillerymen dared to go up to the fortresses to engage in a direct confrontation.

The riverbank positions along the Fancheng River were also in a state of devastation. There were no city walls to protect them, only a few hastily dug trenches and chest-high earthen walls.

On the river, the three paddle steamers of the Northern Palace Navy—the Baling, Pingjiang, and Linxiang—along with other gunboats, were still cruising, their various cannons occasionally spitting fire.

The light boats and fast ships that were about to break ashore were already filled with naval infantry. Half of these naval infantrymen responsible for breaking ashore were armed with flintlock muskets, the barrels of which gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

"attack!"

With a wave of the command flag from Chen Miao on the command deck of the Baling, hundreds of light and fast ships sped out from between the large ships.

On each of the light boats and fast ships, naval infantrymen dressed in indigo cross-collar uniforms gripped their Charville flintlock muskets tightly, bayonets already fixed, gleaming coldly in the glaring summer sun, ready to charge ashore and rout the Qing troops on the shore.

"The short-haired fighters are charging! Fire the cannons!"

Seeing that the soldiers of the Northern Palace had begun their charge, Qing troops began firing cannons at the charging troops on the Han River from three or four hundred paces away.

From within the defensive fortifications along the Fancheng shore, the sporadic, intermittent sounds of cannon fire suddenly rang out.

Because the Linjiang Fort was in the open and the cannons on it were quite heavy, mostly weighing over a thousand pounds, they were difficult to move and easy to spot and eliminate.

However, the light mountain cannons carried by the Qing army were easy to carry and move due to their light weight, and they were mostly hidden inside fortifications, making them highly concealed. Therefore, the Northern Palace Navy was unable to clear all of the Qing army's mountain cannons before the vanguard of the naval infantry charged forward.

Although the Qing army's artillery on the mountain-splitting positions opened fire one after another, the firing distance was too far and the Qing army's artillerymen were not well trained and their artillery skills were extremely poor.

At a distance of three or four hundred paces, very few shells hit their mark. Most of the shells fell into the river after undergoing irregular Brownian motion, creating small jets of water.

The Qing army's artillerymen opened fire too early, which exposed their position. The gunboats of the Northern Fleet quickly moved their ships, adjusted the elevation and depression of their guns, and fired at the Qing army's artillery positions, suppressing the Qing army's artillery.

The Han River in the Xiangfan section is only one mile wide. During the shelling, more than 700 naval infantrymen responsible for rushing ashore gradually came ashore.

Seeing that the short-haired soldiers had landed, the Green Standard Army soldiers on the shore hurriedly raised their muskets and fired. Due to the distance, most of the Green Standard Army soldiers simply fired blindly towards the river.

"bang bang bang"

The sound of scattered gunfire rang out, and white smoke billowed behind the earthen wall.

The Qing army's crudely equipped soldiers' arquebuses had limited range, and their accuracy was poor beyond fifty paces, with most of the lead bullets falling into the river and creating tiny splashes.

Even worse, some were so nervous that they failed to light the match cord and fired before the ramrod was even pulled out of the barrel.

It either misfired or fired all the way through.

There were also Qing soldiers who overloaded their guns, causing their muskets to explode and injure them, resulting in them falling to the ground, clutching their faces and hands, and howling in pain.

"Don't panic! Wait until the short-haired bandits get closer before attacking!"

Some bold Qing officers ran and shouted between the trenches, trying to fire a volley of gunfire to drive the short-haired soldiers who had come ashore back into the river, but to little avail. Apart from their personal guards, few Green Standard Army soldiers and local militia were willing to follow their orders.

From afar, it could be seen that some of the Qing soldiers had already landed, and many Qing troops had already abandoned their weapons and begun to flee into Fancheng. Even the supervisory team at the rear could not stop the rout.

"First row, let go!"

As a naval infantry company commander waved his command flag, blew his whistle, and gave the order to fire, the vanguard arquebusiers simultaneously pulled their triggers, unleashing a dense hail of bullets toward the earthen wall.

The Northern Army was equipped with a wide variety of flintlock muskets. In addition to the domestically produced Polu Gun, it also had a large number of imported flintlock muskets, including those from Britain, France, the United States, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands.

However, compared to other weapons, the Springfield M1842 rifle and the Brownbees were procured in greater quantities and were equipped in larger quantities.

The naval infantry were equipped with the Charville M1777 flintlock rifle, which was being retired by the French army. This rifle had been in service for decades and was older than many of the naval infantry soldiers' grandfathers. It was the standard rifle widely used by the French army during the Napoleonic Wars.

Although this gun was somewhat outdated on the European battlefield, it remained a very advanced firearm on the Eastern battlefield.

The Charwell M1777 flintlock musket had a range and accuracy far superior to the Qing army's arquebuses, and immediately sent earth and stones flying from the earthen wall.

Although the Qing troops on the position had breastworks and trenches for cover, a few Qing soldiers who showed their heads were still hit by headshots and died on the spot.

"Second row, let go!"

The relentless barrage of gunfire kept the Qing troops barely able to raise their heads.

When the distance closed to fifty paces, the power of the flintlock muskets became fully apparent. The well-trained infantry of the Northern Palace Navy unleashed a flurry of fire, the barrage of bullets like the scythe of death, sweeping down swathes of Qing soldiers behind the earthen wall.

"Run for your life!"

"The short-haired guy is coming!"

Before the charging infantry of the Northern Palace Navy could even reach the Qing army's lines, the remaining elite Qing troops on the battlefield collapsed.

The surviving Qing soldiers let out a shout, abandoned their muskets and swords, and turned to flee into the city.

The officers' reprimands and the supervisors' threats were all in vain; the entire defensive line collapsed like an avalanche.

In just fifteen minutes, the defense line along the river in Fancheng was completely breached.

Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of the Land Division was responsible for launching a feint attack from the land to disperse the Qing army garrison at Fancheng and relieve pressure on the main attack direction.

Because the Qing army defending the city was so weak and easily defeated, the soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment, who were originally only responsible for a feint attack to contain the defenders of Fancheng, actually took down Yingxu Gate in the northeast of Fancheng and stormed into the city.

With the successive fall of the riverside positions and the Yingxu Gate in the northeast corner of Fancheng, the overall situation in Fancheng was settled.

The Northern Army surged into Fancheng like a tidal wave.

Shouts of battle, gunfire, and cries echoed through the streets and alleys of Fancheng, signaling the imminent fall of this important town on the Han River.

Under the fierce protection of his personal guards, Hubei Governor Bao Qibao fought and retreated, eventually retreating to the City God Temple, hoping to rely on the City God Temple and the surrounding buildings to put up a stubborn resistance.

At this moment, Bao Qibao had less than three hundred personal guards left, many of whom were wounded and their morale was low.

"Quick! Block the front door with tables and chairs!"

"Archers up the wall! Musketeers take over the windows!"

Bao Qibao shouted commands at the top of his lungs, sweat mixed with blood—whether his own or someone else's—dripping down his fat face.

He chose this place as his final stronghold not so much because he valued the sturdiness of the buildings, but because deep down he still harbored a sliver of absurd fantasy: perhaps, just perhaps, the City God would really appear.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Suddenly, a burst of gunfire erupted outside the temple gates. The Northern Army had completed the encirclement of the last organized and disciplined Qing force in Fancheng.

Chen Miao, commander of the Sixth Regiment, and Xie Bin, commander of the Third Regiment, personally came to the front line to direct the operation.

"Listen up, you inside! Lay down your weapons and surrender, or you'll be spared!" Xie Bin's booming voice came through the door.

His response was a cacophony of musket fire, lead bullets striking the stone steps and scattering sparks.

"Stubborn fool!" Chen Miao sneered. "Bring the mountain-splitting cannon up!"

Before long, more than a dozen light, company-level mountain guns were brought over. The gunners skillfully loaded ammunition and unleashed a barrage of fire at the gate.

A deafening roar of cannon fire erupted as solid iron bullets slammed into the wooden door and earthen wall. Amidst flying sawdust, the heavy door shattered, revealing the panicked faces of the Qing soldiers behind it.

"Musketeers, fire a volley!"

The musketeers, who had already lined up and were waiting for orders, immediately opened fire, and a dense hail of bullets poured in through the broken doors and walls.

Screams erupted from inside the temple as Qing soldiers attempting to block the entrance fell in droves.

"Second row, let go!"

No sooner had one volley of shots ended than the second volley began.

The Qing troops inside the City God Temple were forced to retreat repeatedly.

"Fight in!"

Under cover of fire, the infantry of the North Palace launched their charge. With bayonets at their sides, they moved in groups of four, providing cover for each other, and quickly passed through the broken gates and walls, entering the City God Temple.

The Qing troops who stubbornly resisted in the City God Temple and several nearby residences had their space for maneuver constantly compressed, and one by one, the Qing soldiers could not withstand the pressure and came out of their houses to surrender. Only a few dozen of Bao Qibao's confidants remained in the City God Temple, still putting up a futile resistance.

"Report! The front yard of the military camp has fallen!"

"General, the back gate has also been breached by the short-haired thugs!"

"General! The short-haired thugs have already reached the palace gates!"

Bad news came one after another.

Bao Qibao looked around. At this moment, he had less than a hundred people left around him, and they were all squeezed into the vicinity of the main hall.

The City God statue inside the hall remained silent, as if coldly observing the massacre.

"City God, City God, why haven't you shown your power yet!" Bao Qibao roared in despair, his voice trembling with sobs.

Just then, the palace doors were suddenly flung open, and the soldiers of the North Palace surged in like a tidal wave.

Bao Qibao's personal guards fought desperately, but faced with overwhelming numerical and firepower superiority, they quickly fell to lead bullets and bayonets.

Bao Qibao stood alone in front of the statue, watching the approaching soldiers of the North Palace, and then looking up at the clay statue.

In a daze, he seemed to see a mocking sneer appear on the corner of the statue's mouth.

"Golden Body. Golden Body"

He muttered to himself, recalling the promise he made yesterday and the broken word he made in Changsha, a chilling feeling rising from the bottom of his heart.

"Bao Qibao! Put down your weapon!" Chen Miao shouted sternly at Bao Qibao in front of the statue.

Chen Miao had learned from Qing army prisoners that Huguang Governor Bao Qibao was at the City God Temple. Bao Qibao was wearing an official robe, making him stand out among the remnants of the Qing army.

Although Chen Miao and Bao Qibao were complete strangers, it was not difficult for Chen Miao to recognize that the Qing army officer in front of the City God statue, whose mental state was already somewhat unstable, was Bao Qibao.

Bao Qibao seemed not to hear him. He suddenly threw his head back and laughed, letting out a shrill and desperate laugh: "City God, are you punishing me? Is it because I failed to keep my promise?"

The laughter abruptly ceased. Bao Qibao swiftly drew his dagger, a flash of cold light, and the sharp blade sliced ​​across his neck. Blood splattered onto the base of the statue. This admiral, who had repeatedly placed his hopes on the protection of gods and spirits, finally collapsed before the very statue he had once worshipped.

A soldier from the North Palace stepped forward, checked his breath, and shook his head: "He's dead, beyond saving."

Chen Miao looked at Bao Qibao lying in a pool of blood, then at the blood-stained statue of the City God, and sneered, "Seeking divine intervention is less effective than relying on ourselves. Inform the entire army that Fancheng has been captured!"

With the last Qing army unit in Fancheng wiped out, Bei Dian completely took control of Fancheng.

The main forces of the Luqin organization outside the city entered the city one after another, and strictly enforced discipline and posted notices to reassure the people.

According to preliminary statistics, more than 1,300 Qing soldiers and local militiamen were killed or captured during the attack on Fancheng.

According to the interrogation of the prisoners, excluding the militia temporarily captured, there were approximately 2,800 Qing soldiers and militia in Fancheng before the battle.

In other words, more than half of the Green Standard Army militia in Fancheng took off their uniforms and disguised themselves as ordinary people to hide in the city.

Lu Qin, Xie Bin, and others can let bygones be bygones against the militiamen of Fancheng who were temporarily captured and coerced into defending the city.

However, those Green Standard Army soldiers and local militia who had received rations from the Qing government could not be let off easily.

Especially now that it's wartime, they've only captured Fancheng, not Xiangyang.

Allowing 1,400 to 1,500 Qing soldiers to hide in Fancheng would ultimately be a disaster.

Lu Qin and Xie Bin sent out soldiers to tell the people of Fancheng that they intended to stay in Fancheng permanently in order to reassure them.

Immediately, a reward was set forth: one tael and five mace for each militia member, with additional pay for leaders according to their rank; two taels for each Green Standard Army garrison soldier; five mace for each combat soldier; five mace for each cavalryman; and additional pay for officers according to their rank. The people of Fancheng were encouraged to actively report and expose wrongdoing in order to receive the reward.

The Qing government's Green Standard Army was characterized by officials moving around while soldiers remained stationary. Officers were appointed to various posts, while soldiers were essentially hereditary soldiers who were allowed to join but not leave.

Except for a few border regions such as Yizhou Road, which, due to historical factors, are not allowed to recruit soldiers locally, but instead send Green Standard Army soldiers from neighboring Fujian Province to take turns stationing them across the sea.

In order to save on food and pay, the Green Standard Army in the vast areas of the mainland conscripted local people to join the army.

Half of the Green Standard Army soldiers in Fancheng were locals from Xiangfan, and they were quickly recognized and reported for a reward.

As for the local militia, they were mostly locals and were quickly recognized.

In just two days, Lu Qin, Xie Bin, and others captured nearly a thousand Qing soldiers who had escaped the police in the martial law-bound city of Fancheng.

With Fancheng captured, Lu Qin and Xie Bin sent messengers to report the victory to Wuchang while simultaneously making intensive preparations for the campaign against Xiangyang.

Xiangyang City is the focus of this campaign.

The temporary headquarters of Bao Qibao, the former governor of Huguang, in Fancheng has now become the command post of the Northern Expeditionary Army to Xiangyang and Fancheng.

Commander-in-Chief Lu Qin, Deputy Commander Xie Bin, Naval Corps Commander Chen Miao, Staff Officer Zhang Ze, Zhuo Huayu and other key generals gathered together. Each of them wore the fatigue of days of fighting, but even more so the excitement and joy of conquering Fancheng.

They discussed how to attack Xiangyang next.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Lu Qin began, making an opening remark.

"With Fancheng now fallen, the gates to Xiangyang are wide open. Everyone is welcome to freely express their opinions on how to attack Xiangyang next."

Chen Miao stood up and said, "Our army has just won a victory and its morale is high! We should strike while the iron is hot, cross the river immediately, and take Xiangyang in one fell swoop! Excluding the militia members who are just there to make up the numbers, the garrison in Xiangyang is only about four thousand strong. They have also lost the defensive barrier of Fancheng and are already like frightened birds. Our army has several times the strength of the enemy and also has the advantage of the navy and cannons. Why should we worry about not being able to take Xiangyang?"

In the era of cold weapons, Xiangyang was undoubtedly a nightmare for the attacking side, but now it is the era of firearms. Moreover, Peng Gang has always attached great importance to the construction of the navy, and the Beidian navy is far stronger than the Qing navy.

The artillery accompanying the expedition to Xiangfan included a heavy artillery company equipped with six twelve-pound Napoleon cannons.

They were not afraid even when exchanging fire with the Qing army's artillery on the walls of Xiangyang.

With the advantage of a navy and artillery, Chen Miao felt that they could win a quick battle and take Xiangyang in one fell swoop to avoid any unforeseen circumstances.

In the past few days, many junior and middle-ranking officers, especially those in the Army Division, have petitioned their battalion commanders, regimental commanders, and even directly to Lu Qin and Xie Bin, requesting permission to fight in Xiangyang.

After all, the attack on Fancheng was too swift, and the credit for the attack on Fancheng went mostly to the navy, while the land troops, excluding the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment, had not yet earned any military merit.

Staff Officer Zhuo Huayu slowly shook his head. After everyone quieted down, he spoke unhurriedly: "Xiangyang has been a formidable city since ancient times. The city walls are over three zhang high, with a base more than two zhang thick, and the moat is twenty or thirty zhang wide and deep enough to submerge the head. If our army launches a strong attack, even if we eventually break through the city, the casualties will be considerable. If the casualties are too heavy, and too many of our soldiers are buried under the walls of Xiangyang, how will we explain this to His Highness?"

At this point, Zhuo Huayu paused, then continued to elaborate on his proposal: "Now that Fancheng is in our hands, our army has formed a siege around Xiangyang. It would be better to adopt a long-term siege strategy, digging deep trenches and building high walls outside the city to cut off their food and water supplies. There are tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians inside Xiangyang, and their food reserves will eventually run out. Once their food supplies are exhausted and their reinforcements are cut off, they will naturally surrender without a fight. This is the best strategy to achieve our goal at the lowest cost."

Zhuo Huayu advocated a long-term siege of Xiangyang to force the garrison to surrender.

Upon hearing this, Chen Miao immediately retorted: "Chief of Staff Zhuo is mistaken! Siege? How long would that siege last? According to the intelligence we obtained from our interrogations, the grain reserves in Xiangyang are sufficient to last for more than six months."

"Our army has tens of thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of laborers. How much food and fodder will it consume every day for them and their horses? Furthermore, if the delay continues, the Qing troops from Henan and Shaanxi will march south to their aid. At that time, our army will be attacked from both sides. What will we do then?"

After capturing Fancheng, the grain and fodder in Fancheng were inventoried and found to be enough to last the city for four months.

If the grain reserves in Fancheng could last for four months, then the grain reserves in Xiangyang City as reported by the prisoners and Bao Qibao's advisors were likely true.

The situation in Xiangyang is different from that in Changsha.

Although Changsha has a large military force, it is well-connected by waterways, and paddle steamers can travel directly from the three towns of Wuhan to Changsha in just five or six days.

Furthermore, the Northern Palace has already occupied Yuezhou Prefecture, and their guerrilla forces are also active in the southern Hunan region.

Whether the Qing troops in Jiangxi or Guangxi wanted to rush to Changsha's aid, they would be constrained, giving Wuchang ample time to react.

The Han River is not like the Yangtze or Xiang River; its waterways are silted up, making it difficult for large paddle steamers to navigate.

Fancheng was newly occupied territory, and the Northern Palace had not yet established effective control over Xiangyang Prefecture. Requisitioning grain locally was both difficult and uncertain, and in the short term, they would still have to rely on the supply of grain and military provisions from the three towns of Wuhan.

Even if the Qing troops from Yunyang Prefecture, Shaanxi, and Henan did not come to Xiangyang's aid, the cost of besieging Xiangyang would still be incredibly high.

After all, they were paid laborers, and they not only had to take care of the army's food and drink, but also ensure the basic survival of the vast majority of the laborers.

Xie Bin then spoke up: "Our army has mobilized a large number of troops this time, and it is indeed not advisable to delay for too long. Moreover, Your Highness is currently engaged in military operations. If our army is bogged down in a fortified city for an extended period, it may jeopardize the overall situation."

The hall was divided into two factions. The pro-war faction was passionate and advocated for a swift victory; the pro-siege faction, citing classical texts, emphasized that a cautious approach was paramount. Both sides held firm to their positions, and the argument remained unresolved.

Lu Qin listened quietly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. As the commander-in-chief, he bore the greatest responsibility for the gains and losses of the Battle of Xiangfan, and he had to weigh the pros and cons and make the decision most beneficial to the outcome of the battle.

(End of this chapter)