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Volume 1: Fierce Battle in Changsha Chapter 649: Attacking from the South to the North

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    General Michel did not use any deception when selecting volunteers. He bluntly told his soldiers that he needed 3,000 volunteers to complete a dangerous task.  ¡ù% This group of volunteers should pretend to be the main force, break out towards Jinghai in the southeast where the enemy is most numerous, and then take a detour back to Dagokou, where they will board a ship and return to the south.

    Major General Michel looked at the officers gathered in a circle around him and said calmly: "Gentlemen, this is a very dangerous mission. Maybe we can break out, maybe not, but for the safety of the soldiers,  Honor, we must use a small number of soldiers in exchange for the chance of most people surviving. Those who go may not necessarily die, but if no one goes and everyone stays to break out together, it will be a disaster. Everyone has half an hour  It's time to go back and select soldiers. It would be better if there are soldiers who volunteer to join. If not, everyone can draw lots and let God make a fair decision." At this point, Michael paused and finally said loudly: "I am  The first volunteer, who wants to join me, will meet at the canal ferry in half an hour!¡±

    After finishing speaking, Major General Michael rode his horse and walked alone to the canal ferry. Under the light and shadow of the scorching sun, his back looked so lonely and tall.  Soon, many passionate soldiers were silently following him along the way. There was no deception, no incitement, and no stimulation of high rewards, but only their loyalty to the country, their sense of honor as a soldier, and their commitment to the collective interests.  This is the biggest difference between the modern army and the feudal army.

    Two thousand British troops soon gathered under the flag of Major General Michel, and more than a thousand French soldiers also volunteered to join them.  Many times, we have been misled by later generations of film and television works.  It is believed that Western soldiers value their lives and will not risk their lives casually.  That is seriously misleading.  In fact, if you think about it the other way around, you will understand. A group of desperadoes dared to cross the ocean.  They were very adventurous and braved the danger of wind and waves to go around half of the world to fight in the far east. What's more, breaking out south would not necessarily lead to death. They might be able to break out.  They are not worthless sacrifices. Once they succeed, they will be treated like heroes and can save many comrades. It is worth taking the risk.

    So, at noon that day.  Major General Michel led his volunteers to start moving south. The soldiers did not bring anything else except the necessary ammunition and rations.  Five hundred coolies drove ox-carts and horse-drawn carriages pulling bulky heavy artillery to follow. Major General Michel hoped that the presence of these heavy artillery might confuse the Taiping Army and make them think that the coalition forces were heading south.

    Jinghai is more than 40 kilometers away from Hexiwu Town. It is located in the southwest of Tianjin. After arriving here, go eastward to Lubeikou, Yangu Pass, Gegu and then you can reach Dagu Pass.  The most dangerous distance is the distance from Hexiwu Town south to Jinghai. There are many rivers and puddles along this stretch.  The road is complicated and difficult to travel, which is not conducive to the deployment of large forces. For this reason, Major General Michel believes that the Taiping Army will not arrange too many troops.

    After crossing the canal.  Major General Michel's troops moved all the way south, and after walking several miles, they were discovered by Taiping scouts.  However, the Taiping Army obviously did not expect that a large coalition force would break through to the south. The road to the south was too difficult to walk.  Therefore, the Taiping Army's interception force was very small.  Major General Michael did not engage with the Taiping's small force and sent a small number of troops to drive them away.  The large army continues to march south, with its eyes only staring at Jinghai!

    Half an hour later, news of the coalition's breakout from the south reached the desk of the Taiping Army headquarters in Tianjin. Li Xiucheng squinted at the map of southern Tianjin and didn't speak for a long time.

    An impatient staff officer reminded: "General, when the foreigners retreat to the south, their intention must be to pass through Jinghai and then go straight east to Dagu to board a ship and escape. We don't have many troops on the southern front to intercept them. Or do we?"  Let¡¯s mobilize troops as soon as possible to contain them.¡±

    Li Xiucheng raised his hand to stop what he was saying, closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then suddenly opened his eyes and said: "The main force of the British and French forces will not go through Jinghai, absolutely not! The rivers and puddles there are extremely unfavorable for the deployment of large forces.  Once trapped there, they will die without burial, and they will never go here! Let the troops near Jinghai attack them and find out the enemy's reality again!"

    The order was issued quickly. After receiving the news, the two infantry battalions of the Taiping Army in the direction of Jinghai immediately began to set up interception positions. The battlefield was located in Yangliuqing, north of Jinghai.  In order to prevent the coalition forces from breaking through and heading south, the Taiping Army here in Yangliuqing started building fortifications two days ago.  The Taiping Army built earthen walls with plank doors, rafters, millstones, wine jars, cabinets, window lattice, etc. They also used trees, wine jars, earthen jars and other objects to disguise large and small artillery emplacements to confuse the enemy.  The earthen fort is piled with sandbags inside and loess outside. It is seven feet thick and has three floors. It is solidly built and cannot be knocked down by cannons.  There are six gates around the city, and a defense of seven feet in depth and seven feet in width was dug around it using the original small ditch.river.  Bamboo sticks were planted along the river and landmines were laid.

    At around five o'clock in the afternoon, Major General Michel finally got rid of the annoying flies along the way and arrived at Yangliuqing. The harassing Taiping Army troops were driven away by the coalition forces, but they caused dozens of casualties to the coalition forces.  The kamikaze's morale took a definite hit.

    After viewing the terrain of Yangliuqing, Major General Michel felt bitter in his mouth. At this time, the "crazy" Taiping Army had dug the breach in the northwest Jieyuan River embankment, and the South Canal flooded the large depression in the west of Jinxi. The only way to reach Jinghai was from the west.  A narrow path passes through Shaozhikou. The canals and rivers along this road are overflowing and there are rivers everywhere. Only one road has a slightly higher terrain and is not flooded, and Yangliuqing is just stuck on the road.  This is an obvious death place. If the coalition forces cannot quickly capture Yangliuqing and pass through it, and wait until the Taiping army chases them from behind, Major General Michel's troops will suffer a disaster.

    Without much hesitation, Major General Michel ordered the artillery to unload and begin the attack. Large-caliber artillery such as 36-pounders and 18-pounders began to fire at the Taiping Army's temporary bunker in Yangliuqing. Although the Taiping Army's fortifications were strong, they could not withstand  Unable to withstand the bombardment of large-caliber artillery, it soon became riddled with holes.  Fortunately, the Taiping Army had trenches and artillery-proof holes in the earthen forts. Unless they were unlucky enough to be directly hit by artillery shells, they could still steal their lives under artillery fire.

    When the Taiping Army officer commanding the unit saw that the coalition forces actually had so many large-caliber artillery pieces, he immediately sent messengers to bring the news back to Tianjin. At the same time, he ordered the soldiers to prepare for a counterattack after the artillery fire. They were to stay here until the large forces arrived.  So far, this officer is very sure that this must be the main force of the coalition, otherwise there would not be so many large-caliber artillery.

    After Li Xiucheng got the news about the direction of Jinghai, his brows twisted into the Chinese character "Sichuan". Could it be that his judgment was wrong?  Is the commander of the coalition forces out of his mind?  Actually brought the troops to such a death place to die?  If he immediately mobilizes the troops around Tianjin to go south, he will soon be able to surround the coalition forces in the narrow area of ????Yangliuqing, and annihilate the main force of the coalition forces is just around the corner.  But if the main force of the coalition forces is not there, and the troops here go south, and the coalition forces make a false shot and go north to Shanhaiguan, then it will be too late for our own troops to catch up. If we cannot block the main force of the coalition forces and return them to the sea, then the war situation in Jiangnan will be very different.  Cause immeasurable losses.

    Li Xiucheng hesitated for a moment, and the staff officer on the side reminded: "General, it has taken a lot of time to send the troops back and forth. If there is really the main force of the coalition over there, the two battalions in the south cannot stop it no matter what.  Please send a group to support us first."

    Li Xiucheng slowly shook his head. He could no longer divide his troops. He wanted to defend Hexiwu and Tianjin. His mobile forces could only be used to intercept the main force of the coalition forces and hold on until the King of the West's brigade arrived. If he divided his troops any more, he might be exposed.  .

    After much consideration, Li Xiucheng gritted his teeth and firmly believed in his judgment. He ordered the two battalions on the southern line to hold on, and the mobile troops went directly north to seize Baodi County between Hexiwu and Yutian. He said in a deep voice: "I just bet on the British and French.  The coalition forces will not go through the Sea of ??Tranquility! This is common sense in military affairs! This is the strategy of the British and French coalition forces to attack the south and attack the north. Our ancestors used it thousands of years ago!"

    Due to Li Xiucheng's persistence, the plan of the British and French allied forces came to nothing. The goddess of luck once again favored the Taiping Army. Afterwards, Li Xiucheng said frankly that he was ready to bear all the consequences of his wrong judgment, even being killed by the West.  Wang shot him because he believed that it was common sense in military affairs and that the coalition forces would not risk taking the southern route.

    At the same time that the fighting started in Yangliuqing, the main force of the British and French forces began to move northward. Their first target was Baodi between Hexiwu Town and Yutian County. Li Xiucheng's troops also began to move towards Baodi, while Xi Wang's troops  Because of the blocking and harassment of the coalition rearguard units, they fell behind.  The coalition rearguard troops blew up bridges, destroyed roads, and tried every means to delay the Taiping Army's pursuit, causing great trouble to the Western King's troops.

    At this time, Xiao Yungui was also very anxious. He was worried that the coalition forces would change their retreat route and choose to go south or north, bypassing Tianjin and returning to the sea. If they could not annihilate the main force of the coalition forces, then he would have great fun later.  Once more than 10,000 British and French troops are unable to escape, they can choose any coastal location south of the Yangtze River to land, and what follows will be endless harassment.  But if the coalition army is wiped out and only the navy is left to harass the southern coast, at least the enemy will not be allowed to land. After all, occupying the land still requires the army to complete.  China is not an island country, and it cannot be defeated by naval blockade alone.  The premise of all this is that the main force of the coalition forces is surrounded and annihilated in the Jintang area!

    The British and French allied forces and the Taiping Army began a race, and their destination was Baodi County. Although Li Xiucheng's troops were dispatched a little later, they were all Taiping Army soldiers known as iron feet, and they marched very quickly.

    Night fell quickly, and Major General Michel of Yangliuqing returned.?Organized troops to storm, but the Taiping Army was still defending there. However, more than a hundred miles away, the Taiping Army rushing to Baodi had already seen the lights of Baodi County (To be continued, please search Piaotian Literature for better updates of the novel.  Faster!
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