A few minutes later, with a bang, a red flare rose into the night sky. Both the enemy and ourselves clearly saw this signal flare emitting dazzling light across the sky at the same time.
Although Fan Yongdou had never seen this thing, he knew very well that the opponent was the first to launch an attack.
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Hu Laofi yelled, "Solid bullets, fire immediately. Fire three rounds first."
The artillery squad immediately took action, first filling the silk powder bag into the barrel, then the cork cartridge holder, and finally the spherical lead ball.
The length of the east city wall is 500 meters, and the range of the camel cannon is also 500 meters. In other words, if you fire from this end, you can hit the very back.
Old Fart Hu spit out the butt of his cigarette and stamped it out.
"Fire cannons on the city wall, and every shot will make a bloody alley."
Zheng Decai asked: "When will we attack? How to cooperate."
Hu Laofi said: "Follow us and we will clean up a section. You can follow. I will tell you when I need you to go up."
"Fire," with the command, the gunners immediately pulled the rope.
Now the firing device of the camel cannon has been replaced with a flintlock bolt, and the cannon can be fired by pulling the fire. At the same time, the fire door was retained as an ignition port. Make a backup copy of the launch method.
boom! boom! boom!
Three cannons roared. Then three more roars came. That was when the Western City Wall also launched an attack.
Three three-pound lead balls flew towards the barricade thirty meters away at high speed.
The defenders on the east wall carried all kinds of broken furniture and built a barrier as a bunker. Used to shoot against cavalry riflemen.
For a cannonball, the distance of thirty meters is reached in an instant. The huge kinetic energy directly smashed these broken tables and chairs. The canopy bed, eucalyptus strips and the like were smashed to pieces. Broken sawdust with sharp stubble flew everywhere.
The gunman who was hiding behind was directly smashed to pieces by the cannonball along with the barricade.
The swordsmen who were sitting around the fire eating in the back were hit by the lead ball at a high height. There were more than 700 people behind the barricade. These lead balls passed directly through the crowd, flying flesh and blood all the way. It didn't stop until it penetrated ten rows.
Fortunately, this was a three-pounder. If it had been a twelve-pounder, it could have penetrated the barricade and hit it from beginning to end. Three rounds of artillery fire plowed this section of the city wall.
The crowd suddenly screamed.
The shells flew through a shower of limbs. As long as it is hit by a cannonball, no matter which part it is, it will turn into a pile of rotten flesh and fly away directly.
Qin Donghai had been a soldier, so he immediately fell to the ground. The expression on his face changes erratically. This is a bad start to the year. It's like a ghost. The Tatars actually have so many firearms.
He clearly saw a swordsman in front of him being hit in the torso by a cannonball. The man's chest exploded directly, and his limbs flew away in four pieces. The shells flew past his back with a bloody mist and a burning smell.
The strong wind hurt his back. Then he heard a thud, and someone had been hit. You don't need to look back to know that that person is finished. Because the flesh and blood fragments sprayed all over him.
He yelled: "Get out of the way and stand on both sides."
Unfortunately, the camp had already been blown up by this time. Everyone abandoned their jobs and ran around like crazy. Trying to dodge the projectiles. Everyone was shouting loudly. His voice was lost in the din.
Immediately afterwards, another round of shells came.
Three rounds of shells once again sent the barricade flying in all directions, and then flew towards the running crowd. Three bloody passages emerged.
After three rounds of firing, the barricade had been basically destroyed.
Hu Laofi said to Zheng Decai: "Zheng Yingzuo, the situation is better than I thought. They just built a barricade. There is no more behind. Our work is done, you can charge."
Zheng Decai cupped his hand and said, "Thank you. After the battle is over, I'll treat the artillery brothers to a drink."
"Okay, let's wait. If you need anything from us, just ask us." Hu Laofi also said with his hands.
Now, the infantry is particularly respectful to the artillery. They all know that when the offense encounters a tough nut to crack, you have to rely on others to solve it for you.
"The first squadron, in small groups, forms two horizontal lines and advances forward."
Following Zheng Decai's order. Every small group formed a two-row line, which just covered the city wall horizontally. They raised their flintlocks with bayonets and walked forward with unified steps.
Soon, the first group crossed the barricade, and then the subsequent groups advanced in sequence and passed the barricade.
"Prepare, release" the squad leader's voice came from behind the barricade.
Then there was a burst of gunfire. Then another burst.
The first row finished the gun and immediately squatted down to reload. The second platoon behind opened fire.
After the bombardment, the swordsmen who had not yet restored order were already panicking when they heard neat footsteps. Then they saw a row of people, pulling a horizontal line, cutting off the city wall and moving forward.
Under the night cover, a row of bayonets gleamed in the firelight.
A sense of oppression came over me. Suffocating.
However this is not over yet.
Immediately afterwards, a second row of soldiers came over the barricade. Third row, fourth row, fifth row...
They were not sure whether to rush forward or retreat when gunfire rang out.
Because of the shelling just now, many of them were killed. Or wailing on the ground. The team was also completely in disarray. Completely ran away. Not organized.
This is the difference between a rabble and a regular army. As long as their minds are beaten to death, they will be completely in disarray.
They didn't hesitate for long. Because the other side opened fire.
A line of fire passed through, and gunshots sounded like exploding beans. At a distance of more than ten meters, there was almost no need to aim, and a bunch of swordsmen fell down.
Then, the soldiers who had emptied their guns squatted down to reload. A row of men behind them opened fire immediately. Another storm of bullets came.
These horizontal columns occupied the entire cross-section of the city wall. There was no place to hide. Thick lead bullets flew in, and everyone in front of them fell down one after another.
After each team fired, they immediately squatted down and started loading. Keep shooting from behind.
One squad is followed by another. Nine squads from a battalion entered the barricade at a time. Before the fifth round, the swordsmen on the opposite side collapsed. They couldn't rush forward at all. The dense volley of muskets seemed endless.
Without a single volley, a group of people were swept away.
After five rounds, they collapsed and swarmed backwards.
Zheng Decai immediately ordered, "The front row immediately pursued them and killed them with bayonets.
The whole battalion charged forward according to the wave. Chase the fleeing swordsmen. Until they ran down the bridleway.
Zheng Decai ordered the city wall to pursue and control the east gate. The two teams rushed down the horse paths on both sides of the city gate. With several rounds of musket fire, the merchant group at the east gate was dispersed. Successfully took control of the east gate.
