Although Kinmen is located between Anping and Xiamen, it is still 12 nautical miles away from Anping. If you use a sailboat to maneuver, the sea voyage will take too long and will be affected by the hydrological conditions in the harbor. [Full text reading] It is difficult to achieve the effect of a surprise attack. A motor transport boat with an average speed of 8 knots obviously has a great advantage in this regard.
"The transit time is too long. If the enemy responds in time, they can completely rescue them from land." Mingqiu expressed his concerns clearly when studying the combat plan. Although he had not carried out amphibious operations, he knew this. Class battles are generally quick and decisive. But a fleet dominated by sailing ships obviously cannot do this. In addition, Kinmen and Xiamen are both very large islands. It will take a considerable amount of time to launch troops to attack and search the islands. According to the battle plan, the local areas must be systematically destroyed and the population taken away. This may take three or four days. In order to complete the battle determination.
If the Zheng family's center had not been defeated and unresponsive at the first opportunity, then Zheng Zhilong might have transferred reinforcements from Jinjiang and other places the next day. Zheng Zhilong's army was a private army, not as exhausted as the officers and soldiers. They only walked a dozen miles a day and could probably reach Anping in half a day to counterattack.
Based on historical records that Zheng Zhilong used troops on land many times, the Intelligence Bureau and the Great Library believe that his army mobile troops numbered 2,000 during this period. Including the left-behind troops that can be mobilized, a long position can send 3,000 people to Anping.
"We don't need to worry about Zheng Zhilong's reaction speed." Dongmen Chuiyu was full of confidence, "The Zheng family's army, no matter it is the Zheng Zhilong era or the Guoxingye era, its performance against opponents with a little combat effectiveness is very poor, regardless of Whether it is the ability to fight or the will to fight is a question. According to war games, sending an infantry company equipped with machine guns and light artillery can defeat the reinforcements." He gave an example. The Qing Army's Ma Degong Division made a sneak attack on Xiamen, and the landing of dozens of Qing Army scouts caused the entire island's defense to collapse. Ma Degong easily captured Xiamen, the core base of the Zheng family, with little naval support and no overall strength advantage.
"So the combat effectiveness of Zheng Zhilong's men is so unbearable?"
"The Intelligence Bureau's view is that even according to the standards of the 17th century, Zheng Zhilong's army - whether it is the navy or the army - is not a strong force." Dongmen Chuiyu said with confidence, "With the scale of the troops we mobilized, Enough to complete all campaign missions.”
From now on. Zuoying's base was raised to the highest alert level, and all vacations and outings were cancelled.
At five o'clock in the morning on September 27, Mingqiu received a telegram from the Lingao Navy Department: "Start action." Mingqiu summoned all captains of the First Fleet at the base. Ordered: "The Senate has decided to start a war against Zheng Zhilong. Our fleet will immediately go to Kinmen to attack Zheng Zhilong's fleet and cover the landing of the army troops in the Jinxia area." After saying this, he issued orders and tasks to the commanders and captains of each squadron. Book.
The main force of the First Fleet is the cruiser Lichun and 4 hybrid first-class gunboats. There were also five squadrons of sailing spy boats. The total tonnage of the battleship exceeds 8,000 tons. It carries 200 artillery pieces of various calibers. All hybrid battleships are equipped with rifled guns. Although the proportion is not high, the range and power are beyond the reach of the smoothbore cannon on the spy boat.
Due to the limited distance of this operation, the accompanying ships did not bring coal ships. The army, navy, logistics units and supplies are transported by 35 large miscellaneous transport ships of the Second Transport Group - the h800 is not suitable for use in ports that have not undergone port construction due to its relatively large draft.
There are also four squadrons of patrol boats cooperating with the operation to perform miscellaneous tasks.
During the voyage, every warship in the fleet was conducting targeted training, especially the squadron leaders and captains of each ship. They were taking the time to familiarize themselves with the hydrographic data of Xiamen Bay and Weitou Bay and the Zhengzhou Bay that had just been issued before departure. Home defense information.
That night. The fleet arrived at Penghu, and the sea was calm during the voyage. All fishing boats encountered on the way were detained and escorted to Penghu.
The fleet anchored in Penghu, and personnel from the Joint Logistics Department established a temporary base on Magong Island, opening a material storage yard and a rescue center. Army personnel landed ashore for a short rest.
Although the Navy did not issue a rest order, the number of people on duty was reduced by half during each shift, and all personnel took turns to rest to accumulate strength for the attack two days later.
Li Huamei stood on the deck of the Lichun - the sun had already set. First Fleet instituted a blackout, extinguishing all but a few necessary signal lights. The campgrounds on the shore were also dimly lit.
However, these days are during the full moon period. Even without lights, you can still see the ships anchored among the islands and the tents on Magong Island under the moonlight.
Although there were many people and boats, there was no noise everywhere. The boats were moored one after another, and no one was walking around on the island or on the deck. A solemn and orderly atmosphere. The signal lights on the ship and in the camp turned on and off in sequence, conveying information that she could not understand yet. You can vaguely hear the commands coming with the sea breeze. All this made Li Huamei, who participated in a large-scale Australian operation for the first time, secretly awed - she and her lady, the Ming Dynasty court, and Chinese and foreign maritime merchants all seemed too small and insignificant in the face of such power.
She is on duty. The Hangzhou did not participate in this operation because it was being refitted, but as a member of the trainee officers, she boarded the cruiser Lichun - successfully completing the primary task assigned to her by the young lady.
This was the first time in many years that she had served on a ship as a crew member rather than as a captain. Based on her expertise, Li Huamei was assigned to be an intern in the sailing and cable department.
Boarding this black "giant ship", Li Huamei was extremely excited - the same feeling as when she boarded the holy ship, or even more excited. You must know that the holy ship will not move, and it is too far away from her cognitive level. Unlike Li Chun, although there are many incredible things, they are within the scope of her understanding. She had seen large European ships of similar size when she was sailing - some were even bigger than Lichun. Three huge masts, cloud-like sails and intricate sail cables were once her capital to ridicule the "Senate Navy".
This time she was assigned to the sailing and cable department, and she wanted to show off her skills in front of a group of people. Not to mention the elders, even though most of the naval officers and soldiers they recruited came from maritime families, they were also amateurs at climbing masts and retracting and lowering sails. However, she soon became disappointed. The Lichun's sails were all folded and folded using a method that she could not quite understand: the sailor in charge of steering pulled an operating lever under the mast, and the sail cable winch next to it whined. It rotates by itself to raise or lower the sail, and it can be operated in an instant. Compared to the Hangzhou where every time the sailors were raised and lowered, the sailors lined up and shouted, pulled the rope and turned the winch, it was like heaven and earth: If there was a competition, the sailors on the Hangzhou had not gathered yet, and the work of raising and lowering the sails here would be impossible. It's done.
Mysterious "automatics" like this can be seen in many places on the Lichun: retracting and releasing anchors, rotating cannons... As long as it is a labor-intensive thing on the ship, you can move a certain pole or turn the wheel, and then the object will It will mysteriously move on its own. Li Huamei roughly knew that this was the same as the steam trains and large iron cranes driven by the Australians on the shore. They were some kind of mysterious power of water and fire - the huge black chimney in the middle of the three masts, spewing thick smoke and white steam. It is the embodiment of this power.
She became very interested in this "power of water and fire", but it was the engine department that controlled the power of water and fire, which had nothing to do with her. The sailing and rigging department was always working on the deck, while the engine department was never seen except when she encountered these jet-black people when she returned to the cabin to rest.
"It would be great if I could sneak into the engine department sometime and take a look." Li Huamei thought to herself. She realized how ridiculous it was for her to want to get an Australian "fast ship". She and her Chinese and foreign sailors simply couldn't serve such a big black ship.
If you want to get this kind of boat, you need the help of the Australians to train all the sailors - just relying on the strength of yourself and the lady is simply wishful thinking.
She sighed, and now she would be very satisfied even if she got an Australian speedboat with pure sails, such as the Haitian. Don’t know what your Hangzhou will look like after modification?
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but think of the young lady, her sister and herself - and Elder Qi. She felt that she had been involuntarily, pushed by some kind of force, and got here step by step.
At this moment, she stood on the deck of the Australian "black ship" and put on their uniform, but she still had second thoughts. What will happen to your own destination? She felt that it was unlucky to think like this, but she couldn't help but think about it.
Li Huamei stood alone in the darkness for a long time until the replacement arrived. She turned in her shift and returned to her cabin below decks.
As a trainee reserve officer, she was not entitled to the officer's cabin and slept in the noncommissioned officer's steerage cabin: all were hammocks.
Li Huamei was not used to sleeping in the same steerage cabin with a group of big men. Although everyone knew that she was a famous pirate and no one dared to pay her attention, just watching these men take off their clothes and sleep every day made Li Huamei feel uncomfortable. She felt sick all over. And the men also said that it was too exciting and embarrassing. Finally, the ship management department temporarily separated a room with wooden boards in a corner of the steerage cabin.
Li Huamei returned to her "single room", took off her coat and climbed onto the hammock. There was already loud snoring in the steerage outside. She was still a little uncomfortable with such an environment, so she had to close her eyes to rest her mind. In one day, the fleet will leave for Anping.
